Understanding Viruses

Teri Shors has been a member of the Department of Biology and Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh since 1997; she was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2010. Shors is a devoted teacher and researcher at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has been a recipient of university awards, including a distinguished teaching award and two endowed professorships. She has taught a variety of courses and laboratories and has made a strong contribution to the development of new courses in microbiology and molecular biology in the department.Shors’ graduate and post-graduate education is virology-based and is reflected in her research. Before teaching at UW Oshkosh, she was a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Viral Diseases under the direction of Dr. Bernard Moss in the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While her initial expertise centers upon studying the expression of vaccinia virus genes, she is currently interested in the potential of anti-viral compounds in cranberries, other fruits, and herbs used as green medicine in Hmong culture. This anti-viral research has been funded by a variety of granting agencies, including a prestigious Merck/AAAS award. Shors has mentored many students engaged in independent research projects and related readings.Shors contributes strongly as a co-author to the 3rd edition of The Microbial Challenge. She is the author of Understanding Viruses, now in its 2nd edition and has recently authored Encounters in Virology. Additionally, she has contributed to and authored a variety of other texts and scientific writings.Initiative, creativity, using technology in the classroom, networking, and leading collaborative, cross-disciplinary studies are all hallmarks of Shors’ talents. Her use of technology, current events topics, and humor makes her popular among students in the classroom. She has recently developed and taught an online virology course for undergraduates.