Faculty Profile

Dr. Renee M. Demarest received her PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics in 2005 from Temple University School of Medicine; during this time she received the Distinguished University Fellowship and a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Her thesis research focused on defining signaling pathways involved in normal human T-cell activation and the role of cyclinT1/CDK9 in cancer. She continued her training as a postdoctoral fellow at The Wistar Institute with Dr. Anthony Capobianco focusing on defining the role of Notch in cancer, including exploring the roles of Notch and myc in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In December 2013, Dr. Demarest was hired at RowanSOM as an Assistant Professor with a dual appointment in the Departments of Molecular Biology and Cell Biology & Neuroscience. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Master's in Histopathology and Master's in Anatomical Sciences programs at RowanGSBS, where she is responsible for all the histology and mouse model technical training. Dr. Demarest is also course director of Immunology and Exercise Physiology in the Master's of Biomedical Sciences program and co-director of the PBLI Cardio/Renal block at RowanSOM. 

Her primary research focuses on defining critical pathways required for human T-ALL development and survival, as well as humanizing drug therapies in mouse models of cancer in order to improve the translation success of new drugs to the clinic. The Demarest Lab also studies mechanisms of bone marrow failure, including chemotherapy-induced bone marrow failure. In addition, due to Dr. Demarest’s skill in developing animal models of disease and her expertise in histology she collaborates with a number of faculty from various department at the Rowan-Glassboro campus. Current collaborative projects include 1) investigating the efficacy and toxicity of unique, patented silver coatings for biomaterials to prevent biofilm formation in vivo and 2) investigating the safety of novel extended-wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses.