The Elizabeth Nash Foundation Student CF Research Award for High School Seniors
and Undergraduates
The Elizabeth Nash Foundation is entering the fifth year of a partnership with Children's Hospital and
Research Center Oakland (CHORI), an internationally renowned biomedical research institute that
bridges basic science and clinical research in the prevention and treatment of human disease. The
Elizabeth Nash Foundation Summer Research Award is available to high school seniors and
undergraduates who have a strong interest in pursuing CF research. The award is designed to identify
and train the next generation of talented CF researchers. Students receive a stipend from the
Foundation and CHORI pairs student with a mentor scientist to guide them through a structured CF
research project. Previous recipients have co-authored publications in Free Radical Biology &
Medicine and Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry involving their summer research.
Please see the following for further information on CHORI's summer research programs and the
Elizabeth Nash Foundation award.
and Undergraduates
The Elizabeth Nash Foundation is entering the fifth year of a partnership with Children's Hospital and
Research Center Oakland (CHORI), an internationally renowned biomedical research institute that
bridges basic science and clinical research in the prevention and treatment of human disease. The
Elizabeth Nash Foundation Summer Research Award is available to high school seniors and
undergraduates who have a strong interest in pursuing CF research. The award is designed to identify
and train the next generation of talented CF researchers. Students receive a stipend from the
Foundation and CHORI pairs student with a mentor scientist to guide them through a structured CF
research project. Previous recipients have co-authored publications in Free Radical Biology &
Medicine and Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry involving their summer research.
Please see the following for further information on CHORI's summer research programs and the
Elizabeth Nash Foundation award.
Elizabeth Nash Foundation
PO Box 1260
Los Gatos, CA 95031-1260
PO Box 1260
Los Gatos, CA 95031-1260
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CF Research:
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Tara Streich-Tilles of Oakland, CA received an award in the summer 2008. Her research project
focused on how pathogens that are found in the lungs of CF patients affect the secretion of hydrogen
peroxide in epithelial cells . A precise balance of hydrogen peroxide promotes health within the lungs,
so determining how this mechanism might be modified in people with CF is particularly important.
Tara graduated from Yale College with a BA in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology in May,
2009 and will receive her Masters of Public Health from the Global Health Division of the Yale School
of Public Health in May, 2010. Tara plans to attend medical school in the fall of 2010 and hopes to
continue to contribute to the CF community.
John Cossette of Minnetonka, MN received an award in the summer of 2008. John, who has CF,
spent the summer investigating the stimulating effects of various compounds on the CFTR protein in
CFTR-corrected cells. Research in this area is crucial to ensuring the lasting success of any potential
corrective drugs or gene therapies for CF. John is currently a sophomore at Carleton College in MN
where he is majoring in biology. He credits the CF Summer Research Award experience with making
him realize his desire to pursue a career in medical science.
Kate Barber of Orinda, CA was awarded the CHORI summer student CF research award in 2007.
Kate is in her second year at Stanford University in Palo Alto. The subject of Kate’s work was
Pyocyanin-induced H202 Production in Cystic Fibrosis Airways. Kate was mentored by Beate llek,
Ph.D. and Horst Fischer, Ph.D. of CHORI. She received her award while attending the Cystic
Fibrosis Research, Inc. (CFRI) 2007 Annual Conference.
Logan Wahler, Pleasanton, CA received the inaugural award in the summer of 2005. This was the
pilot program for the formal collaboration established in 2007. Logan, majoring in Bioengineering, at
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA was inspired by a desire to help those like his
brother who died from CF in 2001. Under the direction of Dr. Beate Illek, Logan participated in
research of the CFTR chloride channel defect in CF airway cells.
focused on how pathogens that are found in the lungs of CF patients affect the secretion of hydrogen
peroxide in epithelial cells . A precise balance of hydrogen peroxide promotes health within the lungs,
so determining how this mechanism might be modified in people with CF is particularly important.
