Zach Dawson is a Ph.D. student studying interventional therapeutic strategies in apoptotic & necrotic cell death. His project utilizes a probiotic to deliver a naturally occurring protein to the intestine for alleviating Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD). Zach has over 5 years of research experience at Washington University in St. Louis where he studied orphan diseases such as Alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency, and has been able to contribute to multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts and research talks. He has been involved in the United Nations Association (UNA-USA) for 4 years and currently sits on the National Council as an East Coast Representative. Zach considers himself a servant of the people and hopes to continue to contribute meaningfully to the policy dialogue of our State and Nation’s scientific advancements.