Joanne Masterson

Professor Joanne Masterson is a leading academic in immunology and gastroenterology at Maynooth University's Department of Biology. She holds a BSc and PhD from Maynooth University and has extensive postdoctoral experience at the University of Colorado Denver. Her academic roles include Professor (since 2024), Associate Professor (2020–2024), and Assistant Professor (2018–2020). She is also a Science Foundation Ireland Future Research Leaders Awardee (2019).

Her research focuses on mucosal inflammation mechanisms, particularly eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Key areas include hypoxia signaling, epithelial biology, and microRNA regulation. She leads the Allergy, Inflammation and Remodelling Research (AIRR) lab and collaborates with clinical institutions like St. James's Hospital and Crumlin Children's Hospital Dublin. Her work has been funded by organizations including NIH, Health Research Board Ireland, and NASPGHAN.

Professor Masterson chairs the Health Research Board-Public and Patient Involvement Ignite Network and serves on editorial boards (e.g., American Journal of Physiology). She teaches Molecular Biology of the Cell and Applied Immunology courses and advises Mature & Access Students (MAP).

Her awards include the NASPGHAN Balistreri Prize (2016), Young Investigator Awards (2011–2013), and multiple research fellowships. She oversees research projects totaling over €1.9 million, including studies on steroid non-responsiveness in EoE and epithelial metabolism dysfunction.