A University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� research team is working to improve lung cancer treatment by developing new ways to predict which patients will respond to immunotherapy and identify treatments that can overcome resistance. The five-year, approximately $3.26 million National Institutes of Health grant supports the (JABSOM) and the research team.

The project, “Novel Biomarkers for Predicting and Improving Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer,” runs through July 2031. It is led by Youping Deng, professor and director of JABSOM‘s Bioinformatics Core Facility, who also serves at the UH Cancer Center’s Biology Program and Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource.

By combining a predictive biomarker (a biological molecule that helps predict how a patient will respond to treatment) with a potential therapeutic approach, the project aims to help physicians select treatments more precisely while creating new options for patients whose tumors do not respond to existing immunotherapies.

While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)—a type of immunotherapy that blocks the proteins cancer cells use to hide from the immune system, allowing it to better recognize and attack them— have transformed non-small cell lung cancer treatment, resistance remains a hurdle, and current biomarkers are not always accurate in predicting patient response.

“Our team has discovered a new biomarker that may more effectively predict treatment response, as well as a promising therapeutic target that could help overcome ICI resistance,” Deng said. “This NIH R01 grant will allow us to validate these discoveries and move them closer to clinical application.”

The research team includes JABSOM‘s Shaoqiu Chen and Li Ma, and the UH Cancer Center’s Owen Chan and Xin Chen.

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A physician wellness program founded by University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) emeritus professor of psychiatry William “Bill” Haning has earned national recognition for its work supporting �鶹��ý’s healthcare professionals.

Puʻulu Lapaʻau, �鶹��ý‘s physician health program, successfully completed the Federation of State Physician Health Programs’ (FSPHP) Performance Enhancement and Effectiveness Review (PEER™), becoming one of the first 10% of physician health programs nationwide—and only the fifth in the country—to achieve the distinction.

The recognition validates Puʻulu Lapaʻau‘s commitment to providing healthcare professionals, including UH faculty and students, with nationally recognized support for their health, wellness and resiliency. The PEER™ review evaluates physician health programs against national best practices for clinical care, policies and organizational effectiveness, helping ensure healthcare professionals receive high-quality, confidential support while protecting patient safety.

“This recognition reflects years of dedication to building a program that supports �鶹��ý’s healthcare professionals with compassion, confidentiality and accountability,” said Haning, who founded Puʻulu Lapaʻau in 2006. “There was no certainty whatsoever as to the potential for success—or for that matter, any longevity developing out of this. To see Puʻulu Lapaʻau recognized as one of the nation’s leading physician health programs is incredibly rewarding.”

Puʻulu Lapaʻau provides confidential support for physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals experiencing burnout, mental health challenges, substance use disorders and other concerns that may affect their well-being or ability to practice. The nonprofit also promotes wellness initiatives that help healthcare professionals remain healthy throughout their careers.

“If we have healthcare providers who are truly healthy themselves, that’s huge,” said Geri Young, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at JABSOM and executive director of Puʻulu Lapaʻau. “Healthcare professionals are just as vulnerable to stress and burnout as anyone else—perhaps even more so. The PEER™ review will strengthen our ability to support �鶹��ý’s healthcare professionals and, ultimately, the patients they serve.”

Haning brings decades of experience in medicine, education and military service. He recently served on the UH Board of Regents from 2021–2026.

Puʻulu Lapaʻau stands ready to come alongside our local healthcare professionals experiencing burnout or struggling with work – life balance. If you or someone you know could benefit from Puʻulu Lapaʻau’s confidential services, visit the , or call (808) 593-7444.

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In an effort to help the estimated 93,000 people exposed to jet-fuel-contaminated drinking water, the , facilitated by the University of �鶹��ý, held a training event for healthcare professionals with guidance on caring for patients using findings from recent research.

In July 2026, and partnering with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at University of California, Berkeley, the registry provided nearly 200 healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date guidance when caring for patients who were exposed to jet fuel in November 2021, including emerging recommendations for clinical evaluation, monitoring, treatment considerations and patient support. .

Drawing from a recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, “Clinical Follow-up and Care for Those Impacted by the JP-5 Releases at Red Hill,” the registry’s webinar reached a national audience of participants.

“Broadly sharing the registry as the best method for collecting long-term health information is critical given the global dispersion of exposed military families that have relocated since the crisis occurred,” said Rosana “Sanie” Weldon, director of the Red Hill Registry.

