EDUCATION
Postdoctoral Scholar University of California-Santa Barbara (2014 - 2018),
Marine Science Institute and materials Research Laboratory
Mentor: J. Herbert Waite
Adhesive and structural biomaterial formation and performance from the nano-to-macro length scales
Ph.D. University of California-Santa Barbara (2014)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering Program
Advisor: Daniel E. Morse, Ph.D.
Committee: J.H. Waite, Ph.D., K.R. Foltz, Ph.D., J. Lew, Ph.D.,
K.W. Plaxco, Ph.D.
Thesis: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptive squid iridescence
B.S. Brigham Young University~Hawaii (2004)
Biochemistry, cum laude
Research Advisor: Daren Heaton, Ph.D.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Scholar University of California-Santa Barbara (2014-2018)
Marine Science Institute/Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies
Mentor: J. Herbert Waite
Biochemical and biomechanical characterization of the extensible and ultra-wear resistant cuticle of mussel byssal threads for bio-inspired development of tough coatings
Dissertation Research University of California-Santa Barbara (2007-2014)
Biomolecular Science and Engineering Interdepartmental Program
Advisor: Daniel E. Morse
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptive squid iridescence
Graduate Researcher University of California-Santa Barbara (2007)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Advisor: Kevin W. Plaxco
Aptamer-based biosensors for the electrochemical detection of thrombin and IgE
Graduate Researcher University of California-Santa Barbara (2006)
Biomolecular Science and Engineering Interdepartmental Program
Advisor: J. Herbert Waite
The effect of copper enriched jaws on the toxicity of Glycera dibranchiata venom
Student Researcher Brigham Young University-Hawaii (2003-2004)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Advisor: Daren Heaton
Expression and characterization of cytochrome C oxidase assembly factor (COX16) from Saccromyces cerevisae
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Adjunct Professor Brigham Young University-Hawaii (2019-2024)
Faculty of Sciences
General Chemistry Lab I, General Chemistry Lab II,
Introduction to Chemistry, Undergraduate Research
Visiting Professor Brigham Young University-Hawaii (2018-2019)
Faculty of Sciences
General Chemistry I, General Chemistry II, General Chemistry Lab I,
General Chemistry Lab II, Bioanalytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical
Chemistry Lab
Lecturer University of California-Santa Barbara (Spring 2016)
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Protein Processing
● Co-taught with veteran professor
● Updated curriculum to incorporate state-of the art Next Generation
Sequencing and Mass Spectroscopy as applicable to the field
● Wrote lectures to highlight new case studies in
protein processing
Teaching Assistant University of California-Santa Barbara (Winter 2011)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Experimental Strategies in Physical Biochemistry
Teaching Assistant University of California-Santa Barbara (Spring 2007)
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Biochemistry III
Teaching Assistant Brigham Young University-Hawaii (Spring 2004)
Physical Biochemistry
Lab Assistant Brigham Young University-Hawaii (Winter 2004)
Biochemistry Lab
Research Mentor Santa Barbara Charter School (2011-2012)
Elementary Science Lessons
PUBLICATIONS
Pollock, F.J., Asner, G.P., Carr, R., Conklin, E., Couch, C., DeMartini, D., Garcia, A., Hixon, M., Hughes, K., Huntington, B., Falinski, K., Okano, R, Oliver, T., ;Shantz, A., Ruseborn, S. (2025) Hawaiʻi Reef Restoration Monitoring Guide. NOAA technical memorandum NMFS PIFSC 178 doi: 10.25923/775k-nw53