Tara graduated from Yale College with a BA in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology in May,
2009 and will receive her Masters of Public Health from the Global Health Division of the Yale School
of Public Health in May, 2010. Tara plans to attend medical school in the fall of 2010 and hopes to
continue to contribute to the CF community.
John Cossette of Minnetonka, MN received an award in the summer of 2008. John, who has CF,
spent the summer investigating the stimulating effects of various compounds on the CFTR protein in
CFTR-corrected cells. Research in this area is crucial to ensuring the lasting success of any potential
corrective drugs or gene therapies for CF. John is currently a sophomore at Carleton College in MN
where he is majoring in biology. He credits the CF Summer Research Award experience with making
him realize his desire to pursue a career in medical science.
Kate Barber of Orinda, CA was awarded the CHORI summer student CF research award in 2007.
Kate is in her second year at Stanford University in Palo Alto. The subject of Kate’s work was
Pyocyanin-induced H202 Production in Cystic Fibrosis Airways. Kate was mentored by Beate llek,
Ph.D. and Horst Fischer, Ph.D. of CHORI. She received her award while attending the Cystic
Fibrosis Research, Inc. (CFRI) 2007 Annual Conference.
Logan Wahler, Pleasanton, CA received the inaugural award in the summer of 2005. This was the
pilot program for the formal collaboration established in 2007. Logan, majoring in Bioengineering, at
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA was inspired by a desire to help those like his
brother who died from CF in 2001. Under the direction of Dr. Beate Illek, Logan participated in
research of the CFTR chloride channel defect in CF airway cells.
Lauren Meiss, Arizona State University
Lauren is a National Merit Scholar studying bioengineering at the Barrett Honors College of Arizona
State University. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was three months old. Lauren's
summer research project focused on the protective effects of heat shock proteins during oxidative
stress induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria of key interest, in cystic fibrosis bronchial
epithelial cells. Lauren credits her summer research with increasing her interest in continuing to focus
on CF when she enters medical school upon completion of her undergraduate studies. In
summarizing her summer experience, Lauren commented "I am amazed by the amount of information
I have learned in such a short period of time. Dr. Illek and Dr. Fischer are very encouraging and willing
to share their vast knowledge."
Sara Moldin, University of California Santa Cruz
Sara is in her third year at the University of California, Santa Cruz majoring in Molecular Cell
Development Biology. She has an older sibling with CF, a relationship that has given her the ambition
to pursue a medical degree. Sara has recently begun working for Hospice of Santa Cruz County and
has previously volunteered with Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. (CFRI) and the Ronald McDonald
House. Her summer research project was focused on studying the role of heat shock proteins in the
recovery of wildtype and mutant CFTR function in cystic fibrosis airways.
Lauren is a National Merit Scholar studying bioengineering at the Barrett Honors College of Arizona
State University. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was three months old. Lauren's
summer research project focused on the protective effects of heat shock proteins during oxidative
stress induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria of key interest, in cystic fibrosis bronchial
epithelial cells. Lauren credits her summer research with increasing her interest in continuing to focus
on CF when she enters medical school upon completion of her undergraduate studies. In
summarizing her summer experience, Lauren commented "I am amazed by the amount of information
I have learned in such a short period of time. Dr. Illek and Dr. Fischer are very encouraging and willing
to share their vast knowledge."
Sara Moldin, University of California Santa Cruz
Sara is in her third year at the University of California, Santa Cruz majoring in Molecular Cell
Development Biology. She has an older sibling with CF, a relationship that has given her the ambition
to pursue a medical degree. Sara has recently begun working for Hospice of Santa Cruz County and
has previously volunteered with Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. (CFRI) and the Ronald McDonald
House. Her summer research project was focused on studying the role of heat shock proteins in the
recovery of wildtype and mutant CFTR function in cystic fibrosis airways.
| Summer 2009 Researchers |
Sara (left) and Lauren (right) at the 2009 CFRI conference
| Past Recipients |