Email
dheilman@wpi.edu
Office
Goddard Hall 103B
Phone
+1 (508) 8315000 x5396
Lab Links
Lab Website
Director, UMMS MQP Project Center
Education
BS Pennsylvania State University 2000
PhD University of Massachusetts Medical School 2006

Dr. Heilman is a Biochemist with sixteen years of teaching experience and extensive pedagogical innovation in both Chemistry and Biochemistry. His disciplinary research focuses on the discovery and characterization of novel virus proteins that have onco-selective toxicity. His focus on understanding these proteins has led to the development of new techniques for studying cell-selective activities and advances with novel pathways that induce programmed cell death in cancer. Leveraging his passion and talent for teaching alongside his research, he has advised over 100 MQP students with impactful projects leading to awards and publications, and propelling students into top graduate programs across the country. Dr. Heilman has developed and directed several local and national-level summer outreach programs including those dedicated to increasing opportunities for underrepresented students. He routinely delivers workshops on project-based learning, is the founder and Director of the UMMS Project Center, and was the recipient of the 2013 Trustees Award for Outstanding Academic Advising.

Courses Taught:

CH1030 - Equilibrium

CH2640 - Experimental Chemistry I

CH4110 - Biochemistry I

CH4130 - Biochemistry III

CH4150 - Experimental Biochemistry I

CH4170 - Experimental Biochemistry II

CH4190 - Regulation of Gene Expression

Research Interests
Viral protein biochemistry
Oncogenesis
Intracellular protein trafficking
Apoptosis

Scholarly Work

Hough K.P., Rogers A.M., Zelic M., Paris M., Heilman D.W. “Transformed Cell-Specific Induction of Apoptosis by Porcine Circovirus Type 1 Viral Protein 3” J. Gen. Virol. (96), 351-9, 2014.
Gammal R., Baker K., Heilman D. (2011). “Heterokaryon Technique for Analysis of Cell Type-Specific Localization,” JoVE. 49.
Heilman D.W., Green M.R. and Teodoro J.G. (2005). “The Anaphase Promoting Complex: A Critical Target for Viral Proteins and Anti-Cancer Drugs,” Cell Cycle.
Heilman D.W.*, Teodoro, J.G.*, Parker, A.E., and Green, M.R. (2004). “The Viral Protein Apoptin Associates with the Anaphase Promoting Complex to Induce G2/M Arrest and Apoptosis in the Absence of p53,” Genes Dev. (*equal contributions)

News

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Media Coverage

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Chronicle of Higher Education (the)
The Damaging Myth of the Natural Teacher

The Chronicle of Higher Education interviewed Destin Heilman, professor of teaching, for its article. Heilman spoke about WPI’s decision to create a path to tenure and extend contracts for some teaching faculty, along with giving them a role in faculty governance.

Worcester Business Journal
WPI professors raise ethical questions on CRISPR breakthrough

The Worcester Business Journal covered a WPI forum on the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. Noted in the article were: Dean, Arts and Sciences, Jean King; Assistant Professor, Social Science, Patricia Stapleton; Associate Professor, Humanities and Arts Bethel Eddy; Associate Professor, Biology and Biotechnology, Rita Rao; and Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Destin Heilman.