This summer, Lilly Russo ’24 and Anna Saline ’24 both worked alongside Theresa Pizarro, Ph.D. and her staff in the Department of Pathology conducting research projects through the Youth Engaged in Science (YES) Program at Case Western Reserve University. 

Under Dr. Pizarro’s direction, Russo studied the impact of gut microbiome on sex-based differences of immune profiles. Saline examined how the angiotensin receptor blocker, Losartan, is effective in maintaining reduced fibrosis using a model of DexM-induced remission in Crohn’s disease-prone SAMP mice.

At the end of the summer, students delivered poster presentations summarizing their findings and Russo was one of five students to receive the SEO (Student Scientific Enrichment & Opportunity)/YES (Youth Engaged in Science) Most Exceptional Poster Presentation Awards.