�鶹��ý Gov. Josh Green emphasized that cancer research and medical science are not only matters of public health, but also essential to national and global security, during a roundtable discussion at the ’s 17th Annual on January 23.

The three-day international symposium, held January 21–23, at the UH Cancer Center in Kakaʻako, brought together leading researchers and clinicians from around the world to share cutting-edge discoveries in cancer genetics and environmental carcinogenesis — the interaction between genetic and environmental factors that influence cancer risk and treatment outcomes.

Cuts, costs, commitment

Speaking before nearly 100 attendees including international and U.S. cancer researchers, UH faculty, students and community members, Green addressed concerns about the future of medical research amid rising costs and federal funding cuts. The discussion was moderated by Michele Carbone, co-founder of the Weinman Symposium and director of thoracic oncology at the UH Cancer Center.

Cancer does not know a red state or a blue state.
—Gov. Josh Green

“The challenges are many, but there’s no question that states can help,” said Green. He pointed to a plan to provide an additional $7.5 million to the UH Cancer Center to help sustain research momentum during a difficult fiscal period.

Green warned that reductions in federal research funding threaten the nation’s ability to respond to future health crises and stressed that science should transcend politics.

“Cancer does not know a red state or a blue state,” he said. “It doesn’t know ideology. This is something we should commit ourselves to for humanity.”

He also tied biomedical research directly to global security, citing emerging technologies such as RNA-based research and vaccines. “If we don’t fund important research and someone else does—and they control that scientific discipline—we’re not just at a disadvantage during outbreaks,” Green said. “It’s unsafe to have monolithic control of major technologies.”

UH Cancer Center Director Naoto Ueno expressed appreciation for the governor’s support. “His vision, making sure that there is long-term cancer research, really makes a big difference,” Ueno said. “There are 70,000 people in �鶹��ý with cancer. The only way to cure cancer for future generations is to advance research.”

Green also presented the 2026 Weinman Award to Antoni Ribas of UCLA, a leader in cancer immunotherapy research.

Read more at the .

University of �鶹��ý at researcher Jesse Owens has received a $2 million NIH (National Institutes of Health) grant to advance his lab’s pioneering gene-editing technology at the (JABSOM).

Related UH News story: Next generation gene therapy tools built by UH scientist

“This is my dream grant,” said Owens, associate professor at JABSOM’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. “It’s the project I’ve always wanted to do. It funds exactly what our lab is passionate about, which is developing safer, more precise tools for gene therapy that can be used across many different diseases.”

The four-year, $2 million R01 award supports Owens’ effort to create a new generation of transposases, the specialized enzymes that insert genes into precise genome locations. Unlike other gene-editing tools such as CRISPR—which cut DNA and can sometimes lead to unwanted mutations during the repair process—Owens’ method replaces genes without cutting or exposing the DNA, allowing for safer and more precise gene delivery.

Refining precision in gene therapy

That precision is the result of years of meticulous research. Graduate student Chris Tran created and tested more than 200 mutated enzymes to find one that makes very few mistakes and changes only the intended genes without affecting others. The lab’s next goal is to improve the system’s “on-target” efficiency—the rate at which genes land exactly where intended.

“Our goal now is to find that perfect balance,” Owens said. “We’ve minimized the off-target effects; now we’re working on boosting the on-target performance so that the system is both incredibly safe and incredibly effective.”

Owens’ lab has already made remarkable progress. Early versions achieved less than 1% gene delivery efficiency. Through years of refinement, the latest system now reaches nearly 100% efficiency, a leap Owens once thought impossible.

“What we didn’t realize early on was just how fine-tuned this system needed to be,” he said. “If you move the target by just two base pairs, the efficiency can drop dramatically. We had to test hundreds of iterations to find the right combination.”

Building tools to fight many diseases

Owens describes his lab as “disease agnostic,” building tools that can be applied broadly, from hemophilia to cystic fibrosis to cancer.

Imagine something that started in your PhD eventually becoming part of a therapy that fights cancer.
—Jesse Owens

“It’s a special type of R01 (grant),” he explained. “It’s not tied to one disease area, which is perfect for us. We can focus on making the best tool possible, and then share it with researchers who specialize in different diseases.”

Ultimately, Owens hopes the technology will accelerate CAR T immunotherapy, which reprograms immune cells to destroy cancer. His team plans to test the system in human T-cells before collaborating with clinical researchers.

“The really exciting thing is that this could one day help treat actual patients,” Owens said. “Imagine something that started in your PhD eventually becoming part of a therapy that fights cancer. That’s what drives us.”

The grant also supports two JABSOM graduate students, providing hands-on experience at the forefront of gene therapy research.

“Dr. Owens and his team are not only advancing the science of gene editing, they’re inspiring the next generation of scientists who will continue our legacy of innovation and discovery,” said JABSOM Dean Sam Shomaker.

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With Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Asian populations facing some of the highest diabetes rates in the nation, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s has received a $2.35 million renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand research, strengthen infrastructure and train the next generation of scientists. In its seventh year of funding, the center is part of UH ����ԴDz�’s Centers for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) and continues to focus on tackling this critical public health challenge.

“Diabetes and prediabetes affect nearly half of the U.S. population, and even more so in underserved communities,” said Mariana Gerschenson, professor in the at the (JABSOM), who leads the initiative as principal investigator. “Our goal is to build a sustainable, collaborative center that addresses both the biological mechanisms and health differences associated with diabetes in �鶹��ý and the Pacific.”