Clancy, S.M., Whitehead, M., Oliver, N.A.M., Huson, K.M., Kyle, J., DeMartini, D., Irvine, A., Santos, F.G., Kajugu, P.E., Hanna, R.E.B.,, Huws, S.A., Morphew R.M., Waite, J.H., Haldenby S., Robinson M.W. (2025) The Calicophoron daubneyi genome provides new insight into mechanisms of feeding, eggshell synthesis and parasite-microbe interactions. BMC Biol 23 (11) doi: 10.1186/s12915-025-02114-0
Wonderly, W.R.*, DeMartini, D.G.*, Najafi, S., Areyano, S., Shea, J.E., Waite J.H. (2023) Mechanical Behavior of Octopus Egg Tethers Composed of Topologically Constrained, Tandemly Repeated EGF Domains. Biomacromolecules 24 (7), 3032-3042 doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00088
Wonderly, W.R., Nguyen,T.T.D., Malollari, K.G., DeMartini, D., Delparastan, P., Valois, E., Messersmith, P.B., Helgeson, M.E., Waite, J.H. (2022) A multi-tasking polypeptide from bloodworm jaws: Catalyst, template, and copolymer in film formation. Matter 5 (6), 1890-1908 doi: 10.1016/j.matt.2022.04.001
Valois, E., Hoffman, C.W., DeMartini, D.G., Waite, J.H. (2019) The Thiol-rich Interlayer in the shell-core architecture of mussel byssal threads. Langmuir doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01844
Dearden, S.J., Ghoshal, A., DeMartini, D.G., Morse, D.E. (2018) Sparkling Reflective Stacks of Purine Crystals in the Nudibranch Flabellina iodinea. The Biological Bullletin 234 (2), 116-129.
Monnier*, C., DeMartini* D.G., Waite, H.W. (2018) Intertidal exposure favors the soft-studded armor of adaptive mussel coatings. Nature Communications 9 (1) 3424.
DeMartini, D.G., Sjöström, S., Fenster, A., and Waite, J.H. (2017) A cohort of new adhesive proteins identified from transcriptomic analysis of foot glands. Journal of Royal Society Interface 14 (131) 20170151.
Levenson, R. DeMartini, D.G., Morse, D.E. (2017) Molecular mechanism of reflectin’s tunable biophotonic control: Opportunities and limitations for new optoelectronics. APL Materials 5 (10) 104801.
Filippidi, E., DeMartini, D.G., Malo de Molina, P., Danner, E.W., Kim, J., Helgeson, M.E., Waite, J.H., Valentine, M.T. (2015) The microscopic network structure of mussel (Mytilus) adhesive plaques. Journal of the Royal Society Interface doi: 10.1098/rsif.2015.0827.
DeMartini, D.G., Izumi, M., Weaver, A.T., Baum, M., Morse, D.E. (2015) Characterization and organization of the reflectin proteins controlling optically active iridocytes. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 290(24): 15238-15249.
Spieser, D.I., DeMartini, D.G., and Oakley, T. (2014) The shell-eyes of the chiton Acanthopleura granulata (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) use pheomelanin as a screening pigment. Journal of Natural History doi: 10.1080/00222933.2014.959572.
Ghoshal, A.*, DeMartini, D.G.*, Eck, E., and Morse, D.E. (2014) Experimental determination of refractive index condensed reflectin in squid iridocytes. Journal of Royal Society Interface 11 (95): 20140106.
DeMartini, D. G., Ghoshal, A., Pandolfi, E., Weaver, A.T., Baum, M., and Morse, D.E. (2013) Dynamic biophotonics: female squid exhibit sexually dimorphic tunable leucophores and iridocytes. The Journal of Experimental Biology 216: 3733-3741.
Ghoshal, A., DeMartini, D.G., Eck, E., and Morse, D.E. (2013) Optical Parameters of the Tunable Bragg Reflectors in Squid. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 10 (85): 20130386.
DeMartini, D.G., Krogstad, D.V., and Morse, D.E. (2013) Membrane invaginations facilitate reversible water flux driving tunable iridescence in a dynamic biophotonic system. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (7): 2552-2556.
