Paola Massari | Profiles RNS

Paola Massari, PhD

Adjunct Research Associate Professor

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Medicine

Infectious Diseases

PhD, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
MSc, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
BS, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

Websites

	Cellular Mechanisms Leading to Immune Response in Human Airway Epithelium
	Tufts University School of Medicine Immunology Faculty
	LinkedIn

ORCID : 0000-0003-3106-0711

I am a PhD scientist with extensive expertise in research, operations and project management in academic research and pharmaceutical industry. I have 15+ years of experience in basic and translational research in innate immunity and inflammation, bacterial pathogenesis and host response, cell biology, protein biochemistry and structure, human and veterinary vaccine design and evaluation established in both academic and industrial settings.

My research areas focus on bacteria interplay with host cells and on the mechanisms of innate immunity mediated by bacterial products. Areas of strong interest include TLR signaling and vaccine development, characterization of protein structure/functions and interactions with host cell receptors in the context of cellular and molecular immunity.

I am a strong communicator of complex scientific information to diverse audiences with excellent scientific writing/editing skills and strong experience as scientific peer reviewer. Proven ability in cost analysis and grant management. My core administrative competencies include: Strategic Vision/Planning – Project Management – Efficiency Improvement – Problem Solving – Logic/Scientific Thinking – Lab Management – Best Practices, SOP, Protocols

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research

Boston Medical Center

Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

BMC Research

A novel Th2-skewed vaccine against canine periodontitis
11/01/2014 - 10/31/2015 (PI)
American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation

Purification of the chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) produced by cell-free (CF) synth…
12/01/2014 - 06/30/2015 (PI)
SutroVax, Inc.

Title

Yr	Title	Project-Sub Proj	Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

Roe SK, Zhu T, Slepenkin A, Berges A, Fairman J, de la Maza LM, Massari P. Structural Assessment of Chlamydia trachomatis Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP)-Derived Vaccine Antigens and Immunological Profiling in Mice with Different Genetic Backgrounds. Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Jul 18; 12(7). PMID: 39066427; PMCID: PMC11281497; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12070789;

Roe SK, Felter B, Zheng B, Ram S, Wetzler LM, Garges E, Zhu T, Genco CA, Massari P. In Vitro Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Gonococcal Trivalent Candidate Vaccine Identified by Transcriptomics. Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Dec 13; 11(12).View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 38140249; PMCID: PMC10747275; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121846;

Costa-Lourenço APR, Su X, Le W, Yang Z, Patts GJ, Massari P, Genco CA. Epidemiological and Clinical Observations of Gonococcal Infections in Women and Prevention Strategies. Vaccines (Basel). 2021 Apr 01; 9(4). PMID: 33915835; PMCID: PMC8066387; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9040327;

Harrison OB, Cehovin A, Skett J, Jolley KA, Massari P, Genco CA, Tang CM, Maiden MCJ. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Population Genomics: Use of the Gonococcal Core Genome to Improve Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance. J Infect Dis. 2020 11 09; 222(11):1816-1825. PMID: 32163580; PMCID: PMC7653085; DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa002;

Tifrea DF, Pal S, Fairman J, Massari P, de la Maza LM. Protection against a chlamydial respiratory challenge by a chimeric vaccine formulated with the Chlamydia muridarum major outer membrane protein variable domains using the Neisseria lactamica porin B as a scaffold. NPJ Vaccines. 2020 May 08; 5(1):37. PMID: 33574319

McClure R, Sunkavalli A, Balzano PM, Massari P, Cho C, Nauseef WM, Apicella MA, Genco CA. Global Network Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Identifies Coordination between Pathways, Processes, and Regulators Expressed during Human Infection. mSystems. 2020 Feb 04; 5(1). PMID: 32019834; PMCID: PMC7002116; DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00729-19;

Zhu T, McClure R, Harrison OB, Genco C, Massari P. Integrated Bioinformatic Analyses and Immune Characterization of New Neisseria gonorrhoeae Vaccine Antigens Expressed during Natural Mucosal Infection. Vaccines (Basel). 2019 Oct 17; 7(4). PMID: 31627489; PMCID: PMC6963464; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7040153;

Landig CS, Hazel A, Kellman BP, Fong JJ, Schwarz F, Agarwal S, Varki N, Massari P, Lewis NE, Ram S, Varki A. Evolution of the exclusively human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Human-specific engagement of immunoregulatory Siglecs. Evol Appl. 2019 Feb; 12(2):337-349. PMID: 30697344; PMCID: PMC6346652; DOI: 10.1111/eva.12744;

Nudel K, McClure R, Moreau M, Briars E, Abrams AJ, Tjaden B, Su XH, Trees D, Rice PA, Massari P, Genco CA. Transcriptome Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae during Natural Infection Reveals Differential Expression of Antibiotic Resistance Determinants between Men and Women. mSphere. 2018 08 29; 3(3). PMID: 29950382; PMCID: PMC6021601; DOI: 10.1128/mSphereDirect.00312-18;

Showing 10 of 54 results. Show More

Madico G, Gursky O, Fairman J, Massari P. Structural and Immunological Characterization of Novel Recombinant MOMP-Based Chlamydial Antigens. Vaccines (Basel). 2017 Dec 25; 6(1).View Related Profiles.