Related UH News story: $11.7M grant renewal advances diabetes research in �鶹��ý

Since its inception, the center has played a pivotal role in mentoring seven research leaders and seven pilot investigators. Phase 2 will significantly expand this mission through several key initiatives:

• Investigating diabetic complications: Focused research on complications that occur at higher rates in racial and ethnic minorities.
• Faculty recruitment: Bringing in four new tenure-track faculty members specializing in translational diabetes and insulin resistance research.
• Pipeline development: Supporting pilot projects to cultivate a robust pipeline of future research leaders.
• Community engagement: Strengthening community outreach through an annual symposium and enhanced digital resources.

The renewed award will support key research project leaders, including cell and molecular biology faculty Kathryn Schunke and Michael Ortega, as well as graduate students, postdocs, and the led by Chair Olivier Le Saux.

Innovative research projects

Current research projects at the Diabetic Research Center are exploring innovative solutions and deeper understandings of diabetes, including:

• Developing non-invasive sweat sensors for monitoring complications.
• Studying the genomic links between diabetes and stroke in Native Hawaiians.
• Understanding diabetic autonomic neuropathy using animal models.
• Investigating diabetic renal disease using animal models.

When retired U.S. Army Col. Jason Barnhill steps into the lab at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM), he brings more than 30 years of active duty experience and a mission to protect soldiers on the battlefield.

Barnhill, now an associate professor in JABSOM’s , is working to build human tissue models through bioprinting, a cutting-edge technique that uses “bio-inks” instead of plastic to produce organ-like structures. These models, created from human stem cells, could help improve treatments for burns, chemical exposure, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and more.

This work is part of a new collaboration between UH ����ԴDz� and the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC).

“We plan to use these models for biomedical testing, instead of using animal models,” said Barnhill. “Animal models have various drawbacks that we hope to avoid with our models.”

Barnhill explains that human-based models are more accurate than testing on animals. “Reactions in human genomes are very distinct to those in ‘little white lab mice,’” he said. “It’s really critical that we develop bioprinting and other advanced manufacturing techniques here in Hawaiʻi because we’re so isolated. Ideally we can build up our capacity and then be in a position to assist others.“

A personal focus on eye health

While the partnership covers a range of threats, Barnhill is particularly drawn to eye research. “I’m especially interested in the cornea… and how we could make models of the cornea that could then be used to look at chemical exposure or infectious disease exposure,” he said.

Inspired by a family history of macular degeneration, he’s also exploring the idea of 3D-printed contact lenses that could protect against chemical burns.

“I’ve been tossing around the idea with some of my colleagues (at DEVCOM)…maybe being able to 3D print some type of contact lens or other thing that would be protective for the eye,” Barnhill said.

A return home to �鶹��ý

Barnhill’s ties to �鶹��ý run deep. After arriving in 2000 for a master’s in biomedical sciences at UH ����ԴDz�, he kept returning—earning his PhD, working at Tripler Hospital, and living in the islands for more than a decade.

Related UH News story: New UH manufacturing tech makes wearable health sensors more affordable, September 2024

“Really, �鶹��ý has become home for me and my family,” he said.

Now, he’s mentoring undergraduates at JABSOM and hopes to spark collaborations across UH ����ԴDz�, including with Associate Professor Tyler Ray from the , whose lab houses several bioprinting devices.

“�鶹��ý‘s home for me now, so I want to help my home as much as I can,” said Barnhill. “I’m excited to have the chance to do this work that I think will be beneficial to both our service members and to the people of �鶹��ý.”

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A new drug delivery system developed by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) and Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea may significantly reduce serious lung damage. The study was recently published in the .

The team designed tiny particles, called lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), to carry two drugs directly to immune cells in the lungs called neutrophils. Using COVID-19 as a model, they showed that the LNPs only targeted these lung cells, didn’t cause harm and reduced inflammation and early signs of scarring in mice.

The researchers hope this new method can also be used to treat other lung conditions like the flu and sepsis by targeting different immune cells or delivering other types of medicine.

“This project is a great example of how interdisciplinary research can facilitate the development of novel drug delivery platforms and evaluate their efficiency in animal models,” said Saguna Verma, JABSOM professor of tropical medicine. “Recently, LNP-based selective organ targeting (SORT) has been developed for specifically targeting the liver, lung or spleen. However, the strength of this study is that our LNPs are designed not only to target the lung but specifically to lung neutrophils.”

Researchers used UH’s high-security lab to safely study the virus. For the first time, they were able to send two drugs—DNase I and Sivelestat—directly to infection-fighting cells in the lungs using a new delivery method.

Normally, these immune cells release web-like traps (called NETs) to catch germs. However, when too many are made, they can harm the lungs and lead to serious problems, especially in illnesses like COVID-19, explained Juwon Park of UH ����ԴDz�.

“Although drugs that block NETs exist, they often require high doses due to instability in the body and nonspecific off-target effects,” Park said. “Our new approach overcomes these limitations by delivering both drugs directly to lung neutrophils using lipid nanoparticles, which improves drug effectiveness and minimizes side effects.”

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Decades of support for underrepresented students in �鶹��ý and the Pacific has been shut down due to federal budget cuts. Two student research programs run by the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM) have been ended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

If the decision stands, we’ll feel the void in five to 10 years—in our classrooms, our clinics and our communities
—Angela Sy

The unexpected termination of the (STEP-UP) and the is anticipated to have lasting effects on local students and the state’s ability to grow its own biomedical workforce.

Pathways cut short

Pacific STEP-UP, a high school research pathway program active since 2002, has served more than 445 students directly and hundreds more through laboratory education. Its director, George Hui, explained that the program trained underserved students, often from rural or isolated communities in the Pacific, to conduct research relevant to their communities.

