Hannah M. Schapiro

Hannah M. Schapiro serves as a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology within the College of Life Sciences at Thomas Jefferson University, where she focuses on undergraduate biology education and research.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Doctor of Philosophy from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (2022)

Dr. Schapiro's research bridges microbiology education and HIV virology. She pioneers active learning methodologies using origami and Shrinky Dinks to teach complex concepts like prokaryotic/eukaryotic cell structure differences and operon regulation. Concurrently, her structural biology work investigates epitope exposure dynamics in HIV-1 Env's gp41 membrane-proximal external region, examining how apex interactions influence viral envelope conformation. This dual focus creates innovative synergies between pedagogical development and molecular virology research.

Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent contributions to science education innovation and HIV structural research, with publications addressing both classroom implementation of tactile learning tools and fundamental mechanisms of viral envelope protein regulation.