Advancing care through provider education

The registry offers educational opportunities for both healthcare professionals and community members. In March, Seiji Yamada, a family medicine physician, director of medical student education, and faculty member at the , presented the registry’s first continuing education session for healthcare professionals during “Grand Rounds,” hosted virtually by Pali Momi Medical Center.

“Our website houses resources, such as fact sheets and reports, that Red Hill community members can utilize for their own health advocacy, including a letter to clinicians documenting the exposure,” said Weldon.

One of those resources is a examining the health effects of exposure to unburned kerosene-based jet fuels and other kerosene-based products in Environmental Health. Led by Veronica Carvajal, junior specialist at the and scientific coordinator for the Thompson School Registry Hub, the review is the first to focus on exposure to unburned jet fuel specifically and continues to inform the ongoing work of the registry.

“The Red Hill Registry offers an important opportunity for both community members and researchers to help close this gap, an increasingly urgent issue given the multitude of jet fuel contamination events that have occurred,” said Carvajal.

Since the 2021 fuel spill at Red Hill, additional spills have occurred across the country, underscoring the need to better understand the long-term health effects of pre-combustion jet fuel.

The registry’s next continuing education opportunity will be at the Western Occupational Health Conference hosted at the ʻAlohilani Resort in September, where registry staff will be keynote speakers.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM) marked a major milestone impacting medical care in the state with its White Coat Ceremony in July. The students in the Class of 2030 boosted the school’s Service Commitment Scholarship Program, surpassing 500 years of committed physician service to �鶹��ý.

The ceremony welcomed 77 incoming medical students, who donned the symbolic white coat marking their entry into the medical profession.

“We are already doing what we’ve dreamed of,” said medical student Gabriela Cruz-Mattos. “Through having the opportunity to focus on academics, to focus on serving our community, I think it’s not just about being able to have that financial support, but being able to have that support just as a community member. I’m just eternally grateful.”

Supporting future physicians

Launched in 2019, the Service Commitment Scholarship Program provides financial support to students who commit to practicing medicine in �鶹��ý after completing their residency training. Supported by JABSOM and private donors, the program helps address the state’s physician shortage while reducing the financial burden of medical school.

JABSOM awarded about 12 to 13 service commitment scholarships annually during the program’s first several years. This year, the school awarded 21 scholarships, pushing the cumulative service commitment from all recipients beyond 500 years. The long-term impact is expected to be even greater, because many recipients were born and raised in �鶹��ý and already planned to build their careers here.

For many students, the scholarship allows them to focus on their education while preparing to serve their communities.

Student Tyler Chock hopes to specialize in cardiothoracic surgery to help address cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of illness among Native Hawaiians.

“I’ve always wanted to pursue cardiothoracic surgery,” he said. “My biggest reason is that there’s such a huge disparity, and cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity in the Native Hawaiian population, so I really wanted to help my community reduce that.”

Preparing physicians who remain in �鶹��ý is central to the school’s mission.

JABSOM Dean Sam Shomaker added, “To the extent our graduates stay and practice medicine here, we’re doing our job and it’s really gratifying to see how many of our graduates wind up deciding to practice here and take care of the communities that raised them.”

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Three years after the 2023 Maui wildfires, residents are showing meaningful signs of recovery—but persistent food insecurity, housing instability, health concerns and weakening social support continue to place many families at risk. That is the central finding of a new community report released July 27 from the (MauiWES), led by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý.

The report, “,” follows many of the same adults and children over time, allowing researchers to examine how their health and living conditions have changed since the disaster. The findings show that recovery is underway, but that progress remains uneven across Maui families.

MauiWES has conducted more than 4,000 appointments and screenings to more than 2,500 participants, providing residents with mental health assessments, blood pressure checks, lung function testing, blood testing, social needs screening, health information and referrals.

Key findings

• Employment among returning adults increased from 62.0% to 80.9%.
• Health insurance coverage increased from 85.1% to 90.5%.
• Participants living in temporary housing declined from 40.6% to 34.4%, while those who felt secure in their housing increased from 72.2% to 79.6%.
• Food insecurity remained widespread, affecting 44.9% of returning adults. The most severe level of food insecurity remained essentially unchanged at approximately 23%.
• High social support declined from 62.3% to 53.7%, suggesting growing recovery fatigue and strain on families and community networks.
• Nearly one in two adults continued to report depressive symptoms, approximately one in four screened with moderate-to-severe anxiety and nearly one in three reported post-traumatic stress symptoms.