Gursky, Olga
Massari, Paola

PMID: 29295593; PMCID: PMC5874643; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines6010002;

Moreau MR, Massari P, Genco CA. The ironclad truth: how in vivo transcriptomics and in vitro mechanistic studies shape our understanding of Neisseria gonorrhoeae gene regulation during mucosal infection. Pathog Dis. 2017 Jul 31; 75(5). PMID: 28520925; PMCID: PMC5808646; DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx057;

Toussi DN, Wetzler LM, Liu X, Massari P. Neisseriae internalization by epithelial cells is enhanced by TLR2 stimulation. Microbes Infect. 2016 Oct; 18(10):627-638.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 27373686; PMCID: PMC5050100; DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2016.06.001;

Stefanelli P, Neri A, Tanabe M, Fazio C, Massari P. Typing and surface charges of the variable loop regions of PorB from Neisseria meningitidis. IUBMB Life. 2016 Jun; 68(6):488-95. PMID: 27156582; DOI: 10.1002/iub.1508;

McClure R, Nudel K, Massari P, Tjaden B, Su X, Rice PA, Genco CA. The Gonococcal Transcriptome during Infection of the Lower Genital Tract in Women. PLoS One. 2015; 10(8):e0133982.View Related Profiles.

Genco, Caroline
Massari, Paola

PMID: 26244506; PMCID: PMC4526530; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133982;

Massari P, Gunawardana J, Liu X, Wetzler LM. Correction for Massari et al., meningococcal porin PorB prevents cellular apoptosis in a Toll-like receptor 2- and NF-?B-independent manner. Infect Immun. 2015 Aug; 83(8):3339.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 26157088; PMCID: PMC4496629; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00627-15;

Nudel K, Massari P, Genco CA. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Modulates Cell Death in Human Endocervical Epithelial Cells through Export of Exosome-Associated cIAP2. Infect Immun. 2015 Sep; 83(9):3410-7.View Related Profiles.

Genco, Caroline
Massari, Paola

PMID: 26077759; PMCID: PMC4534674; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00732-15;

Kattner C, Pfennig S, Massari P, Tanabe M. One-step purification and porin transport activity of the major outer membrane proteins P2 from Haemophilus influenzae, FomA from Fusobacterium nucleatum and PorB from Neisseria meningitidis. Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2015 Mar; 175(6):2907-15. PMID: 25575589; DOI: 10.1007/s12010-014-1473-2;

McClure R, Massari P. TLR-Dependent Human Mucosal Epithelial Cell Responses to Microbial Pathogens. Front Immunol. 2014; 5:386. PMID: 25161655; PMCID: PMC4129373; DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00386;

Toussi DN, Massari P. Immune Adjuvant Effect of Molecularly-defined Toll-Like Receptor Ligands. Vaccines (Basel). 2014; 2(2):323-53. PMID: 26344622; PMCID: PMC4494261; DOI: 10.3390/vaccines2020323;

Kattner C, Toussi DN, Zaucha J, Wetzler LM, Rüppel N, Zachariae U, Massari P, Tanabe M. Crystallographic analysis of Neisseria meningitidis PorB extracellular loops potentially implicated in TLR2 recognition. J Struct Biol. 2014 Mar; 185(3):440-7.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 24361688; PMCID: PMC3943661; DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2013.12.006;

Platt A, MacLeod H, Massari P, Liu X, Wetzler L. In vivo and in vitro characterization of the immune stimulating activity of the Neisserial porin PorB. PLoS One. 2013; 8(12):e82171.View Related Profiles.

Platt, Andrew
Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 24349212; PMCID: PMC3859593; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082171;

Tifrea DF, Pal S, Toussi DN, Massari P, de la Maza LM. Vaccination with major outer membrane protein proteosomes elicits protection in mice against a Chlamydia respiratory challenge. Microbes Infect. 2013 Nov; 15(13):920-7. PMID: 23999313; PMCID: PMC3842390; DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2013.08.005;

Ahn S, Freedman DS, Massari P, Cabodi M, Ünlü MS. A mass-tagging approach for enhanced sensitivity of dynamic cytokine detection using a label-free biosensor. Langmuir. 2013 Apr 30; 29(17):5369-76.View Related Profiles.

