Thomas Martin
Teaching Professor and Honors Faculty Fellow,
Barrett Honors Faculty
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Phone: 480-727-6720
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LANTANA HALL POLY CAMPUS Mesa, AZ 85212
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Mail code: 1980Campus: Tempe
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Long Bio
Tom Martin is a faculty fellow with Barrett, The Honors College on the Polytechnic campus. He is former Chief Scientific Officer of Diffusion Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company that has since gone public, and has drug candidates entering Phase III FDA trials. He has published research articles in journals such as Structure and Nature Structural Biology, as well as popular essays in Seed magazine and The Christian Science Monitor. He was the initial Barrett faculty fellow at the Polytechnic campus, and currently teaches entrepreneurship courses at both Tempe and Poly. He is also the faculty advisor for the Flinn Scholars, helping to found their Community Service Mentoring course. Through this affiliation, he hopes to promote stronger connections between ASU and the local community.
Education
- Ph.D., Molecular Biophysics – University of Virginia, 2001
Dissertation: Structural characterization of MRD, a bacterial protein which binds to the cancer drug Mitomycin C
- M.A., History and Philosophy of Science – University of Pittsburgh, 1993
Master’s Thesis: Scientific Theory Reduction and Laplace's Demon
- B.A., Honors Program – Villanova University, 1990
Honors Thesis: Strange Loops and Hermeneutic Circles
- B.S., Comprehensive Science Program (Physics Focus) – Villanova University, 1990
- B.A., Philosophy – Villanova University, 1990
Publications
- Martin, T. W. (2009). Self-Replication. In D. H. Guston (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
- Martin, T., Derewenda, U., Dauter, Z., Devedjiev, Y., Sheffield, P., Jelen, F., He, M., Sherman, D., Otlewski, J., & Derewenda, Z. (2002). Molecular basis of Mitomycin C resistance in Streptomyces: structure and function of the MRD protein. Structure, 10(7), 933–942.
- McMullen, T., Li, J., Sheffield, P., Aoki, J., Martin, T., Arai, H., Inoue, K., & Derewenda, Z. (2000). The functional implications of the dimerization of the catalytic subunits of the mammalian brain platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (Ib). Protein Engineering, 13(10), 825–832.
- Martin, T. W., & Derewenda, Z. S. (1999). The name is bond — H bond. Nature Structural Biology, 6(5), 403–405.
- Derewenda, Z. S., & Martin, T. W. (1998). Structure of the gangrene α-toxin: the beauty in the beast. Nature Structural Biology, 5(8), 659–660.
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 272 | The Human Event |
| HON 272 | The Human Event |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 171 | The Human Event |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 171 | The Human Event |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 194 | Special Topics |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 272 | The Human Event |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HON 370 | History of Ideas |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 194 | Special Topics |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 194 | Special Topics |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HON 370 | History of Ideas |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 394 | Special Topics |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 194 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| BIO 317 | History of Science II |
| HPS 323 | History of Science II |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 317 | History of Science |
| BIO 317 | History of Science |
| HPS 323 | History of Science |
| HPS 323 | History of Science |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 294 | Special Topics |
| HON 484 | Internship |
| HON 493 | Honors Thesis |
Honors / Awards
- Golden Comma Award (2025)
- Certificate of Appreciation, Prospective Student Outreach (2023)
- Deans Award for Innovation and Collaboration (2021)
- Dean’s Teaching Award (2006)
- Darden Business Plan Competition, 1st Place (2001)
Professional Associations
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Work History
- Arizona State University – Teaching Professor, Barrett, The Honors College (2022–present)
- Principal Lecturer, Barrett, The Honors College (2015–2022)
- Senior Lecturer, Barrett, The Honors College (2010–2015)
- Lecturer, Barrett, The Honors College (2005–2010)
Developed and taught interdisciplinary honors courses in science, history, and social implications of science. Led curriculum initiatives in entrepreneurship, language/cognition, and thesis pathways. Initial Faculty Fellow at Barrett Polytechnic.
- Diffusion Pharmaceuticals – Chief Scientific Officer (2001–2003)
Led biotech research advancing drug candidates into FDA Phase III clinical trials
- University of Virginia – Research Assistant, Molecular Biophysics (1996–2001)
- Denver Institute of Technology – Instructor (1994–1996)
- University of Pittsburgh – Teaching Assistant, History and Philosophy of Science (1990–1993)
- Franklin Institute Science Museum – Planetarium Demonstrator (1985–1990)
Service
- University / College
Barrett Polytechnic Admissions Committee (2022–present)
BHC Promotion Committee (2020–present)
Faculty Advisor, Dive Devils (2023–present)
Faculty Advisor, Flinn Scholars (2019–present)
- Professional / Community
Mentor, AAAS Community Initiative (2024–present)
Presenter, Spirit of the Senses community lectures (2010–2020)
Industry Positions
- Diffusion Pharmaceuticals – Chief Scientific Officer (2001–2003)