![Hannah Shaw BSc (Hons), PhD, NTF, SFHEA, FAS](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/1216?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Hannah Shaw
(she/her)
BSc (Hons), PhD, NTF, SFHEA, FAS
Teams and roles for Hannah Shaw
Reader
School of Biosciences
Overview
I am the Academic Lead for Anatomy in the School of Biosciences. I have an undergraduate degree and PhD in Anatomy. My principle scientific interest is in the attachment of tendon and ligaments to bone (entheses) and the importance of adipose tissue at these sites. I have extensive experience of teaching anatomy to students enrolled on broad range of different degrees (including medicine, dentistry, and biomedical science) and use a multitude of different approaches to facilitate learning; including blended learning, flipped classrooms and active collaboratove learning. In 2017, I was awarded ‘Most Effective Teacher’ by the Cardiff University Students Union. I am a Senior Fellow HEA, Fellow of the Anatomical Society, and Chair of the Anatomical Society Education Committee. In 2025, I was awarded a National Teaching Fellow.
Roles
- Lead for Anatomy, School of Biosciences
- Degree Scheme Coordinator: Anatomy
- Module Lead: BI3354 - Advanced Anatomy
Publication
2025
- Shaw, H. 2025. Functional anatomy of entheses and enthesis organs: A celebration of Professor Mike Benjamin's contribution to enthesis biology. Journal of Anatomy (10.1111/joa.70043)
- Hassoulas, A. et al. 2025. A pilot study investigating the efficacy of technology enhanced case based learning (CBL) in small group teaching. Scientific Reports 15(1), article number: 15604. (10.1038/s41598-025-99764-5)
2024
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. Develop and nurture teaching presence in a learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/develop-and-nurture-teaching-presence-learning-community
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. How to develop cognitive presence in your learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-develop-cognitive-presence-your-learning-community
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. How to develop and nurture a learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-develop-and-nurture-learning-community
- Wale, A. et al. 2024. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community diagnostic centres: a rapid review. International Journal of Public Health 69, article number: 1606243. (10.3389/ijph.2024.1606243)
- Hassoulas, A. et al. 2024. Technology-enhanced case-based learning and small group teaching: a pilot study. Presented at: Learning and Teaching Conference., Online, 13 September 2024.
2023
- Smith, C. F. et al. 2023. Understanding beliefs, preferences and actions amongst potential body donors. Anatomical Sciences Education 16(2), pp. 224-236. (10.1002/ase.2204)
2022
- Smith, C. et al. 2022. Understanding the motives of body donors. FASEB Journal 36(S1), article number: R4515. (10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4515)
2018
- Kennel, L., Martin, D. M. A., Shaw, H. and Wilkinson, T. 2018. Learning anatomy through Thiel- vs. formalin-embalmed cadavers: student perceptions of embalming methods and effect on functional anatomy knowledge. Anatomical Sciences Education 11(2), pp. 166-174. (10.1002/ase.1715)
2011
- Moxham, B., Shaw, H., Crowson, R. and Plaisant, O. 2011. The future of clinical anatomy. European Journal of Anatomy 15(1), pp. 29-46.
2010
- Williams, R. et al. 2010. Identification and clonal characterisation of a progenitor cell sub-population in normal human articular cartilage. PLoS ONE 5(10), article number: e13246. (10.1371/journal.pone.0013246)
2008
- Shaw, H. M., Vazquez, O. T., McGonagle, D., Bydder, G., Santer, R. M. and Benjamin, M. 2008. Development of the human Achilles tendon enthesis organ. Journal of Anatomy 213(6), pp. 718-724. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.00997.x)
- Shaw, H. M., Santer, R. M., Watson, A. H. D. and Benjamin, M. 2008. Could the fat pad of the rat Achilles tendon enthesis organ function as an immune organ?. Journal of Anatomy 212(1), pp. 83. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.831_2.x)
2007
- Shaw, H. M. 2007. The structure and function of entheses and entheses organs.. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Shaw, H., Santer, R. M., Watson, A. H. D. and Benjamin, M. 2007. Adipose tissue at entheses: the innervation and cell composition of the retromalleolar fat pad associated with the rat Achilles tendon. Journal of Anatomy 211(4), pp. 436-443. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.00791.x)
2006
- Shaw, H., Milz, S., Büettner, A., Santer, R. M., Watson, A., Benjamin, M. and Best, T. 2006. The innervation of the enthesis organ of the rat achilles tendon. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 38(5), pp. S449. (10.1249/00005768-200605001-02760)
Articles
- Shaw, H. 2025. Functional anatomy of entheses and enthesis organs: A celebration of Professor Mike Benjamin's contribution to enthesis biology. Journal of Anatomy (10.1111/joa.70043)
- Hassoulas, A. et al. 2025. A pilot study investigating the efficacy of technology enhanced case based learning (CBL) in small group teaching. Scientific Reports 15(1), article number: 15604. (10.1038/s41598-025-99764-5)
- Wale, A. et al. 2024. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community diagnostic centres: a rapid review. International Journal of Public Health 69, article number: 1606243. (10.3389/ijph.2024.1606243)
- Smith, C. F. et al. 2023. Understanding beliefs, preferences and actions amongst potential body donors. Anatomical Sciences Education 16(2), pp. 224-236. (10.1002/ase.2204)
- Smith, C. et al. 2022. Understanding the motives of body donors. FASEB Journal 36(S1), article number: R4515. (10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4515)
- Kennel, L., Martin, D. M. A., Shaw, H. and Wilkinson, T. 2018. Learning anatomy through Thiel- vs. formalin-embalmed cadavers: student perceptions of embalming methods and effect on functional anatomy knowledge. Anatomical Sciences Education 11(2), pp. 166-174. (10.1002/ase.1715)
- Moxham, B., Shaw, H., Crowson, R. and Plaisant, O. 2011. The future of clinical anatomy. European Journal of Anatomy 15(1), pp. 29-46.