“From studying taro farming in the presence of global warming and sea level rising, to investigating pollution in the Marshall Islands, students tackled real-world, locally rooted problems,” Hui said.

NIH recently and unexpectedly ended funding for the program. “They said we were engaged in DEI activities that are not aligned with the current administration,” Hui said.

The cut came despite Pacific STEP-UP changing its eligibility rules in March 2024 to include everyone in the Pacific, removing race, ethnicity or sex as criteria for application reviews or funding decisions.

“We were confident we wouldn’t be affected,” Hui said. “We adjusted a year ago. And we had more applications than ever, over 500 this cycle. Now, we’re telling kids they can’t participate. There’s no time, no backup plan, and no comparable alternative.”

Over the last two decades, Pacific STEP-UP was a proven success with students launching successful careers in STEM. Most recently, Nichelle Torcelino from Guam was accepted to Yale, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. Others from American Samoa have gone to Harvard and claim advanced degrees in public health.

Programs offered more than research experience

“We don’t just give our students lab time,” Hui added. &dquo;We help them believe they belong in science and research. Without programs like this, that path disappears for many.”

The MHRT program, launched in 2013 by Vivek Nerurkar, and now led by Angela Sy, both from the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, sent underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students to conduct mentored research in places such as Thailand, India, American Samoa, Guam, Cameroon and Liberia.

“These students often had never traveled beyond the state. They return transformed—not just as budding scientists, but as global citizens,” said Sy.

More than 123 students participated, with 66% pursuing graduate degrees and many now working in medicine, research, and academia.

Sakaria Laisene Auelua-Toomey a MHRT 2015 alumni who graduated from UH ����ԴDz� in 2016 earned a PhD in psychology from Stanford University in 2024 and is now a faculty at UH ����ԴDz�.

Impact on �鶹��ý’s research future

Program leaders say the cuts hurt �鶹��ý’s ability to build a local workforce. “These are resource-limited areas,” Hui said. “Without exposure to science, there’s no pipeline.”

JABSOM officials are hoping for a legal reprieve. The termination is being challenged as part of a multistate lawsuit against NIH’s rollback of DEI programs.

“If the decision stands, we’ll feel the void in five to 10 years—in our classrooms, our clinics and our communities,” said Sy.

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Diabetes affects 10% of �鶹��ý‘s population, with another 37% living with pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. To address this significant health issue, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM) secured a $11.7 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) five-year grant renewal for its Diabetes Research Center, originally funded with $11.3 million in 2017.

“Living in �鶹��ý, many of us have diabetes or know someone who has it, so it is our obligation as researchers in �鶹��ý to investigate problems that affect the people of this state,” said Mariana Gerschenson, JABSOM associate dean for research and director of the Diabetes Research Center. “The renewal of this grant allows us to continue to do this critical research, and we are excited about starting Phase 2 of this research, which will explore the impact diabetes has on other parts of the body.”

Related story:$10.4M to UH researchers links environmental microbiomes to human health

Originally, the NIH-funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant enabled JABSOM to study the mechanisms behind diabetes and pre-diabetes using cell and animal models. This initiative also facilitated the training of five young investigators across UH ����ԴDz� to continue to contribute to local research and education.

“This is a very exciting time for us to have the opportunity to give young people in �鶹��ý an opportunity to study this abundant disease and its complications here at home,” said Majorie Mau, the center’s deputy director and professor in the Department of Native Hawaiian Health.

Impact on local community

The next research phase will focus on how diabetes leads to complications such as stroke, heart disease and kidney issues, with a special emphasis on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations, which are disproportionately affected by diabetes.

Gerschenson’s team includes JABSOM assistant professors Kathryn Schunke, who is researching diabetic cardiomyopathy; Stacy Brown, who studies the genetics of diabetes and stroke among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders; and Noemi Polgar, who investigates glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Additionally, Tyler Ray, assistant professor from UH ����ԴDz�’s , is developing wearable technology to monitor kidney function.

The renewal of the grant not only supports ongoing research but also boosts �鶹��ý’s economy. According to the United for Medical Research report, every dollar received in grants adds $2.46 in new economic activity. The funding supports the recruitment and development of new faculty and young investigators, ensuring the continuation of innovative diabetes research and education at JABSOM and across UH.

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The University of �鶹��ý was awarded just over $58 million in federal biomedical research grants from the (NIH) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (July 1, 2022—June 30, 2023), generating $158 million in economic activity in the state and supporting 819 local jobs. This is according to the United for Medical Research that assesses the economic impact of NIH funding in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

NIH funding awarded to researchers supports employment and purchase of research-related goods, services and materials. The income generated from these jobs and purchases cycles through the economy to produce new economic activity. The report estimates that every $1 of NIH funding generates $2.46 in new economic activity.

Related UH News story: UH ����ԴDz� a national leader in federal health funding

“The funding that we receive from NIH is vital to sustaining the important work of our researchers, as they seek to cure diseases, eliminate cancer, and to improve health equity amongst under-represented groups and in rural communities across �鶹��ý and the Pacific,” said UH Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “At the same time, these extramural grants inject much needed dollars into our state’s economy through research-related expenditures.”

�鶹��ý received $68.7 million in NIH funding in FY 2023 with 85% going to UH, including 79 of the 93 NIH grants awarded. The UH Cancer Center and the UH ����ԴDz� were responsible for the majority of the NIH-funded research projects in FY 2023.

Nationally, NIH funding totaled $37 billion in FY 2023 and supported 412,041 jobs and generated $92.9 billion in new economic activity.

A national center of excellence at the is doing much more than groundbreaking biomedical research. The (ICEMHH) is building infrastructure and capacity to better �鶹��ý’s human, environmental and economic health.

