Dr. Elise (Zoe Elisa) Clapacs
She/They
I am non binary and I am a biomedical engineer.//
I obtained my PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in Saint Louis with a research focus on delivery of vaccines to rare leukocyte populations. My independent natural science research interests lie at the intersection of immunology and endocrinology, investigating the relationship between sex steroids and gonadotropins and the innate-adaptive immune junction in the context of autoimmunity and menopause. I also conduct research in pedagogy, focusing on novel implementations of classes to recapitulate the benefits of natural science undergraduate research experiences for currently incarcerated students.
I believe that mentorship and education of marginalized scholars, and formerly incarcerated and TNBI+ scholars in particular, is a radical and liberatory act and I center my career around uplifting voices that have historically been kept out of the academy. I am currently completing my MD to pay forward the support I have received from the LGBT+ community, to shape the future of medicine to be more responsive and accommodating to the needs of TNBI+ patients, and to be the academic role model I never had for the next generation of TNBI+ physician scientists.