The Department of Biochemistry and the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology congratulate Professor David Shapiro, who has been named the Eugene Howe Scholar in Biochemistry.

Professor Shapiro has been a highly productive faculty member at the University of Illinois. His research program investigates nuclear receptors and hormone action. His early work identified a novel output for estrogen-receptor interaction that stabilized an mRNA called vitellogenin. It was paradigm-shifting, because it identified profound non-genome based cell regulatory functions that changed the field's understanding of hormone action.

Currently, Professor Shapiro’s research program has targeted the development of small molecule-based therapeutics for breast and ovarian cancers in novel ways that are uncovering new biological mechanisms.

Professor Shapiro has been a tremendous educator in many different molecular biology courses and currently works with Biochemistry seniors to develop their writing skills. Throughout his career at the University of Illinois, he has contributed to a plethora of committees at both the departmental and campus levels.

This scholar position is supported by a generous estate gift to the Department of Biochemistry from the late Eugene Howe, who earned his PhD in biochemistry in 1940 under Professor William Rose. He was director of nutritional research at Merck’s research division and was awarded 18 U.S. patents before retiring in 1975. Dr. Howe passed away in 2008.