“We’re designated a center of excellence for microbiome research. It means that people are really looking to �鶹��ý to make the next vanguard discoveries in this field,” said Principal Investigator Anthony Amend, a professor with the . “We’re making incredible discoveries about microbiomes—symbiotic microbes, things like bacteria, fungi, viruses that are inside living hosts, including us—and this underpins life on Earth as we know it.”

Utilizing two grants from the National Institutes of Health (COBRE) totaling more than $21 million, ICEMHH has also developed three state-of-the-art “cores”—an insectary, a microbial genomics laboratory and a microscopy imaging center—for cross-disciplinary public impact research beyond how microbiomes impact human health.

Fruit flies, mosquitos, related diseases

The Insectary for Scientific Training and Advances in Research or InSTAR promotes research on insect microbiomes (the microorganisms of a particular site or habitat) and advanced research in medical entomology (study of insects). It offers insect-rearing equipment and services, a collaborative lab and rearing space, insect containment, and other training and insect-management services.

Amend said, “Users of this core include some of our researchers here at the university and state agencies that are trying to understand disease—how it spreads in our state and how to mitigate those risks.”

Some of those mosquito-carried diseases include zika, dengue fever and malaria.

DNA sequencing, genetic analysis

The Microbial Genomics and Analytical Laboratory or MGAL houses the necessary instrumentation to provide a wide variety of services, such as high-throughput DNA/RNA extractions (to examine molecules that make up our genomes, and to generate “barcodes” for identifying microbes), amplicon library preparation (a highly targeted approach that enables researchers to analyze genetic variation in specific genomic regions), natural product and small molecule analysis, and culturing and storage of microbial strains.

“What this core does is enable somebody to come in with a sample of an animal or a soil sample or any sort of environmental sample. They can bring it to the core, drop it off and in a matter of weeks come out with a list and a figure of all of the microbes and their genomes that are within that sample,” Amend said. “This has really revolutionized our ability to determine ecological processes that are happening on microscales.”

Photons, electrons, more in high resolution

The Microscopy Imaging Center for Research through Observation or MICRO provides researchers with state-of-the-art instrumentation, training and services for high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical, fluorescence, laser scanning confocal microscopy and image analysis.

“You can look at photons. You can look at electrons—all these different tools to study microbes in their host environments,” Amend said.

The three research cores have already attracted a wide variety of users.

“We host researchers from all over the world, who come to learn about microbes, to use our facilities and to take that knowledge back to their countries, to develop their own expertise,” Amend said.

At the other end of the spectrum, there was the gentleman who walked in off the street and wanted to know which microbes were in his sourdough starter—which he thought made the most delicious bread and helped to keep his skin clear. In a matter of weeks the MGAL facility had a list of all the beneficial bacteria and yeasts contained in that flour and water sample.

Sustaining excellence

COBRE grants are awarded in three sequential five-year phases.

• Phase 1 awards build capacity in an area of biomedical research through the establishment of a center of excellence that helps develop a critical mass of investigators who are able to compete effectively for independent research funding and improve infrastructure in the center’s research area. Researchers in UH’s Phase 1 $10.4-million grant generated almost $22 million in extramural funding.
• Phase 2 awards strengthen successful COBRE Phase 1 centers through continued development of investigators to compete effectively for independent research, pilot project funding and further improvements to research infrastructure at the institution. Improving the three research cores is a focus of UH’s $10.7-million Phase 2 grant.
• Phase 3 awards provide support for maintaining research cores developed during Phases 1 and 2 to sustain a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment with pilot project programs, mentoring and training components.

�鶹��ýwill be applying for a Phase 3 award to sustain its world-class microbiome research and three research cores. According to Amend, the center is accelerating many kinds of projects that people care about.

He said, “We hope that by launching this center of excellence and by maintaining these three cores, it puts �鶹��ý at the forefront of this research where we can make these discoveries to promote our own livelihoods, economic opportunities and sustainability going into the future.”

—by Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

A University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) program that builds the foundation for the next generation of biomedical researchers has been funded $21.3 million for another five years by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

The Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) received funding from the National Institutes of Health to continue the work of expanding research opportunities in �鶹��ý. is administratively based at JABSOM with a mission to fortify research programs statewide in order to put more undergraduates on the road to a biomedical science career.

The renewal of the INBRE grant allows the JABSOM program to continue to increase the pipeline of students in STEM and strengthen the biomedical research expertise at undergraduate institutions and community colleges in �鶹��ý. This is a pathway for these students to pursue biomedical research and workforce careers. The grant will also facilitate infrastructure development, support postdoctoral fellows and expand the state-of-the-art Data Science Core.

This includes strategic approaches to providing resource and mentorship opportunities to junior and pilot investigators as a means to incorporate research into curriculum. INBRE increases biomedical research capacity across the state by providing these resources and expertise to community colleges and primarily undergraduate institutes across the state.

Professor Robert Nichols led the last previous two cycles.Peter Hoffmann, a professor who is also with the department, will take over as principal investigator with Ben Fogelgren, associate professor of , taking on the role of program coordinator.

“We are thrilled to have this competitive renewal fully funded so that we can continue to build upon our past successes and expand the �鶹��ý network of biomedical researchers, scholars and students,” said Hoffmann. “Our leadership works closely with the participating faculty with the goal of strengthening our research capacity throughout �鶹��ý. We have many exciting programs and lofty goals set for the INBRE V cycle—time to get to work!”

Engaging with UH community colleges, other institutions

INBRE has worked closely with faculty and students from , , , , , , Chaminade University and �鶹��ý Pacific University. Engaging students interested in biomedical research at the community college level and other higher education institutions is the first step in building a strong community of health science research in �鶹��ý. INBRE provides aspiring biomedical researchers opportunities to investigate complex issues such as obesity and vaccine development, which impact the population of �鶹��ý and beyond.

