For their research into therapeutic strategies aimed at combating Alzheimer’s disease, two University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� undergraduate students earned an award at an international biomedical meeting in October.

Christine Lau and Marie Ishida traveled to Daejeon, South Korea, to attend the 13th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine. They delivered a poster presentation and an oral presentation describing their work. Lau and Ishida were recognized with an award for Top Poster Presentation from the publisher Springer–Nature.

Lau and Ishida conduct research under the mentorship of UH Researcher Daniel Torres at the , where they study the ability of the micronutrient selenium to counteract the production of tau and beta–amyloid, two proteins involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lau is double majoring in psychology and molecular and cell biology, and recently started her BAM (bachelor’s and master’s) combined degree program for educational psychology. She hopes to go to medical school and become a forensic psychiatrist.

Ishida is majoring in biology, and is working toward attending medical school and becoming a physician. She said, “the symposium was an unforgettable experience that allowed me to witness the various projects that researchers are conducting.”

A groundbreaking effort to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to slow—and potentially reverse—Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in �鶹��ý is underway at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa. Katy Tarrit, assistant professor in the , is leading this new, locally focused 18-month research initiative.

The project aims to develop a novel AI-powered approach that is culturally tailored to �鶹��ý’s diverse population and integrates multiple physiological data sources—including brain activity and other biomarkers—to better understand and combat Alzheimer’s disease. By identifying subtle physiological patterns that clinicians might not easily observe, Tarrit’s team hopes to guide more accurate, personalized interventions that can slow or prevent disease progression.

“Our goal is to bring forward an approach that reflects the unique cultural, social and biological context of our islands,” said Tarrit. “By integrating multiple types of health data, we hope to uncover new insights that can improve prevention, treatment and the overall quality of life for �鶹��ý’s families and kūpuna.”

The project received $60,000 in funding from the (HCF) through its Medical Research Program, supported by the Ingeborg V.F. McKee Fund. The program advances scientific research on Alzheimer’s disease, juvenile diabetes, heart disease and cancer. According to HCF, this effort aligns with its mission to strengthen �鶹��ý’s medical research community and improve long-term health outcomes across the islands.

“We are deeply grateful to the �鶹��ý Community Foundation for enabling this important effort to address Alzheimer’s disease in our islands,” Tarrit added. “Their support helps us harness AI and technology in ways that honor �鶹��ý’s multicultural identity and deliver effective health solutions shaped by local needs and values.”

This initiative contributes to a growing statewide commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies—such as AI, multimodal data analytics and digital health tools—to address major public health challenges affecting local families and kūpuna.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences is part of UH ��ā�ԴDz�’s .

The children’s storybook , which helps children understand Alzheimer’s disease, has been adapted into a . The story follows Pōmai, a young girl learning to support her Papa (grandfather) as he experiences memory loss, offering a gentle, culturally grounded way for families to start conversations about dementia. First released by the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� in 2019 and translated into ʻōlelo �鶹��ý in 2025, the story has reached keiki and caregivers across the islands.

Related UH News story: Dementia storybook released statewide

The animation was developed by Kalilinoe Detwiler, a UH ����ԴDz� PhD candidate in English, with the , housed in the . It brings the storybook to life with vibrant visuals, expressive characters and narration voiced by Hā Kūpuna team members.

“We hope the book and video will open conversations between children, parents and kūpuna about dementia in a cultural and age-appropriate way,” said Detwiler, who is an , and co-principal investigator for the Symphony of �鶹��ý Seas project. “I enjoy spending time with the characters, imagining their expressions and who they might sit beside in the setting. I also enjoy imagining visual representations to subtle changes in their emotions and understanding of dementia.”

The project began in January 2025 and included storyboarding, visual design, background art, voice recording, animation and editing.

“As we create resources for ʻōpio (youth) and caregivers, we recognize there are mediums that best suit the intergenerational households in �鶹��ý,” added Detwiler. “Animation is one of those mediums. It opens possibilities for stories that can be challenging or heavy,”

“The purpose of Hā Kūpuna is to enhance understanding of kūpuna, celebrate their lives, and improve eldercare services,” said Shelley Muneoka, Hā Kūpuna program coordinator. “Storybooks and animation help extend this information to new audiences in a meaningful way.”