Tao, A.R.*, DeMartini, D.G.*, Izumi, M., Sweeney, A.M., Holt, A.L., and Morse, D.E. (2010) The role of protein assembly in dynamically tunable bio-optical tissues. Biomaterials 31 (5): 793-801.
Izumi, M., Sweeney, A.M., DeMartini, D.G., Weaver, J.C., Powers, M.L., Tao, A., Silvas, T.V., et al. (2010) Changes in reflectin protein phosphorylation are associated with dynamic iridescence in squid. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 7 (44): 549-560.
Xiao, Y., Uzawa, T., White, R.J., DeMartini, D.G., and Plaxco, K.W. (2009) On the signaling of electrochemical aptamer‐based sensors: collision‐and folding‐based mechanisms. Electroanalysis 21, (11): 1267-1271.
PRESENTATIONS
Oral Presentations
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting
San Francisco, California, January 2018
Stiff-balls, stretchy-balls, soggy-balls? Structure-function comparisons of the protective coatings on load-bearing mussel threads
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting
New Orleans, Louisiana, January 2017
Next-generation sequencing insights into marine mussel wet adhesion
Brigham Young University, Department of Biology
Provo, Utah, December 2016
Bridging biomaterials: Keeping communication open between “bio”-materials research and basic biology
Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative Meeting, Office of Naval Research
Raleigh, North Carolina, May 2013
Switchable protein self-assembly and condensation tune iridescence in squid skin, inspiring new approaches to dynamically tunable optical materials
Third International Conference on Multifunctional Hybrid and Nanomaterials
Sorrento, Italy, March 2013
Dynamically adaptive biophotonics: Nanoscale protein assembly drives changes in iridescence in squid, guiding new approaches to dynamically tunable optical materials
Cephalopod International Advisory Council Triannual Meeting
Florianopolis, Brazil, October 2012
Sexually dimorphic squid iridescence offers a potential for male mimicry
Palau International Coral Reef Center
Koror, Palau, April 2012
Adaptive squid iridescence
Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering Program Symposium-University of California
Santa Barbara, California, September 2011
Adaptive structure and function of squid iridophores
European Cephalopod Association Conference (EuroCeph)
Vico Equense, Italy, April 2011
Structure and adaptive function of squid iridophores
Poster Presentations
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Departmental Symposium
Santa Barbara, California, February 2013 (Poster Contest: Honorable Mention)
The Mechanism of Tunable Squid Iridescence
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Departmental Symposium
Santa Barbara, California, September 2011
Molecular characterization of adaptive squid iridescence
Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies Conference
Santa Barbara, California, February 2011
Molecular characterization of adaptive squid iridescence
Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies Conference
Santa Barbara, California, March 2010
Changes in reflectin phosphorylation drives iridescence in squidHONORS AND AWARDS
Session Chair, “Bioadhesion,” Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, January 2017
Second Place, Art of Science Competition, California Nano Sciences Institute, 2016
Images displayed at University of Austin Science art show
Image contribution in Journal of Experimental Biology Annual Calendar, 2013
Cover image for Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2015
Session Chair, “Future Directions in Cephalopod Research” European Cephalopod Conference, April 2011
Best Poster Award, Materials Research Outreach Program, February 2010
American Chemical Society Recognition, Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Research, May 2004
American Chemical Society Recognitions, Outstanding Achievement in Organic Spectroscopy, Outstanding Achievement in Biochemistry, May 2003
Published essays in the Kula Manu: Literary Anthology, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, 2002 and 2003CERTIFICATIONS
AAUS Scientific Diver, NAUI DivemasterPROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Member of the Hawaii Statewide Post-Storm Response Hui- Oahu planning committee and response team leader in collaboration with TNC, NOAA, Hawaii DAR, Kuleana Coral, and others.
Member of the Hawaii Reef Restoration Monitoring working group
Member of the Coral Restoration Consortium’s Engineering and Innovation working group
Member of the Board of Directors for Kuleana Coral Restoration 501(c)3