I found people who were willing to spend time nurturing the education and skill set of future scientists.
—Lance Nunes

In the past five years alone, HI-INBRE has engaged more than 600 students from more than 20 different ethnic groups in research opportunities with the goal of building a &lduqo;pipeline” for biomedical research careers in our state. In so doing, HI-INBRE enhances biomedical science and technological knowledge amongst our state’s workforce.

Lance Nunes is one of them. He was part of the INBRE program during his time at the UH ����ԴDz� and is now at the JABSOM pursuing a doctorate in developmental and reproductive biology, winning awards along the way such as the Kai Bowden ARCS Award in Medicine as well as the 2023 Biomedical Symposium Best Presentation award.

“INBRE is one of the main reasons I became a scientist,” Nunes said. “Going through undergraduate school, you try different things. You never know what you want to do until you try it, and INBRE introduced me to different research labs. I found people who were willing to spend time nurturing the education and skill set of future scientists.”

Nearly 25 years after her birth made international headlines, Cumulina, the first cloned mouse and the first cloned mammal in the United States recently made the trek to her new home in the renowned Smithsonian’s in Washington, D.C.

The most celebrated mouse in scientific history was named for the cumulus cells whose nuclei were used to clone her. Cumulina was created in a lab in 1997 using the distinctive “Honolulu Technique” developed by an international team led by Ryuzo Yanagimachi at the UH ����ԴDz� . Yanagimachi’s work helped lay the groundwork for in vitro fertilization in the early 1960s. Although Yanagimachi officially retired in 2005, he continues to be an active researcher at UH ����ԴDz� (IBR), which he founded.

“I view Cumulina as being an ambassador to the world for the biomedical research that’s done at the University of �鶹��ý. The University of �鶹��ý is a world-class Research 1 university. The discovery that a mouse could be cloned over and over again happened here before it happened anywhere else in the world,” said W. Steven Ward, director of the IBR and JABSOM professor.

Cumulina lived to a ripe age of 31 months, equivalent to age 95 in human years. She died of natural causes in 2001 and until she was donated to the museum, had been kept at the UH IBR, part of JABSOM.

“The fact that the Smithsonian Institute so eagerly accepted this gift is confirmation of the place in history that the discovery has. We are thrilled that the University of �鶹��ý will now be recognized in the nation’s flagship history museum as having made a major discovery in biomedical science,” said Ward.

Along with Cumulina, the museum also acquired a sheet of paper streaked with the mouse’s footprints, made on her second birthday, which speaks to the research team’s excitement about the mouse’s normal aging process.

“Cumulina is a wonderful addition to our collection,” said Curator Kristen Frederick-Frost. “This tiny mouse will help our audiences explore complex topics, from the science of making copies of organisms to the ethics of doing so. When Cumulina was born, people wondered what, or who, was next. We still wonder. She is a part of the past that pushes us to consider the possibilities of the future.”

Smithsonian magazine spotlight

Like a celebrity, Cumulina was greeted in her new hometown with a special photoshoot courtesy of . She’ll be featured in the . In D.C., she will be preserved in the museum’s Medicine and Science Division.

“I’m happy that more people can see her than here at IBR… It’s very good for us and for Cumulina too,” said Yanagimachi.

While the museum is exploring future display opportunities, details about Cumulina will be available on the museum’s website and in the American Treasures column of the Smithsonian Magazine. Cumulina was the first mammal to be cloned more than once and for several generations. In fact, the Yanagimachi Laboratory produced more than 50 carbon-copy mice using what was thought to be a more reliable cloning technique than the one used to create Dolly the Sheep. The clear reproducibility of the Honolulu Technique for cloning mammals convinced the world that cloning was real.

This work is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� accounted for $49,613,708 million in research funding awarded by the (NIH) in the federal fiscal year 2021 (October 1 2020 and September 30, 2021), according to the by United for Medical Research released on March 21. Sixty-eight of the 82 NIH grants awarded in �鶹��ý, totaling $57,370,429, went to UH ����ԴDz� biomedical research projects, including programs that look to address health and socioeconomic disparities for Indigenous and minority populations.

“We are grateful to the NIH for its sustained support of our UH researchers and the advancements toward biomedical research, which is not only making a difference for national and global health, but is supporting our local people through jobs and stimulating economic growth,” said UH Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis Syrmos.

The three top-funded projects came from the (JABSOM) and the , including:

$4,620,000— (JABSOM). The Research Centers in Minority Institutions Specialized Center, Ola Hawaii focuses on “ola” (health) for communities suffering disproportionately from genetic, environmental and socioeconomic disparities. The center supports a community of health disparities investigators who harness the power of diverse thought to determine the causes of and interventions for health disparities. Principal investigators: Jerris Hedges and Noreen Mokuau.

• Related UH News story: UH ����ԴDz� receives $3.4M to mitigate COVID-19 disparities, September 28, 2020

$3,000,000— (PIKO/JABSOM). The center is helping build a statewide clinical and translational research infrastructure to improve the health of Indigenous Pacific people. Principal investigators: Joseph Keaweʻaimoku Kaholokula and Neal Palafox.

• Related UH News story: $15M research center to improve Indigenous health, August 31, 2021

$2,972,823— (UH Cancer Center). An annual renewal award to support the infrastructure of the Multiethnic Cohort Study, in its 28th year. The most ethnically diverse cancer cohort in existence, the study identifies risk factors for cancer and other chronic diseases. Principal investigators: Loic Le Marchand, Christopher Haiman and Lynne Wilkens.