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A children’s storybook developed through the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� is now available in ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý, offering Hawaiian-speaking families a new resource to support loved ones with dementia.

Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa: Ka Wā Kamaliʻi a me ka Makua Poina Wale: Pehea e Mālama ai i nā Mea Koʻikoʻi loa is the Hawaiian-language version of Pōmai and Her Papa: Growing Up Around Memory Loss and Holding on to What Matters Most, originally published in English.

Expanding access

The translation, led by at UH ����ԴDz�’s , helps meet a growing need for culturally and linguistically relevant resources for Hawaiian-speaking families caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Related UH News story: ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý for elder care, February 2025

Translating medical concepts such as “geriatrician” and “social worker” into ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý required the thoughtful creation of new terms. It reflects the commitment to improving access for the increasing number of Hawaiian language speakers.

“We wanted to contribute to increasing language access for Hawaiian speakers by having Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa available everywhere Pōmai and Her Papa is already available,” said Hā Kūpuna graduate assistant Kepo ʻo Keliʻipaʻakaua, who led the project.

Understanding dementia together

The initiative was prompted by Hā Kūpuna’s joint advisory committee, which identified a pressing need for Hawaiian-language eldercare materials. Both versions of the storybook help families recognize the signs of dementia, understand the difference between memory loss and normal aging, and connect with support services.

Initially, partners at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center requested a small number of ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý copies for outreach kits to houseless families.

“There was such an interest, even among volunteers, that they requested more Hawaiian language books,” said Shelley Muneoka of Hā Kūpuna. “It’s so exciting to see the enthusiasm for this resource!”

By the end of 2025, more than 1,500 copies of the English book will have been distributed, and nearly 350 Hawaiian language copies will join them in public and school libraries statewide.

In �鶹��ý, where multigenerational homes are common, and dementia rates are rising, Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa offers families a child-friendly way to talk about memory loss and support kūpuna with care and compassion.

To download the books or request printed copies, visit Hā Kūpuna’s website or email Shelley Muneoka at muneokas@hawaii.edu.

A researcher at the is using data from the to study a recently recommended blood test for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis as part of a $140,000 grant from the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The Multiethnic Cohort provides unique opportunities to better understand common diseases by comparing several racial/ethnic populations,” said Song-Yi Park, an associate professor at the UH Cancer Center. “Minority populations have been underrepresented in Alzheimer’s research, and we hope that this coveted research grant from the Alzheimer’s Association will reduce the research gap and help understand the performance of the safe and affordable blood test for Alzheimer’s detection among racial and ethnic minority individuals.”

Related UH News story: Dementia risk factors differ among ethnicitiess

The research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the blood test pTau-217, a specific blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, in detecting Alzheimer’s among Native Hawaiian, African American and White populations in the MEC. The study aims to identify any racial or ethnic differences in pTau-217 levels and the factors that drive such differences, providing crucial insights into the early detection and confirmation of Alzheimer’s disease in dementia patients.

Park and UH Cancer Center researcher Unhee Lim previously reported for the first time that Alzheimer’s risk in Native Hawaiians is as high as in African Americans, with almost double the risk seen in Japanese Americans and also higher risks than in Latinos and Whites. The study showed significant racial/ethnic disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Park has also conducted multiple studies on the incidence and survival of cancer in the MEC. She identified the patterns and risk factors prevalent across the five racial and ethnic populations in the cohort.

“Funding Dr. Park not only supports this critical project but is part of a broader Alzheimerʻs Association effort to keep the best and brightest scientists working on this disease,” said LJ Duenas, the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association.

To learn more about what the Alzheimer’s Association is doing to improving Alzheimer’s care, support and research, go to .

Approximately 23% of Alzheimer’s and related dementia cases in individuals aged 65 and older can be linked to controllable risk factors such as diabetes and physical inactivity; that percentage varies depending on race and ethnicity, according to new research from the .

