This month, the Department of Biochemistry welcomed Danielle Widner. Widner came to UW–Madison in 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher in Helen Blackwell’s lab in the Department of Chemistry. There, she developed probiotic strains of bacteria which produce compounds that prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection. Now, Widner joins our team of instructional faculty, whose primary role is developing and teaching undergraduate biochemistry courses.
Widner, along with Erica Shu and Mario Pennella, provide essential support to our undergraduates, educating and inspiring young scientific minds. Get to know more about Widner, Shu, and Pennella in their Q&As below.
Meet Danielle Widner
When did you join the Department of Biochemistry?
This will be my first year!
What did you major in as an undergraduate and what graduate degrees do you hold?
I majored in biochemistry at UW–Stevens Point. Then, I went to Yale University for a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry.
What courses do you teach?
BIOCHEM 104 Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science (for non-biological science majors)
BIOCHEM 507 General Biochemistry I
What do you enjoy about teaching?
Science is, at its core, a technical explanation of the world around us. I love when teaching connects experiences that we don’t regularly think deeply about, like breathing or air-conditioning, and explains them in a way that widens how we think about those everyday experiences.
What tools or methods do you employ in your classes?
I want to create a classroom environment where students can actively engage with the material and where, whenever possible, the highest-level concepts are explained in more than one way.
What are you looking forward to most in the 2025-26 academic year?
I’m looking forward to learning alongside the students!
5 Quick Questions:
Favorite movie: Princess Mononoke
Favorite book: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Favorite food: Chocolate chip pancakes
Favorite song or type of music: Musicals
Favorite hobbies: Reading, gardening, and pub trivia
Meet Erica Shu
When did you join the Department of Biochemistry?
August 2021
What did you major in as an undergraduate and what graduate degrees do you hold?
Human Biology, B.S. degree and Molecular Nutrition Ph.D. degree with concentrations in cell biology and chemical biology
What courses do you teach?
BIOCHEM 551 Biochemical Methods
BIOCHEM 207 Engineering Bacteriophage Laboratory
BIOCHEM 100 Freshman Seminar
BIOCHEM 501 Introduction to Biochemistry
BIOCHEM 375 UW Introduction to Biological Sciences Research in Japan (starting summer 2026)
What do you enjoy about teaching?
I enjoy almost everything about teaching, but getting to know my students is one of the most rewarding parts.
What tools or methods do you employ in your classes?
Many active learning methods, such as the flipped classroom and inquiry-based learning.
What projects are you working on or engaged with outside of the classroom?
In addition to classroom teaching, I have also begun engaging in educational research, participating in the campus startup community, and serving on various committees focused on teaching and academic scholarship.
What are you looking forward to most in the 2025-26 academic year?
I’m always looking forward to a new school year, but this year I’m especially excited about the Japan study abroad program, which I will be leading for the first time in summer 2026.
Meet Mario Pennella
When did you join the Department of Biochemistry?
I joined the department in August 2017 after working as an assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri from 2011 to 2017.
What did you major in as an undergraduate and what graduate degrees do you hold?
B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Texas A&M University
What courses do you teach?
BIOCHEM 100 – Biochemistry Freshman Seminar
BIOCHEM 104 – Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science (for non-biological science majors)
BIOCHEM 501 – Introduction to Biochemistry
What do you enjoy about teaching?
When I see a student grasp a concept, especially one they have been struggling with, that brings joy. I really enjoy meeting new students each semester, learning about their goals and trying to help them reach those goals, whether short term or long term.
What tools or methods do you employ in your classes?
It is different for each course and the modality of the course (online vs in person). There is usually some lecture-based content, but I also try to include hands-on activities. This includes isolating DNA from a strawberry in the 104 course or using paper models and lab experiments in the 100 course for students. I try to include time for students to work in small discussion groups, too.
What are you looking forward to most in the 2025-26 academic year?
I always look forward to meeting students and discussing what they want to get out of each course. I provide time in the 100 and 104 courses for students to provide suggestions about what they want to learn and/or discuss, and I try to incorporate those topics later in the semester.