• Related UH News story: Cancer, diabetes findings unlocked by the world’s most ethnically diverse study, March 7, 2021

Among the other grants UH received in FY2021 were those that assisted with testing and therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic, training grants that prepare students for future scientific jobs in �鶹��ý, clinical research grants that bring in new clinical therapies such as clinical trials for cancer patients, and grants to better prevent and diagnose cancer.

Across the nation, a total of $35.73 billion was awarded to researchers in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia from the NIH, which supported 552,444 jobs and generated $94.18 billion in economic activity last year—or $2.60 of economic activity for every $1 of research funding.

In May 2021, the reported that UH had a $3.6 billion impact on the state economy, while supporting more than 22,500 jobs in fiscal year 2020. More recently, UH topped $400 million in extramural funding for the third consecutive year with a near-record total of $485.5 million to close FY2021.

• Related �鶹��ýNews story: UH extramural funding hauls in a near-record $485.5M in FY2021, August 18, 2021

This effort is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

�鶹��ý, a prime tourism destination, in combination with its largely multi-racial resident population, presents a unique opportunity to identify and chart the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease. The National Institutes of Health has committed $779,792 for two years to the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) toward advancing public impact research on the spread and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants in the state’s underserved communities.

We want to further understand why certain variants are so much more transmissible than others.
—Vivek R. Nerurkar

The study, “Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in �鶹��ý,” is part of the . It is based on the prediction that additional variants will be found in �鶹��ý because of its high influx of recreational travelers from COVID-19 hotspots.

Vivek R. Nerurkar, professor and chair of JABSOM’s , leads a team of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and bioinformaticians, including the INBRE Bioinformatics Core group, in sequencing and analyzing the genetic information of these variants circulating throughout the state.

“We want to further understand why certain variants are so much more transmissible than others,” said Nerurkar, who has spearheaded COVID-19 diagnostic testing among the underserved and vulnerable populations in the state.

• Related UH News story: New UH lab provides free rapid result COVID-19 testing to underserved, December 4, 2020

The project represents a collaboration with four Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-certified laboratories in Honolulu that perform FDA Emergency Use Authorization COVID-19 diagnostic tests. In addition, the study is providing a unique opportunity for participation by undergraduates in the �鶹��ý INBRE student research program.

Algorithm to predict mutations

The research group’s work preceding this grant was published in , the and in , where they present an algorithm developed to predict particular mutations that can lead to more transmissible COVID-19 variants.

“We developed this model hoping we can contribute to the new generation vaccines so that there is no delay in preparing the new vaccines when variants arrive,” Nerurkar said.

“The work by Dr. Nerurkar and his team will ensure that �鶹��ý is out in front of any new variants of concern either entering the state or arising here on the islands, as part of a national effort to track and quickly respond to the entry and movement of coronavirus variants across the states,” said Principal Investigator and Director of the �鶹��ý INBRE Robert Nichols.

This research is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

A federal initiative seeking to recruit and mentor STEM students from underrepresented backgrounds toward pursuing careers in biomedical research has awarded the a five-year, $2 million grant.

The National Institutes of Health’s (MARC) grant will enable UH ����ԴDz� faculty from the College of Natural Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), Pacific Biosciences Research Center, UH Cancer Center and the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology to select 30 (six per year) undergraduate students in their junior or senior years to enroll in a two-year that pairs trainees with research mentors.

The mission of MARC@UHM is to provide paid training in biological research for a diverse group of students, including Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian, other Pacific Islanders (Samoan, Tongan, Micronesian, Guamanian/Chamorro, mixed Pacific Islander), Filipino, Latinx, African American; under-represented Asians (e.g., Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotian); those from disadvantaged backgrounds, including low social-economic and residents of rural outer islands; and students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities.

Addressing inequities through training

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the undergraduate student body and faculty at UH ����ԴDz� is the most diverse in the nation, but inequities persist. Only 8.5% of PhD candidates in STEM-related programs at UH ����ԴDz� are from under-represented backgrounds. Additionally, a considerable number of these students do not apply to STEM-related PhD programs at UH. As a result, their cultures have little involvement in our nation’s workforce. This program seeks to increase their numbers in scientific research.

Participating in MARC@UHM are more than 25 ����ԴDz� faculty and 10 faculty at other institutions. They represent diverse backgrounds in ethnicity, age, gender and rank.

Serving as principal investigator on the grant is Vivek R. Nerurkar, professor and chair of the JABSOM .

“The primary outcome measure will be the number of trainees graduating with BA/BS in four years who transition to research-intensive graduate programs,” said Nerurkar. “Thus, MARC@UHM seeks to increase Hawaiʻi’s under-represented citizens who transition to research careers, and bring their diverse cultural backgrounds, life experiences, ideas and interests to biomedical research.”

More on MARC@UHM

Objectives:

• Enroll six students in their junior or senior year of college annually and teach them to identify important research questions, design and conduct rigorous and reproducible experiments, and analyze data and interpret results
• Provide each trainee with four semesters of paid, mentored research and a summer research experience
• Develop skills trainees need to be competitive in graduate school and in careers as research professionals
• Assist each trainee in applying to at least five graduate school programs early in the senior year

The two-year MARC@UHM program for juniors and seniors begins with a summer workshop, which includes a two-credit course each semester designed specifically for MARC trainees, four semesters of mentored research, a summer research experience (either at UH ����ԴDz� or working with a collaborator of their �鶹��ýmentor at an external site), a short workshop, attending an annual national meeting and presenting their research at professional meetings.