“There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, so preventing or delaying this disease by reducing controllable risk factors is an urgent public health priority,” said study author and UH Cancer Center researcher Song-Yi Park.

The study, published in the January 17 issue of , the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, emphasizes the urgent need to address modifiable factors that are most relevant to each ethnic population to lower the risk of these debilitating conditions.

Preventing or delaying this disease and other related forms of dementia by reducing controllable risk factors is an urgent public health priority
—Song-Yi Park

Top contributing risk factors varied across demographics:

• Diabetes for Latinos, and also less education and low socioeconomic status
• Low socioeconomic status for Native Hawaiians, and also physical inactivity, and less education
• Low socioeconomic status for Blacks and also low social contact and high blood pressure
• Low socioeconomic status for Whites, and also smoking
• Physical inactivity for Japanese Americans and also diabetes

The study involved about 92,000 participants from the (MEC), representing diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including Japanese American, White, Latino, Black, and Native Hawaiian. MEC is a large epidemiological study that follows more than 215,000 �鶹��ý and Los Angeles residents for health diseases since 1993.

Participants completed detailed questionnaires covering education, medical history, medications, physical activity, sleep patterns, and dietary habits. The socioeconomic conditions of their neighborhoods were determined based on residential addresses.

Disparities in diagnosed cases

After a nine-year follow-up on average, about 16,500 participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related dementia, with notable disparities among racial groups, particularly higher percentages among Black (24%) and Native Hawaiian (14%) participants.

Park highlighted the disparity among Native Hawaiians, previously not recognized because they are grouped with Asian Americans in research, although studies consistently show Asian Americans have the lowest risk for these conditions. The study observed that 12 controllable risk factors, together, explained about 23% of cases in both women and men.

Controllable risk factors accounted for 33% of cases among Latinos, 29% among Native Hawaiians, 28% among Black individuals, 22% among White individuals, and 14% among Japanese Americans.

“Our findings confirm that less education, low socioeconomic status, and other risk factors in middle age account for substantial but varying proportions of dementia cases later in life across racial and ethnic populations,” said Park. “The study reveals the need for tailored interventions for various racial and ethnic groups, specific to more prevalent risk factors. It also highlights the importance of discovering other risk factors in racial and ethnic groups whose cases are not as well explained by known risk factors.”

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Currently, nearly 100,000 kūpuna and others in �鶹��ý are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. In �鶹��ý, where multigenerational homes are common, many young people are living with older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Yet, youth caregivers are largely invisible to the eldercare service system.

To shine light on this issue, a storybook for �鶹��ý youth, titled Pomai and her Papa, developed by University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� and researchers, has been distributed to all 294 �鶹��ý Department of Education public and charter schools, and all 51 public libraries statewide. Books were provided free of charge, and included a short guide for young people and one for supportive adults.

Developed by the , a program of the , the storybook follows Pomai as she navigates troubling changes she begins to notice in her Papa. She starts to struggle in school because she is unsure how to help him.

Booklet helps keiki understand dementia, memory loss
—July 30, 2019

“This book mirrors the lives of our students,” says Joyce Pien, library literacy teacher at Pālolo Elementary School. “It validates their life experiences as grandchildren who cherish their aging grandparents.”

The book was based on research conducted by the Hā Kūpuna team through which they interviewed youth, physicians, eldercare providers and cultural advisors.

Mnemonics help retain information

“The data suggested that youth liked stories, especially those that reflected the faces and voices of �鶹��ý,” said Shelley Muneoka, coordinator of Hā Kūpuna. “We also learned that mnemonics can help youth recall larger pieces of information.”

Thus, the mnemonic HALIʻA (fond remembrance), developed by Lana Sue Kaʻopua, appears throughout the book that outlines symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia:

This book mirrors the lives of our students
—Joyce Pien

H: Hard to remember names, events, basic information. May lose track of days, dates, time of year. Hard time finding things.
A: At risk of wandering and other unsafe behaviors.
L: Loses judgment, has harder time problem-solving.
I: Increasing difficulty in remembering words when speaking or writing.
ʻA ʻAno (a person’s basic nature, personality) changes. With these changes can come confusion, frustration, anger and impatience that can be seen in facial expressions, voice, gestures and behaviors.