Cabodi, Mario
Massari, Paola

PMID: 23547938; DOI: 10.1021/la400982h;

Papadopoulos G, Weinberg EO, Massari P, Gibson FC, Wetzler LM, Morgan EF, Genco CA. Macrophage-specific TLR2 signaling mediates pathogen-induced TNF-dependent inflammatory oral bone loss. J Immunol. 2013 Feb 1; 190(3):1148-57.View Related Profiles.

Genco, Caroline
Morgan, Elise
Weinberg, Ellen
Gibson, Frank
Papadopoulos, George
Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 23264656; PMCID: PMC3549226; DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1202511;

Massari P, Toussi DN, Tifrea DF, de la Maza LM. Toll-like receptor 2-dependent activity of native major outer membrane protein proteosomes of Chlamydia trachomatis. Infect Immun. 2013 Jan; 81(1):303-10. PMID: 23132491; PMCID: PMC3536141; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01062-12;

Toussi DN, Carraway M, Wetzler LM, Lewis LA, Liu X, Massari P. The amino acid sequence of Neisseria lactamica PorB surface-exposed loops influences Toll-like receptor 2-dependent cell activation. Infect Immun. 2012 Oct; 80(10):3417-28.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 22825445; PMCID: PMC3457564; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00683-12;

Toussi DN, Liu X, Massari P. The FomA porin from Fusobacterium nucleatum is a Toll-like receptor 2 agonist with immune adjuvant activity. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2012 Jul; 19(7):1093-101. PMID: 22623652; PMCID: PMC3393365; DOI: 10.1128/CVI.00236-12;

Oliveira-Nascimento L, Massari P, Wetzler LM. The Role of TLR2 in Infection and Immunity. Front Immunol. 2012; 3:79.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 22566960; PMCID: PMC3342043; DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00079;

Massari P, Wetzler LM. Analysis of parameters associated with prevention of cellular apoptosis by pathogenic Neisseriae and purified porins. Methods Mol Biol. 2012; 799:319-41.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 21993654; DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-346-2_19;

Arjunaraja S, Massari P, Wetzler LM, Lees A, Colino J, Snapper CM. The nature of an in vivo anti-capsular polysaccharide response is markedly influenced by the composition and/or architecture of the bacterial subcapsular domain. J Immunol. 2012 Jan 15; 188(2):569-77.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 22156342; PMCID: PMC3253264; DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101446;

Liang Y, Hasturk H, Elliot J, Noronha A, Liu X, Wetzler LM, Massari P, Kantarci A, Winter HS, Farraye FA, Ganley-Leal LM. Toll-like receptor 2 induces mucosal homing receptor expression and IgA production by human B cells. Clin Immunol. 2011 Jan; 138(1):33-40.View Related Profiles.

Noronha, Ansu
Farraye, Francis
Wetzler, Lee
Ganley-Leal, Lisa
Massari, Paola

PMID: 20947433; DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2010.09.003;

Liu X, Wetzler LM, Nascimento LO, Massari P. Human airway epithelial cell responses to Neisseria lactamica and purified porin via Toll-like receptor 2-dependent signaling. Infect Immun. 2010 Dec; 78(12):5314-23.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 20937766; PMCID: PMC2981301; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00681-10;

Vaughan AT, Brackenbury LS, Massari P, Davenport V, Gorringe A, Heyderman RS, Williams NA. Neisseria lactamica selectively induces mitogenic proliferation of the naive B cell pool via cell surface Ig. J Immunol. 2010 Sep 15; 185(6):3652-60. PMID: 20709949; DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902468;

Massari P, Gunawardana J, Liu X, Wetzler LM. Meningococcal porin PorB prevents cellular apoptosis in a toll-like receptor 2- and NF-kappaB-independent manner. Infect Immun. 2010 Mar; 78(3):994-1003.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 20028813; PMCID: PMC2825956; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00156-09;

Follows SA, Murlidharan J, Massari P, Wetzler LM, Genco CA. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection protects human endocervical epithelial cells from apoptosis via expression of host antiapoptotic proteins. Infect Immun. 2009 Sep; 77(9):3602-10.View Related Profiles.