The rolling application deadline is October 8. Students who meet the qualifications can . All questions regarding the MARC@UHM application process or the program can be directed to uhm-marc@lists.hawaii.edu.

This is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

Two students received awards for their research at the (ABRCMS), a national conference held online November 9–13. ABRCMS is one of the largest professional conferences for underrepresented students. The four-day conference included more than 2,000 virtual poster and oral presentations given by undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students.

Kailee Yoshimura won her award in the category of Physiology and Pharmacology of an Undergraduate for her research project, “Development of Quercetin Containing Polymeric Nanoparticles for Oral Delivery.”

Fellow student Michelle Biete received her award in the category of Computational and Systems Biology of an Undergraduate Junior for her presentation on her presentation, “A Pragmatic Approach to Standardizing Ultrastructure Morphology in Tissue and Cell Culture.”

A total of seven UH Hilo (SHARP) students, including Yoshimura and Biete, were selected to present their research in biomedical or biobehavioral science as first authors. The other student presenters were:

• Taylor A.U. Barongan, “Synthetic Studies of Antitubercular Atrovimycin”
• Kit Neikirk, “Increased Efficacy of Difluoromethylornithine and Metformin Containing Anionic Permeation Enhancers for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma”
• Evangeline Lemieux, “COVID-19 and Student Life in �鶹��ý: Challenges, Adjustments, and Adaptations”
• Jace Taka, “Development of Resveratrol Containing Polymeric Nanoparticles for Oral Delivery”
• Jane M.U. Walsh, “Traditional Preparations of ʻAwa (Piper methysticum) Address the Intersection of Mental and Cancer Health Disparities in Native Hawaiians”

While the pandemic has left many industries flailing, the field of clinical research is one area actually thriving in �鶹��ý. Globally last year, clinical trials market size was worth more than $46 billion. Jobs in clinical research are expected to grow 13 percent by 2026. The ’s new clinical research professional certificate program is designed to provide clinical research associates (CRAs) knowledge in coordinating oncology clinical trials, basic statistical and epidemiologic methods, ethical and regulatory aspects of human subjects research, protocol development and more.

CRAs play a vital role in improving the outcomes for cancer patients and other patients participating in clinical trials. Offered through UH ����ԴDz�’s , the program is designed to train CRAs to work at the UH Cancer Center (one of only 71 research organizations in the country designated by the National Cancer Institute), its affiliated hospitals, industry partners or at other academic centers in support of clinical trials.

The program runs from August 26 to December 2. The certificate is intended for current or future biomedical and research scientists, public health professionals, nurses and allied health professionals and professionals with a natural science background considering a career change.

“There is always a need for well trained clinical research professionals both here in �鶹��ý and on the mainland. This program will give individuals a head start into this exciting career,” said Randall Holcombe, UH Cancer Center Director and course coordinator.

This accelerated program employs a blended learning model. Foundational knowledge is provided via online materials that students must complete before attending classroom-based face-to-face training sessions at the UH Cancer Center.

The average salary range for clinical research associates in �鶹��ý is between $45,000 and $85,000.

To participate in a free informational webinar or to register for the certificate program, visit .

The annual held on April 25–26 at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� drew 170 different ideas, laid out in poster form by undergraduate students from all University of �鶹��ý campuses and colleges around the state, as well as graduate students, medical students, medical residents and faculty.

The annual event brings together people from fields ranging from medicine to engineering, who find their skills and their goals can complement one another as they work toward scientific breakthroughs in health care.

This year’s symposium offered a rare clinical diagnosis of Kawasaki’s Disease in an adult—a disease usually seen in children. A first-year medical student offered a proposal he hopes will inspire the training of young medical residents across the country and motivate them to conduct quality improvement projects in their own practices.

Another high-tech 3D anatomy teaching tool was demonstrated by the anatomy faculty at the UH ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM), who are working to make the most minute anatomical details accessible and realistic by using a cellphone.

were selected for five divisions including faculty, medical fellows and residents, medical students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates, graduate students and a JABSOM undergraduate.

The 2019 Biomedical Sciences and Health Disparities Symposium was sponsored by JABSOM, , �鶹��ý , Research Centers in Minority Institutions �鶹��ý and the .

—By Tina Shelton

Editor’s note: The federal government withdrew grant funding for this research in 2025.

John Berestecky, a microbiology professor, is on a mission in Liberia, and his spirit is unstoppable.

This past summer, Berestecky accompanied three Kapiʻolani CC and University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� students to help with Ebola and Lassa virus research at the University of Liberia in Monrovia.

“We wanted to demonstrate that we could put together a laboratory here on short notice and conduct decent science in this environment,” Berestecky said, adding that the most challenging part about the project was the countryʻs underdeveloped infrastructure.

Berestecky’s goal is to forge a collaboration between UH and the University of Liberia, which will lead to a graduate and research program in emerging viral diseases at the latter.

Kapiʻolani CC student Melissa Takaaze worked with him at the University of Liberia over the summer. “The work can be done and it can be done well,” said Takaaze. “I am proud and humbled to be a part of that experience, to be able to demonstrate the way that we are able to overcome these obstacles and perform great work.”

Berestecky hopes to involve the biotechnology and medical laboratory technician programs at Kapiʻolani CC as well as the graduate education resources of the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology programs at the UH ����ԴDz� John A. Burns School of Medicine, where he is an affiliate graduate faculty member.

Takaaze currently serves as an IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) student researcher in Berestecky’s laboratory at the medical school. Brien Haun, a graduate student in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, and senior biology major Kialanei Garalde-Machida were also part of the Liberia team.