“These findings show that Maui’s recovery is moving forward, with real progress in employment, insurance coverage and housing stability,” said Ruben Juarez, co-director of MauiWES and –HMSA Distinguished Professor of Health Economics. “The opportunity now is to build on that progress by connecting housing, food, healthcare and social support so that every family has the foundation needed to recover and thrive.”

The report identifies four closely connected foundations of long-term health recovery:

• Food and income security
• Stable and secure housing
• Access to healthcare and follow-up
• Strong family and community support

Researchers found that residents facing food insecurity, housing insecurity or limited social support consistently experienced greater emotional distress. For example, half of adults who felt insecure in their housing reported moderate-to-severe post-traumatic stress symptoms, compared with about one-quarter of those who felt secure.

“The progress is real, and it should be recognized,” said Alika K. Maunakea, MauiWES co-director and professor. “But the biological, emotional and social consequences of a disaster do not disappear on the same timeline as debris removal or reconstruction. Long-term recovery requires continued health monitoring, early intervention and trusted pathways to care.”

Children remain a priority

The report highlights mixed findings among children and adolescents. Overall anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression declined, but severe depressive symptoms increased from 11.8% to 15.1%, and severe post-traumatic stress symptoms increased.

Children’s lung function screening results improved but remained concerning, according to researchers. Stage 1-range blood-pressure readings and obesity also increased, reinforcing the importance of continued pediatric screening, school-based mental-health support and family-centered services.

“Children may appear resilient while still carrying significant emotional and physical effects beneath the surface,” said Christopher Knightsbridge, a MauiWES mental-health therapist based in Lahaina. “Supporting children means supporting the entire family—including their housing, food security, daily routines and access to trusted care.”

From screening to sustained care

The report calls for Maui’s recovery to move from separate emergency programs toward a coordinated health-recovery system connecting healthcare, behavioral health, housing assistance, food programs, schools, insurance enrollment and trusted community organizations.

“Screening cannot end with a result on paper,” Juarez said. “Every concerning result should become a supported pathway to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Families should not be left to navigate a complicated recovery system on their own.”

MauiWES is a community-based partnership involving UH researchers, local healthcare providers, grassroots organizations and recovery partners across Maui.

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See more UH News stories on MauiWES. For more on MauiWES and information on resources, .

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� 19th annual Medical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) program gave high school students the opportunity to experience life as a medical student.

Throughout the week-long program from July 6 to 10, 84 students worked through medical scenarios they might encounter as physicians.

This year, students experienced a new addition to the program.

Bryan Brown, assistant professor of medicine, introduced a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired learning activity that transformed cardiovascular disease into an interactive adventure. Students worked together to battle characters representing diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and heart disease. Brown’s goal was to make complex medical concepts memorable by combining storytelling with active learning.

Donor support made it possible for 12 neighbor island students from Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, ����Բ�ʻ��, Maui and �鶹��ý Island to participate this year.

Charlotte Jo, a student at Waiākea High School, hopes to take what she’s learning back to �鶹��ý Island.

“I’m hoping to learn more so I can come back, serve my community, and really help out our healthcare system,” she said. “We really need it, especially here on the Big Island.”

Nineteen years after the MDT program began, many of its participants have gone on to become medical students. The hope for the program is to leave high-school students inspired to volunteer in hospitals, seek out shadowing opportunities, and continue exploring healthcare.

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Researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa have found that certain gut bacteria are linked to how quickly the body ages, providing new insight into the connection between the gut, health and longevity.

The findings, , found that differences in gut bacteria explained about 15% of the differences in how quickly participants’ bodies were biologically aging. The work provides evidence that gut microbiome carries meaningful biological information related to how quickly the body ages at the molecular level.

“This study advances our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and biological aging,” said senior author Alika K. Maunakea of the UH Mānoa . “We found that microbial patterns in the gut were significantly associated with molecular measures of aging, even independent of chronological age. These findings open important new directions for understanding how modifiable biological systems influence long-term health trajectories and longevity.”

