Sarah Guo | 2026 SURF Participant

Sarah Guo is a junior James Scholar, Chancellor’s Scholar, and Cancer Scholar majoring in bioengineering with a minor in chemistry and research interest in immunology. At Illinois, she works in the Ranoa Lab studying interactions between CAR-T cells and the tumor microenvironment to overcome immune resistance and challenges in treating solid tumors. Sarah is a member of the Illini Medical Screening Society, an organization that provides free healthcare screenings and services to the underserved population in Champaign-Urbana, and the American Cancer Society, where she helps raise awareness about cancer support and prevention. As a 2025 SURF participant, Sarah worked with Dr. Elizabeth Enninga at Mayo Clinic studying the impact of chronic inflammation on placental cells. This summer, she will work with Dr. Kathryn A. Knoop studying how early-life immune development in the intestine shapes oral tolerance, with a focus on neonatal T cell function and immune cell composition. She plans to pursue an MD-PhD in immunological studies and translate her findings into direct patient and clinical outcomes.