{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T14:50:31Z","timestamp":1782917431701,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Microbiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections continue to pose a significant global health challenge each year, highlighting the critical need for a comprehensive understanding of this hepatotropic DNA virus within the context of virology education. Many undergraduate students, however, struggle to master the complex architecture of HBV, particularly the three-dimensional structure of the Dane particle and the immunological principles underlying the Hepatitis B Panel, when relying solely on traditional two-dimensional representations. To address this educational gap, we developed a tangible, interactive, and cost-effective model using 3D-printed components, transparent acrylic, and magnetic elements. Key features of the model include a magnet-enhanced design that replicates the specific binding logic of Sandwich and Competitive ELISA, a bisected capsid that reveals internal genomic material, and a dual-purpose base that simulates host receptor to illustrate viral entry and therapeutic interventions. By transforming molecular interactions into a tactile experience, this cost-effective and biohazard-free model enhances student comprehension of HBV pathogenesis and clinical diagnostics, thereby supporting global efforts to expand hepatitis testing and education.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1825214","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T14:04:28Z","timestamp":1782914668000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A tangible and interactive viral model for enhancing virology education: using hepatitis B virus as a model system"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jincheng","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan","place":["Shandong, China"]},{"name":"Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan","place":["Shandong, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leiliang","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan","place":["Shandong, China"]},{"name":"Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan","place":["Shandong, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","article-title":"Expandohedra: Modeling Structural Transitions of a Viral Capsid","volume-title":"Proceedings of the Bridges 2015: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture","author":"Arstall","year":"2015"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1358","DOI":"10.3390\/v17101358","article-title":"Interferon-\u03b1 for immune modulation in chronic hepatitis B toward functional cure.","volume":"17","author":"Ashuo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Viruses"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12809","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-63601-y","article-title":"A 3-D interactive microbiology laboratory via virtual reality for enhancing practical skills.","volume":"14","author":"Chitra","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci. 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