• Related UH News story: Gut bacteria linked to how our genes switch on and off, September 22, 2025

Tracking the gut-body connection

The research analyzed stool and blood samples from 123 participants representing a broad adult age range. The team compared the types of bacteria found in participants’ guts with biological markers in their blood that estimate how quickly their bodies are aging. Unlike chronological age, which measures the number of years a person has lived, biological aging biomarkers attempt to capture how rapidly the body is aging physiologically.

The investigators observed that gut microbial composition was specifically associated with DunedinPACE, a next-generation biomarker that estimates the pace of biological aging. Several types of bacteria demonstrated particularly strong associations with aging trajectories. Among the findings, Bifidobacterium adolescentis emerged as one of the strongest microbial signatures associated with slower biological aging, while Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens showed one of the strongest associations with accelerated aging.

Lead author Braden P. Kunihiro said the findings highlight the growing scientific importance of the gut microbiome in precision health research.

“The gut microbiome is highly responsive to lifestyle, diet, environment and other everyday exposures,” Kunihiro said. “Our findings suggest that the microbiome may reflect important aspects of biological resilience and aging in ways that could eventually help inform future wellness and healthy aging strategies.”

The study also included a group of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander participants, populations historically underrepresented in aging and microbiome research. Co-author Ruben Juarez noted that the work may help researchers better understand how environmental and social factors become biologically embedded over time.

• Related UH News story: Native Hawaiians face higher rates of accelerated biological aging, UH study finds, July 29, 2024

“The microbiome exists at the intersection of behavior, environment and human biology,” Juarez said. “Studies like this help illuminate potential pathways through which lived experiences and social factors influence long-term health outcomes.”

The researchers emphasize that the study found a connection between gut bacteria and biological aging, but it does not prove that one causes the other. More research is needed to determine whether changing the gut microbiome can affect how the body ages.

“This is an important early step toward understanding the gut microbiome’s relationship with healthy aging,” Maunakea said. “Future research will help clarify the mechanisms involved and whether these microbial signatures may eventually contribute to precision approaches for promoting long-term health and wellness.”

Editor’s note: This July 15 interview was conducted before federal officials confirmed shredded iceberg lettuce as a source of one cyclospora outbreak; investigations into other cases are ongoing.

A growing cyclospora outbreak across the U.S., including a recently confirmed travel-related case in �鶹��ý, is raising questions about how the foodborne parasite spreads and how people can protect themselves. Erika Noel, an assistant professor at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM), answers common questions about cyclospora, including its symptoms, treatment and simple food safety practices that can help reduce the risk of illness.

Q: Why is this outbreak more concerning than previous years?

Cyclospora is something that we see annually, particularly in the spring and summer months from May through August. But what has been so concerning about this current outbreak is that we don’t currently know the main source. In previous years, it has been traced back to things like raspberries, pre-washed salad mixtures, and other produce.

Q: Can cyclospora spread from person to person?

Cyclospora is not contagious, as it cannot be passed from person to person. It is transmitted when people consume food or water that is contaminated with human feces containing the oocysts, or the eggs, of the parasite.

Q: What symptoms should people watch for?

The symptom range looks like a typical stomach bug: diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, cramping and bloating. Because of that, many cases fly under the radar. Some people ride the illness out at home rather than seeing a doctor. Most of the time, people will recover from the illness on their own, with symptoms resolving within about a week. So, it is definitely not something to panic about. Again, it is important for us to be aware, but not panic, about the cyclospora outbreak during this time.

Q: What are the best ways to reduce your risk?

The best way to prevent illness is to, first and foremost, follow standard hygiene and food safety practices. Washing our hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before and after preparing food is important, as alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not kill cyclospora; however, soap and water do. Cleaning produce with vinegar has been more effective than just running water alone. For example, use one part vinegar to three parts water. It doesn’t kill the cyclospora, but it helps the parasite detach from the fruits and vegetables, which has been shown to reduce the risk of getting sick or making the illness less severe. Produce is safest when it is heated to 158°F degrees or higher, which actually kills the cyclospora.

Q: So when in doubt, just cook it?

Absolutely. When in doubt at this time, the best thing to do is cook. For fruits with crevices, such as raspberries or strawberries with bumpy surfaces, we actually recommend cooking them in pies or jams to greater than 158°F degrees, because we know that those have been linked to previous cyclospora outbreaks. Freezing them can reduce the number of parasites, but probably not entirely, so we do recommend cleaning. Other things like cilantro and basil, which have small leaves, should be washed thoroughly, separating the leaves in order to decrease the chances of an outbreak. For green onions, we would like for you to trim the root end and remove the outer layer.