Before he began teaching, Berestecky served in the Peace Corps in Liberia from 1979 to 1982. Over the years, he has made numerous trips to Liberia and, in 2013 took a leave of absence to work with its university to revamp and renew its biology and chemistry curricula.

More information on INBRE may be found at:

—By Louise Yamamoto

The (JABSOM) at the has been awarded a multimillion-dollar grant to provide undergraduate-level college students with unique research opportunities.

The nearly $19 million award will continue to fund JABSOM‘s (INBRE) program, which supports students with an affinity for science by providing hands-on laborato­­ry time and mentoring in biomedical research.

INBRE offers college students statewide “eye-opening” experiences, according to , principal investigator and director.

“It’s often transformative for their careers, with many continuing on to graduate school, medical school or other professional schools, or to science-related employment,” said Nichols.

Over the past 17 years, the �鶹��ý INBRE program has received continuous funding from the , which has led to the creation of a �鶹��ý Statewide Research and Education Partnership.

“The fundamental idea is to really build up research at a grassroots level,” said Nichols.

In addition to inspiring high-quality scientific research by undergraduates at �鶹��ý community colleges and universities, INBRE also aims to support junior faculty scientists at those institutions.

“The students get so enthused,” said , director of the and UH ����ԴDz� campus coordinator. “You plant a seed where before the students were not really exposed to doing laboratory research. When they start getting a ‘bite of that cherry,’ they want more and more.”

For more information, see the .

—By Deborah Manog Dimaya

Six University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa doctoral candidates, in programs ranging from astronomy to social welfare have been selected to receive the esteemed Dissertation Fellowship for the 2016–2017 academic year. This is the largest number University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa applicants that were awarded fellowships, beating out the University of California, Berkeley and other California universities.

Honorees Laurie Chu, Marlee Elston, Leanne Kealoha Fox, Yukie Lloyd, Tammy Kahoʻolemana Martin, Jessica Maxfield will be honored at the annual Founder Region conference on April 29, 2016 at the Waikīkī Beach Marriott.

“We received terrific applications from UH Mānoa and the proof of that was in the results of who received awards. All the women we met were impressive and will be a credit to their families, colleagues and departments,” shared Lorene Hopkins, director of district VI for the Founder Region of Soroptimist International.

The are awarded each year to outstanding women doctoral candidates at universities within the region of North Coast and East Bay Counties in California, �鶹��ý, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Founded in 1921, the Founder Region of Soroptimist International is committed to work to promote social justice, equity and the empowerment of women through economic independence and greater participation in decision making at all levels in the community.

Each awardee will receive $10,000 of unrestricted funds to cover expenses during their dissertation writing process. “Support from this dissertation fellowship is invaluable in helping me complete my doctoral research with less financial burden, allowing me to reduce my work hours to focus writing my dissertation and complete my degree on time,” said Fox. “To be empowered with this resource by an inspiring collective of women motivates me to reach my full potential!”

, dean of , emphasized, “We are excited to build strong relationships with community organizations such as the Founder Region of Soroptimist International which recognizes and celebrates the stellar research of our graduate students. The will continue to reach out to our graduate students to alert them of such noteworthy opportunities.”

Founder Region Fellowship honorees

Laurie Chu, College of Natural Sciences, (astronomy)
Chu studies environments where stars are born. Stars form in dense clouds of gas and dust called molecular clouds and they begin as quiescent clouds and then collapse to form a star. Chu wants to learn about the structure of the gas and dust within these clouds to see how they change over time because these are the building blocks of the planetary systems. Her results will be imperative for the upcoming observations of molecular clouds with the next big space-based telescope mission—the James Webb Space Telescope.

Marlee Elston, (cell and molecular biology)
Elston is working to gain a greater understanding of the impacts of maternal obesity, specifically the associated abnormally high levels of glucose transport to the fetus during pregnancy. Her research also strives to develop a safe way of conducting gene therapy to the placenta, the critical interface between the maternal and fetal blood streams. The former UH Mānoa undergraduate alumna hopes to translate her background in molecular biology into projects that can lead to a wide reaching impact on human health.

Leanne Kealoha Fox, (biomedical science, clinical research)
Fox is revitalizing Native Hawaiian health through Kūkulu Ola, an inventory of researched customs, rituals and practices related to Hawaiian maʻi (sickness, illness, aliment, disease). The project aims to connect ancestral practices of medicine to address health disparities. The mother of two year old son, Laʻiku, her greatest source of inspiration, Fox strives to have Kūkulu Ola recognized for its potential to eliminate health disparities in the spirit of social justice.

Yukie Lloyd, (tropical medicine)
Lloyd studies immunity to malaria in pregnant women. The Japan native was awarded the prestigious Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship, which allowed her to pursue doctoral studies at UH Mānoa.

Tammy Kahoʻolemana Martin, (social welfare)
Martin is exploring the pathways to post-traumatic growth and healing of formerly incarcerated Native Hawaiian women who have overcome significant trauma in their lives. Martin hopes her research will lead to innovative, culturally-grounded and gender-specific interventions for Native Hawaiian female trauma survivors. Recently nominated to a leadership position with the �鶹��ý Chapter of the Pacific Women’s Indigenous Network, Martin brings more than 14 years of practitioner’s knowledge to her research.

Jessica Maxfield, (zoology)
Maxfield aims to understand how numerous fish species exhibit the ability to change their sex (known as hermaphroditism) allowing them to produce both sperm and eggs during their lifetime. The scientific community has long been fascinated by the hermaphroditism process in fishes, however, little is known about the genetic processes involved, a gap of knowledge that Maxfield endeavors to fill. The broad impact of her research means understanding the development and maintenance of sexual flexibility in fishes, which may have broader implications for human reproductive health.