- Williams, R. et al. 2010. Identification and clonal characterisation of a progenitor cell sub-population in normal human articular cartilage. PLoS ONE 5(10), article number: e13246. (10.1371/journal.pone.0013246)
- Shaw, H. M., Vazquez, O. T., McGonagle, D., Bydder, G., Santer, R. M. and Benjamin, M. 2008. Development of the human Achilles tendon enthesis organ. Journal of Anatomy 213(6), pp. 718-724. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.00997.x)
- Shaw, H. M., Santer, R. M., Watson, A. H. D. and Benjamin, M. 2008. Could the fat pad of the rat Achilles tendon enthesis organ function as an immune organ?. Journal of Anatomy 212(1), pp. 83. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.831_2.x)
- Shaw, H., Santer, R. M., Watson, A. H. D. and Benjamin, M. 2007. Adipose tissue at entheses: the innervation and cell composition of the retromalleolar fat pad associated with the rat Achilles tendon. Journal of Anatomy 211(4), pp. 436-443. (10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.00791.x)
- Shaw, H., Milz, S., Büettner, A., Santer, R. M., Watson, A., Benjamin, M. and Best, T. 2006. The innervation of the enthesis organ of the rat achilles tendon. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 38(5), pp. S449. (10.1249/00005768-200605001-02760)
Conferences
- Hassoulas, A. et al. 2024. Technology-enhanced case-based learning and small group teaching: a pilot study. Presented at: Learning and Teaching Conference., Online, 13 September 2024.
Thesis
- Shaw, H. M. 2007. The structure and function of entheses and entheses organs.. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Websites
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. Develop and nurture teaching presence in a learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/develop-and-nurture-teaching-presence-learning-community
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. How to develop cognitive presence in your learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-develop-cognitive-presence-your-learning-community
- Shaw, H. and Hackman, M. 2024. How to develop and nurture a learning community. [Online]. Times Higher Education - IHE: Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-develop-and-nurture-learning-community
Research
My PhD focussed primarily on the structure, function, and pathology of entheses, specifically on the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon enthesis organ. An enthesis is the site of attachment of a tendon, ligament or joint capsule to bone. However, at most sites, entheses are not isolated structures; they are frequently associated with other components including adipose tissue and synovium. My PhD illustrated that although entheses are common sites of pain in pathology, under normal conditions, the enthesis itself and associated fibrocartilages are avascular and aneural. The related adipose tissue, however, is highly innervated and may therefore play a role in proprioception, and potentially be a source of pain in enthesopathies. From this research I have developed an interest in the functional role of adipose tissue in the musculoskeletal system and have recently supervised projects which investigated the structure and development of the plantar fat pads.
From an education perspective I have developed a keen interest in the use of blended/hyrid learning and development of a learning community and cognitive processes in learning anatomy.
Biography
I graduated from Cardiff University in 2004 with 1st class honours degree in Anatomical Sciences, and the Fritz Jacoby prize. Following this I remained within Cardiff to pursue a PhD funded by the Anatomical Society (AS) supervised by Prof Mike Benjamin, Dr Rob Santer and Dr Alan Watson. During this time I was the first student member to serve on the Council of the society. The study focussed on the structure, development and pathology of entheses, focussing principally on the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon. During my PhD I spent a month in the AO research institute in Davos, Switzerland working with Dr Stephan Milz.
After completing my doctoral degree in 2007, I was appointed as a Professional Tutor specialising mainly in anatomical education. In 2010, I was part of the first cohort to complete the postgraduate 'Anatomy Training Program' co-ordinated by the Anatomical Society and the American Association of Anatomists. I am a fellow of the Anatomical Society, trustee of the society and chair of the Education Committee
Honours and awards
National Teaching Fellow 2025
Shortlisted -Enriching Student Life Awards – ‘Outstanding use of the Learning Environment’ 2025
Shortlisted – Celebrating Excellence Award – ‘Excellence in Leadership’ 2024
Advance HE Senior Fellow 2023
Shortlisted - Enriching Student Life Awards – ‘Most Uplifting Member of Staff 2022’
Runner up – Celebrating Excellence ‘Student Experience’ 2022
Nominated for Doctors Academy ‘Commitment to Medical Education and Excellence Award' 2021
Nominated for SURGAM – ‘MEDIC excellence in Teaching and Student Staff collaboration' 2021
Awarded Cardiff University Celebrating Excellence – Rising Star 2015.
Professional memberships
Fellow of the Anatomical Society
Committees and reviewing
Councillor of the Anatomical Society
Chair of the Anatomical Society Education Committee
