Dr. Elisabeth Epstein is the course coordinator of the introductory biology courses (BIOL102/103/105) at Mason, where she has focused on making inquiry-based experiences a key part of the general biology science education. She regularly teaches lecture sections of introductory biology as well as courses in biodiversity.

Dr. Epstein earned her PhD in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2008. Her dissertation research focused on elucidation of the molecular details of secretion and assembly of curli fiber proteins – a structural component of some bacterial biofilms. Her current research interests are in microbial diversity.