Genco, Caroline
Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 19546192; PMCID: PMC2738021; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01366-08;

Liu X, Wetzler LM, Massari P. The PorB porin from commensal Neisseria lactamica induces Th1 and Th2 immune responses to ovalbumin in mice and is a potential immune adjuvant. Vaccine. 2008 Feb 6; 26(6):786-96.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 18191311; PMCID: PMC2259119; DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.11.080;

Massari P, Visintin A, Gunawardana J, Halmen KA, King CA, Golenbock DT, Wetzler LM. Meningococcal porin PorB binds to TLR2 and requires TLR1 for signaling. J Immunol. 2006 Feb 15; 176(4):2373-80.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 16455995

Massari P, King CA, MacLeod H, Wetzler LM. Improved purification of native meningococcal porin PorB and studies on its structure/function. Protein Expr Purif. 2005 Dec; 44(2):136-46.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 16027004

Singleton TE, Massari P, Wetzler LM. Neisserial porin-induced dendritic cell activation is MyD88 and TLR2 dependent. J Immunol. 2005 Mar 15; 174(6):3545-50.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 15749891

Massari P, Ram S, Macleod H, Wetzler LM. The role of porins in neisserial pathogenesis and immunity. Trends Microbiol. 2003 Feb; 11(2):87-93.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 12598131

Massari P, King CA, Ho AY, Wetzler LM. Neisserial PorB is translocated to the mitochondria of HeLa cells infected with Neisseria meningitidis and protects cells from apoptosis. Cell Microbiol. 2003 Feb; 5(2):99-109.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 12580946

Massari P, Henneke P, Ho Y, Latz E, Golenbock DT, Wetzler LM. Cutting edge: Immune stimulation by neisserial porins is toll-like receptor 2 and MyD88 dependent. J Immunol. 2002 Feb 15; 168(4):1533-7.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 11823477

Massari P, Wetzler LM. Studies on the effect of neisserial porins on apoptosis of Mammalian cells. Methods Mol Med. 2001; 67:587-97.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 21337167; DOI: 10.1385/1-59259-149-3:587;

Massari P, Ho Y, Wetzler LM. Neisseria meningitidis porin PorB interacts with mitochondria and protects cells from apoptosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Aug 1; 97(16):9070-5.View Related Profiles.

Wetzler, Lee
Massari, Paola

PMID: 10922061; PMCID: PMC16823

Guarino A, Bisceglia M, Canani RB, Boccia MC, Mallardo G, Bruzzese E, Massari P, Rappuoli R, Telford J. Enterotoxic effect of the vacuolating toxin produced by Helicobacter pylori in Caco-2 cells. J Infect Dis. 1998 Nov; 178(5):1373-8. PMID: 9780258

Massari P, Manetti R, Burroni D, Nuti S, Norais N, Rappuoli R, Telford JL. Binding of the Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin to target cells. Infect Immun. 1998 Aug; 66(8):3981-4. PMID: 9673292; PMCID: PMC108470

Marchetti M, Rossi M, Giannelli V, Giuliani MM, Pizza M, Censini S, Covacci A, Massari P, Pagliaccia C, Manetti R, Telford JL, Douce G, Dougan G, Rappuoli R, Ghiara P. Protection against Helicobacter pylori infection in mice by intragastric vaccination with H. pylori antigens is achieved using a non-toxic mutant of E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) as adjuvant. Vaccine. 1998 Jan; 16(1):33-7. PMID: 9607006

Manetti R, Massari P, Marchetti M, Magagnoli C, Nuti S, Lupetti P, Ghiara P, Rappuoli R, Telford JL. Detoxification of the Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin. Infect Immun. 1997 Nov; 65(11):4615-9. PMID: 9353041; PMCID: PMC175662

Papini E, Gottardi E, Satin B, de Bernard M, Massari P, Telford J, Rappuoli R, Sato SB, Montecucco C. The vacuolar ATPase proton pump is present on intracellular vacuoles induced by Helicobacter pylori. J Med Microbiol. 1996 Aug; 45(2):84-9. PMID: 8683556

Lupetti P, Heuser JE, Manetti R, Massari P, Lanzavecchia S, Bellon PL, Dallai R, Rappuoli R, Telford JL. Oligomeric and subunit structure of the Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin. J Cell Biol. 1996 May; 133(4):801-7. PMID: 8666665; PMCID: PMC2120837

Manetti R, Massari P, Burroni D, de Bernard M, Marchini A, Olivieri R, Papini E, Montecucco C, Rappuoli R, Telford JL. Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin: importance of native conformation for induction of neutralizing antibodies. Infect Immun. 1995 Nov; 63(11):4476-80. PMID: 7591088; PMCID: PMC173637

Marchini A, d'Apolito M, Massari P, Atzeni M, Copass M, Olivieri R. Cyclodextrins for growth of Helicobacter pylori and production of vacuolating cytotoxin. Arch Microbiol. 1995 Oct; 164(4):290-3. PMID: 7487335

Marchini A, Massari P, Manetti R, Olivieri R. Optimized conditions for the fermentation of Helicobacter pylori and production of vacuolating cytotoxin. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1994 Nov 15; 124(1):55-9. PMID: 8001770

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 54 publications over 27 distinct years, with a maximum of 6 publications in 2012