“The story book also provides links for more information about dementia,” said Kathryn L. Braun, director of Hā Kūpuna and professor in the Office of Public Health Studies. “It also includes ways to connect to the .”

. A full report of the research upon which the book is based is published in Gerontology and Geriatrics Education.

Braun and Muneoka’s co-authors on the paper also included: Colette V. Brown, Lana Sue Kaʻopua, Yan Yan Wu, Rachel L. Burrage and Yeonjung Lee from Hā Kūpuna National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders.

An energetic little girl named Pomai wants nothing more than for her grandfather, Papa, to play with her. But Papa is losing his memory and unable to make poi with Pomai and take her to the beach like he used to.

That is the theme of Pomai and Her Papa: Growing Up with Memory Loss and Holding On to What Matters Most, a free booklet written by researchers at the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work at the . It is published and being distributed through the school’s federally funded , a resource center for Native Hawaiian elders and their families.

“Children are deeply affected by dementia in their families, and yet often they are not viewed as caregivers who need education and support,” said Professor Colette Browne, a co-author and Hā Kūpuna’s principal investigator.

What’s happening to Papa?

In Pomai and Her Papa, the protagonist receives guidance from a teacher, social worker and doctor, and works hard to understand the changes she is seeing in Papa.

The illustrated booklet, appropriate for ages 8 and older, relays valuable information about dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. More than 66 million people nationally and 29,000 people in �鶹��ý live with the disease.

“People in �鶹��ý are especially affected by Alzheimer’s disease, in part because of the high rate of multigenerational homes here,” said Browne. “We wanted to provide a free resource for members of our communities who are facing a diagnosis of dementia in a loved one.”

The publication includes information on local and national resources where youth and families can seek answers, find support and combat feelings of isolation and confusion.

“As Papa begins to lose his memory, get lost and act differently, Pomai sets off on her journey to learn how to help Papa and her family,” said Shelley Muneoka, Hā Kūpuna project coordinator. “The booklet educates young caregivers about dementia and provides a guide of age-appropriate ways to best help.”

A is available. To request printed copies, send an email to Muneoka at muneokas@hawaii.edu.

—By Theresa Kreif

at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM) and collaborators may have discovered a potential new way to combat the destructive effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

They observed that applying a smaller, non-toxic fragment taken from an already microscopic protein fragment called a “beta amyloid” peptide, or compound consisting of two or more amino acids linked in a chain, can actually protect the nerve cells and restore normal memory processing.

The discovery was unexpected, because high levels of the beta amyloid peptide, in its larger form, are associated with developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“We believe this is an exciting, new approach, because we are trying to modulate how amyloid is actually acting and causing toxicity in the brain rather than simply lowering it,” Nichols said. “So we’re delivering this small fragment, but the bonus is that this fragment itself seems to be driving neuroprotection in the brain.”

Currently, Nichols is working with scientists at the University of Arizona to design and screen compounds based on the peptide fragment for future drug development.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Alzheimer’s Association. In �鶹��ý, the number of people ages 65 and older affected by this disease is expected to rise 25 percent by the year 2025.

—By Deborah Manog Dimaya

A clinical trial on a drug that researchers hope will reduce inflammation in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease will begin at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM).

The JABSOM trial involves an investigational therapy, NP001, developed by , Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to whether a single dose of NP001 will affect blood markers that indicate inflammation in individuals with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. While the cause of the disease is unknown, there is increasing evidence that suggests neuroinflammation may play a role in disease progression. NP001, Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals’ lead investigative therapy, is designed to help regulate neuroinflammation.

“Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, there is presently no cure for the more than five million Americans living with the disease,” said Beau Nakamoto, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and principal investigator. “Given the key role inflammatory monocytes and macrophages may play in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, researching immune regulators—like NP001—is critical to understanding more about this serious and complex disease.”

For the complete story, .

—By Tina Shelton