2026 Kosaka Top Scholars Abstract Award Winner Interview: Connie T. Yu, BS

Perioperative Effects of CN-105 Treatment on the Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteome

As a first-year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine, Connie T. Yu, BS, is proving that the future of anesthesia research is bright. She has already contributed significantly to the scientific advancement and knowledge of postoperative delirium, initially through her clinical experience as a nursing assistant caring for patients undergoing thoracic surgery and lung transplantation and then through the opportunity to work with Miles Berger, MD, PhD, a neuro-anesthesiologist and translational human neuroscientist, on his research at Stanford University focused on mechanisms of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (such as delirium) in older adults. With a background in biopsychology and a longstanding fascination with neuroscience, Ms. Yu’s opportunity to collaborate and contribute to Dr. Berger’s scientific work is already showing results. This research seeks to understand how CN-105, an APOE mimetic peptide, modulates perioperative neuroinflammatory processes in the human central nervous system, and whether these molecular changes may help explain its potential effects on postoperative delirium. So far, the research team has discovered that CN-105 is associated with distinct perioperative changes in the CSF proteome, particularly involving proteins related to inflammation, vascular signaling, and neuronal structure. This scientific exploration helps bridge the gap between clinical outcomes and underlying biology by identifying molecular pathways that may drive postoperative delirium.

At the Kosaka Best Abstract Awards Session, held on Sunday, May 3, at the 2026 Annual Meeting, presented by IARS and SOCCA, the expert judges acknowledged the significance of this pursuit of new knowledge and recognized Ms. Yu with the Kosaka Top Scholars Abstract Award for her abstract on “Perioperative Effects of CN-105 Treatment on the Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteome.” The next steps for this promising investigation include linking these proteomic changes more directly to delirium outcomes, further characterizing the functional pathways underlying these protein changes, and validating their findings in larger cohorts and future Phase III trials. Below, Ms. Yu shares how this research journey has progressed, how this award and the opportunity to present at the Annual Meeting will impact her research career and how this recognition is a reflection of the trust, mentorship, and support she has received from an outstanding research team.

1. For this research, you are…

An Investigator

2. What inspired you to pursue this area of research, and how has your focus evolved over time?

I became interested in postoperative delirium through my clinical experiences as a nursing assistant caring for patients undergoing thoracic surgery and lung transplantation, where I saw firsthand how common it is and how significantly it can impact both patients and their families. With a background in biopsychology and a longstanding interest in neuroscience, I was drawn to the APOE pathway as a biologically grounded way to understand delirium risk. I was lucky to connect with Dr. Miles Berger’s work and am honored to contribute to this research.

3. What key question or challenge does your current research aim to address?

Our work aims to understand how CN-105, an APOE mimetic peptide, modulates perioperative neuroinflammatory processes in the human central nervous system, and whether these molecular changes may help explain its potential effects on postoperative delirium.

4. What are the most important findings or insights from your work so far?

We found that CN-105 is associated with distinct perioperative changes in the CSF proteome, particularly involving proteins related to inflammation, vascular signaling, and neuronal structure. Notably, many pro-inflammatory proteins showed attenuated upregulation with treatment, supporting a biologically plausible anti-inflammatory mechanism.

5. How could your research, whether through direct clinical application or by advancing foundational knowledge, impact the field of anesthesiology and ultimately improve patient care?

This work helps bridge the gap between clinical outcomes and underlying biology by identifying molecular pathways that may drive postoperative delirium. A key motivation comes from the longstanding recognition that the APOE ε4 allele increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease and postoperative delirium, yet there are still no FDA-approved therapies that directly target this pathway. CN-105 was developed to address this gap, and while delirium is complex and multifactorial, studying this pathway offers a promising, biologically grounded direction for therapeutic development.

6. What does presenting in the Kosaka Best Abstract Awards Session and at the IARS Annual Meeting mean to you?

It is a tremendous honor to present this work to leaders in anesthesiology research worldwide. This opportunity reflects the collaborative efforts of our team, and I’m incredibly grateful and excited to share our work and connect with others in the field.

7. How do you feel about receiving the Kosaka Best Abstract Award, and what does this recognition mean for your work and career?

I feel incredibly honored and grateful to receive the Kosaka Best Scholars Abstract Award, especially as a first-year medical student. This recognition is a reflection of the trust, mentorship, and support I’ve received from an outstanding team—it truly belongs to everyone who contributed to this work. It reinforces my interest in pursuing anesthesiology and research, and I’m deeply thankful that the IARS recognized the importance of our work.

8. What are the next steps for your research, and how do you see this work evolving?

Next steps include linking these proteomic changes more directly to delirium outcomes, further characterizing the functional pathways underlying these protein changes, and validating our findings in larger cohorts and future phase III trials. We also aim to expand this approach to identify biomarkers that could support risk stratification and inform therapeutic response.

9. Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge as part of this work?

I am extremely grateful to my PI, Dr. Miles Berger, for his invaluable mentorship and guidance throughout this work. I am also thankful to the members of the Berger Lab and the Stanford perioperative research team for their support and collaboration. A huge shoutout to my co-author, Dr. Charlotte Herber, for her guidance and contributions to the analysis and presentation. I would also like to acknowledge our collaborators at Duke University, including Dr. Daniel Laskowitz and Dr. Haotian Zou, as well as the entire MARBLE study team, whose efforts made this work possible. Finally, a very special thank you to the patients who participated in the MARBLE trial.

10. Outside of your research, what is something colleagues might be surprised to learn about you?

I’m an avid dancer and have been part of multiple performing dance companies, as well as teaching workshops to both children and older adults. I also enjoy baking and spending time outdoors, especially hiking and running.