Q: What should people know if they become infected?

It is part of the reportable diseases to the Department of Health, and we do see some cases every year throughout the nation. So, it is relatively common in the sense that it happens every year, just not to this degree. One of the greatest things about cyclospora is that there are treatments for it. We always say do not take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol without the consultation of your primary care physician. What is interesting is that even though it is a parasite, it has been found that an antibiotic is very effective in treating cyclospora.

Q: What is your final advice?

Even though we cannot eliminate our risk completely, it is just important for us to go back to the basics and always wash our hands. If you are sick, please do not prepare food for yourself or other people. Make sure to call out sick, and know that alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not kill cyclospora. So, always go back to hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

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A new endowed scholarship at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�ʻs John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) honors the legacy of Caroline Chang, a devoted pediatrician and mentor who was dedicated to mentoring the next generation of physicians. Chang, 43, died in May after an 18-month battle with stage four breast cancer.

Established by her family, the will support JABSOM medical students pursuing pediatrics, reflecting the mentorship and commitment that defined Chang’s career as chief of pediatrics for Kaiser Permanente �鶹��ý.

“She just really loved mentoring medical students,” said Jennifer Loh, Chang’s sister-in-law and longtime colleague who serves as chief of endocrinology at Kaiser Permanente �鶹��ý. “She wanted to help grow people who might be interested in pediatrics.”

Supporting the next generation of pediatricians

The scholarship aims to ease financial barriers for students considering the specialty.

“Pediatrics is often one of the lower-paid medical specialties, which can create financial barriers for students,” Loh said. “This scholarship offers support to those passionate about the field, while honoring the qualities Caroline embodied.”

At her core, Loh said Changʻs qualities were brilliance and steadiness.

“She was incredibly bright and hardworking,” she said. “But what made her stand out was that calm, can-do attitude. No drama. You could bring her a problem, and she’d say, ‘We’ll figure it out. Weʻll get it done.’”

For Loh and her brother, Jeff, who was Changʻs husband, the endowment preserves Chang’s memory for her three children.

“I wanted her to be remembered,” Loh said. “I want her kids to know her as a physician as well as their mom.”

Support the and .

For decades, scientists have studied whether oxygen-carrying liquids could help people breathe when their lungs are too damaged or underdeveloped to function normally. They have assumed those liquids could replace the lung’s natural surfactant—an ultrathin film that coats the tiny air sacs inside the lungs and prevents them from collapsing during breathing. Research from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� suggests that assumption may be incorrect.

A new three-year, $491,121 National Science Foundation (NSF) award will enable Professor Yi Zuo and his team to investigate one of the most fundamental unanswered questions in lung biophysics while developing a new generation of experimental tools that could advance biomedical engineering, materials science and future liquid breathing technologies.

“The oxygen-carrying liquid does not simply replace the lung’s natural surfactant,” said Zuo from the and the . “Instead, the two appear to work together at the interface between two liquids. Understanding how that interface behaves is essential if we want to improve future liquid ventilation technologies.”

A century-old problem with new implications

Scientists have studied the pulmonary surfactant for more than 70 years to understand how it works when we breathe air. Much less is known about how it behaves when the lungs are filled with oxygen-rich liquids.

Liquid ventilation, in which oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon liquids (synthetic liquids that carry large amounts of oxygen) partially or completely replace air in the lungs, has long been investigated as a potential treatment for premature infants and patients suffering from severe respiratory failure. Researchers have also envisioned future applications in emergency medicine, deep-sea diving and human space exploration. However, much remains unknown about the basic mechanics of how these liquids interact inside the lungs.

Inventing a new scientific tool

A major objective of the project is developing a new experimental platform capable of studying molecular behavior at liquid-liquid interfaces. Current techniques were originally designed nearly a century ago to investigate films on water exposed to air. Those methods work well for traditional surface science but cannot adequately study the interface between two liquids.

Building upon technology invented in Zuo’s laboratory, the team is developing a small device that lets scientists watch how molecules gather and interact where two different liquids meet.

“This project is really about developing a new way of studying one of nature’s most important interfaces,” Zuo said. “Once we have the technology, it can be applied far beyond lung biology.”

