The Great Minds in Research Award at the Colorado State University Graduate Student Showcase recognizes those that have conducted impactful and outstanding research. Bri Risk, a graduate student in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at CSU, was awarded an honorable mention distinction for her research on probiotics, seeking to further understand how they influence health.  

What inspired you to conduct this research?  

It has long been established that probiotics can positively influence overall health. Yet, there is much to be determined about the symbiotic relationship between microbe and host. It is the primary focus of our lab to tease out the interaction of the gastrointestinal environment and cardiovascular health, in which probiotic supplementation in this particular study exhibits a profound effect. 

What impact do you hope this research will have?  

I hope that we learn not only about the metabolic outcomes of probiotics but the mechanisms of how they work. This notion will aid in more targeted interventions and knowledge of how to therapeutically dose probiotics in health and disease. 

What does receiving this award mean to you?  

Quite honestly, I am a bit shocked and honored to receive this award. I can only thank my team and principal investigators for having such passion for their work while being lucky enough to communicate our progressive research. 

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition is a part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.