Rate My Professor Andrew Piefer

Piefer's areas of expertise include biochemistry and virology, with a focus on biomolecular interactions—particularly those involving viral and host cell proteins and nucleic acids—as well as tissue culture techniques, recombinant protein expression and purification, and processes of virus assembly and budding. He teaches biochemistry and chemistry courses and actively mentors undergraduate students in research projects spanning microbiology and biochemistry. Notable student collaborations have resulted in presentations at national conferences, such as abstracts on "Green Tea and Tart Cherry Juice Inhibition of Xanthine Oxidase" in 2025 and "Pull-down analysis of MS2 L-protein" in 2024 at Journal of Biological Chemistry meetings, as well as a publication examining bacteria present on hops. In 2019, Piefer received Hartwick College's Outstanding Employee Award for his exceptional support of the Alumni Association and broader service contributions. He celebrated fifteen years of service in 2023, participates in the Faculty Lecture Series, serves on academic committees, and plays trumpet in the Hartwick College Wind Ensemble.