Name: Deborah Bisrat
Mentors: Drs. Catherine Kotz and Carolina Sandoval Caballero
Project: Reducing the Post Weight-Loss Energy Expenditure Gap with Orexin Agonists
Undergraduate Institution: Case Western Reserve University, BA in Biology

I received my Bachelor of Arts in Biology with minors in Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University. Outside of the classroom, I worked as a nursing assistant at the Cleveland Clinic, and volunteered at University Hospitals among populations receiving cancer treatment. My research experiences have further strengthened my interest and introduced me to the complexities of metabolic regulation. For my senior capstone project, I explored how diet-induced hyperinsulinemia can influence signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR and contribute to cancer progression. I am deeply interested in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying metabolic disease, particularly how disruptions in energy balance contribute to conditions such as obesity and diabetes. I aim to investigate how dietary factors, insulin signaling, and metabolic dysregulation contribute to obesity, diabetes, and related metabolic disorders. I aspire to become a physician who not only provides patient care but also engages with the research that informs it. The University of Minnesota PRIMED program represents an ideal opportunity to further develop my research skills while receiving mentorship from faculty whose work aligns closely with my interests in endocrinology, obesity, and metabolism. Currently, I am working in collaboration with Drs. Catherine Kotz and Carolina Sandoval Caballero, focusing on Central Nervous System (CNS) regulation of spontaneous physical activity specifically through the hypothalamic neuropeptide orexin-A (OXA), which plays a key role in energy homeostasis and wakefulness. My project will examine how behavioral and metabolic pathways in adipose, brain, and muscle tissue are affected by RTIOXA-47, a dual orexin receptor agonist (OX1R and OX2R). My interests beyond academics include spending quality time with my friends and family, watching TV shows, learning new languages, and playing the piano.

Name: Alexander (Alex) Dahle
Mentors: Dr. Do-Hyung Kim and Dr. Emilyn Alejandro
Project: Regulation of Lipophagic Flux and Organelle Dynamics Under Cellular Energy Stress
Undergraduate Institution: Winona State University, BS in Cellular & Molecular Biology 

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Cellular & Molecular Biology at Winona State University. Along with my studies, I worked in a retail pharmacy where I gained insight into patient care that heightened my commitment to biomedical sciences and discovery. In my undergraduate experience, I got to lead research working with protein design and using new in silico computational folding models to synthesize de novo protein binders in vitro. My scientific interests and questions are centered around protein interactions and bioenergetics, and how their cross-talk governs cellular longevity, or cellular dysfunction. I am currently doing research as a PRIMED scholar in Dr. Do-Hyung Kim's laboratory, focusing on mitochondrial control of lipid metabolism through lipolysis and lipophagy. Ultimately, my goal is to pursue doctoral studies in molecular therapeutics for further bridging of biochemical research into clinical applications. Outside of the lab, I enjoy staying physically active, and spend my time with friends and family, usually over a good meal.