Accepting HLB applications for Summer 2025. The final deadline is March 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Approximate Program Dates: June 2- August 1, 2025
For students on a quarter-system, we will provide some flexibility with your program dates.
View a sample summer schedule.
Overview
The Heart, Lung and Blood Summer Research Program is designed to engage 12 diverse undergraduates and 8 medical students in state-of-the art biomedical research in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematological and sleep disorders research.
Students who belong to an underrepresented, disadvantaged, or disabled group in biomedical sciences as defined by the NIH are eligible to apply. Please note that you must be a US citizen or Permanent resident to participate.
Participants will enjoy weekly seminars that highlight research in these disciplines, as well as activities that encourage interaction among all students engaged in summer research.
The program will culminate in a poster session required for all undergraduates and non-CWRU medical students. CWRU medical students will present their work in the subsequent School of Medicine Student Research Day (formerly Lepow Day) event.
Research Mentors
After acceptance, participants will be matched with a faculty member whose research is of interest to the student. Only faculty of Case Western Reserve University may serve as research mentors. See list of possible mentors below.
Mentor |
Research Interest |
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Identifying molecules of M. tuberculosis that interfere with MHC-II antigen processing. |
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Protein-Protein Interactions in Cell Signaling of small GTPases, Plexin and Eph receptors. |
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| Cheryl Cameron, PhD | Understanding the complex interplay between the host and virus, using objective computational approaches to identify mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and novel targets for immunomodulatory therapeutic interventions to improve the outcome in infected individuals. |
| Mark Cameron, PhD | Using genomic technologies and bioinformatic methods to identify biomarkers (immune correlates) of infectious diseases, such as HIV, and chronic inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis. |
| Understanding how epigenetic events, including histone modifications, DNA modifications, and nucleosome positioning, impact cell fate. | |
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Understanding the role of structure and dynamics in the functioning of ion channels. |
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| Amar Desai, PhD | Identifying mechanisms driving the regenerative capacity of HSCs during HST, in order to develop novel therapeutics capable of reducing morbidity, mortality, and expense of human HST, making the procedure safer, faster, and more affordable. |
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Thomas Dick, PhD |
Control of Respiration and Sympathetic Activity. |
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Understanding how variants in the genome influence the course of disease for CF patients and how the CF genome adapts to the disease. |
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Signal transduction by extracellular nucleotides and inflammasomes in innate immunity and inflammation. |
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Developing RNA-based therapeutic molecules for treating individuals with blood-related diseases. |
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Mesenchymal stem cells as a therapeutic infusion for blood stem cell transplantation and for the correction of genetic disorders. |
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The loss of CFTR leads to the intestinal dysfunction and reduced growth phenotypes associated with CF. |
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Identifying a mechanistic link between the loss of CFTR function and altered cell-signaling control in CF airway epithelial cells. |
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| Stephanie Langel, PhD | Understanding mucosal immune protection against infectious diseases, particularly in women and children. |
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Host Defense: Toggling between immune tolerance and immune protection. |
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Molecular mechanisms underlying impaired biologic pathways such as respiratory control and pharmacologic interventions. |
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Cardiovascular Medicine focusing on the role of chronic immune activation and inflammation in mediating cardiometabolic risk. |
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Understanding how the neurobiology of breathing is modified by early life experiences, particularly related to clinical scenarios commonly experienced by preterm infants. |
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Developing nanotechnology tools to better understand cardiometabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and obesity. |
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Cancer Cell Biology; Cell Death Regulation; Cell Penetrating Peptide. |
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| Timothy Mead, PhD | Understanding how changes in the extracellular matrix results in dysfunctional heart development and resulting congenital heart defects. |
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Targeting angiogenesis in hormone dependent cancers. |
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Proteostasis of membrane proteins in health and disease. |
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The anti-thrombotic effects of bortezomib are determined by KLF2, part of a family of Kruppel-like factors—master regulators of vascular health. |
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Role of the interaction between protease activated receptors 1 and 4 (PAR1 and PAR4) in the activation of platelets by alpha-thrombin and the subsequent signaling of G-proteins by second messenger signaling molecules. |
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| Patrick Osei-Owusu, PhD FAHA | The integration and regulation of cell signaling mechanisms that facilitate the physiological and pathophysiological effects of various hormones, neurotransmitters and mechanical stimuli in the cardiovascular and renal systems. |
| Rajesh Ramachandran, PhD | Molecular mechanisms of membrane remodeling, fission and fusion in endocytosis and mitochondrial dynamics. |
| Understanding heme-based trafficking and signaling in immune dysregulation in context of diseases of intravascular hemolysis (COVID, sepsis, malaria, sickle cell disease, thalassemia) and after red blood cell transfusion; and real time immunophenotyping of pro and hypoinflammatory states to identify timing for immunoadjuvant therapies. | |
| Research focuses on the nomination and validation of expression-based signatures to predict patients that need treatment intensification and signatures to identify patient who will not need further adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. | |
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Jonathan Stamler, MD |
Developing new drugs for treatment of heart, lung and blood disorders and complications of blood transfusion. |
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Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern the regulation of contractile function in the cardiac sarcomere. |
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| Masashi Tabuchi, PhD |
Understanding how the brain uses specific coding mechanisms to regulate persistent internal drives of sleep/waking activity and nutrition-specific hunger/satiety. |
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The molecular intricacies of enzyme mechanism and receptor activation and using that knowledge to develop inhibitors and activators for pharmaceutical purposes. |
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| Defining mechanisms of oncogenesis at the molecular, regulatory and phenotypic levels and translating these discoveries to new cancer therapies. | |
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Understanding how fucosylation affects Notch-dependent regulation of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, early myeloid lineage specification and hematopoietic stem cell niche maintenance. |
Stipend
$1750 per month, minimum two months ($3500). Students who participate for longer periods will have additional pro-rated stipend support. We will provide up to $500 in travel expenses from your home to Cleveland (and back!). Some support toward dormitory housing (approximate housing cost before support: $1700) may be available.
Application
To be considered for the program, you must complete the online application, submit 2-3 letters of recommendation, and supply unofficial transcript from your undergraduate institution. Please note that an official transcript will be required if accepted into the program.
How to Apply
To start your application to the Heart, Lung and Blood (HLB) Summer Research Program, first create your account through the online application portal. Once logged in the School of Medicine application, take the following steps:
- Navigate to the Program Details section
- Select the Degree Type: Special Programs
- Then select Program: Heart, Lung and Blood Summer Research
Letters of Recommendation
The recommendation process will also occur online. Please be sure to have the emails of your recommenders available. Once you add your recommenders, they will be notified to submit their recommendation online.
Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts from your undergraduate institution that you currently or have attended should be uploaded in the transcript section of the online application. Medical student applicants should substitute a letter from your medical school confirming status as a current student in good standing in lieu of transcripts. You will be required to submit official transcripts if you are accepted to CWRU HLB. Medical student status letters can be emailed to Malana Bey at mcb19@case.edu or mailed to:
Office of Graduate Education
School of Medicine Room TG1
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
Contact:
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Monica Montano, PhD Director Tel: 216-368-3378 Email: monica.montano@case.edu |
Malana Bey, HLB Program Administrator Tel: 216-368-5655 Email: malana.bey@case.edu |