Impact beyond medicine

Liquid-liquid interfaces play essential roles in biological systems, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, drug delivery, energy technologies, food science and environmental engineering. The new instrumentation developed through this NSF project is expected to provide researchers with a versatile platform for investigating molecular self-assembly in many different applications.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM) is helping strengthen Guam’s future physician workforce by mentoring the next generation of aspiring doctors.

One of them is Eduardo Biala Jr., a recent graduate whose journey to medicine was inspired by watching family members travel off island to access specialty care.

“Seeing my family members navigate healthcare, having to go off-island to seek whatever specialty care they needed and being exposed to that is what kind of got me interested in medicine and I took a leap of faith,” Biala said.

That leap led him from the University of Guam to JABSOM through the ʻImi Hoʻōla Program. Now he mentors students on the same path through Chålan Åmte, a nonprofit founded by JABSOM students and alumni to support aspiring physicians from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Building Guam’s next healthcare generation

Current JABSOM student Mason Caldwell, Chålan Åmte’s executive director, said the organization has grown into a network of physicians, medical students and pre-medical students committed to strengthening Guam’s healthcare workforce.

“The direct translation of Chålan Åmte is ‘a pathway to healing’ and that’s one of the things that we’re trying to solidify and make sure it will continue after us,” Caldwell said.

Members mentor students through the medical school application process and regularly return home to connect with aspiring physicians.

For Caldwell, Chålan Åmte is creating the support system many of its members never had. Instead of relying on word-of-mouth or internet searches, today’s pre-medical students can connect with mentors early and receive guidance throughout the application process. He hopes Chålan Åmte will continue serving as a resource for future physicians while strengthening connections between Guam, the Marianas and JABSOM.

Biala noted that despite the physical distance, he remains deeply connected to the island and finds the work of Chålan Åmte highly rewarding.

“For me, when I hear that they got into JABSOM, I think ‘Yes! You’re going to love it there!’” he said.

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University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s Chelsea Miller has received national recognition for expanding access to hands-on genomics education.

Miller, a PhD student in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering in the (CTAHR), earned the Outstanding Poster Award at the (NISBRE), held June 17 in North Bethesda, Maryland.

Breaking barriers in science education

Her award-winning poster, “Genome on the Go: Decentralizing Molecular Biology Education through Portable Genomics Tools and Near-Peer Mentorship,” highlights a training model designed to reduce barriers to advanced laboratory instruction for students in �鶹��ý and other geographically isolated regions.

Developed through the (�鶹��ý INBRE) program with support from U.S. Department of Agriculture workforce development initiatives, the project brings portable DNA sequencing tools and graduate student mentors directly to learners, enabling a full “sample-to-sequence” workflow in classroom and field settings.

Over the past year, Miller and her team conducted 11 workshops across �鶹��ý, the Pacific and the continental U.S., training 72 participants using Bento Lab and Oxford Nanopore technologies.

Strengthening biomedical workforce development

The approach helps prepare the next generation of biomedical workforce while giving students access to modern molecular biology techniques typically limited to well-equipped research laboratories.

“This award reflects the incredible efforts of our graduate student instructors and the vision of making genomics accessible to every student, regardless of location,” said Jon-Paul Bingham, �鶹��ý INBRE PATHways director and co-author of the project.

Miller was one of three �鶹��ý INBRE-affiliated researchers recognized at the biennial NISBRE meeting, which highlights national research and training supported through the IDeA program. Also honored were Li Tao, professor at the , who received the Outstanding Mentorship and Teaching Award, and Natalie Graham, assistant professor at UH Hilo, who earned the Scientific Merit Award.

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Four years after launching an effort to address �鶹��ý’s rural healthcare needs, the first Kauaʻi Medical Training Track (KMTT) cohort has officially graduated from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM).

The graduation marks a historic milestone for Kauaʻi and the state. Funded by a $10 million commitment from Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, the multi-pronged program was established in 2022 to combat neighbor island physician shortages and improve the health and wellness of Kauaʻi’s families.

KMTT graduates will complete their residency programs before returning to Kauaʻi to practice medicine.

The trailblazing class of 2026

The 2026 graduating cohort includes five newly minted doctors who have deep ties to the neighbor islands and a dedicated focus on community health: Kirra Borrello (internal medicine, UCLA), (pediatrics, UC Irvine), Erin Evangelista (OBGYN, Loma Linda University), Brent Fujimoto (orthopedic surgery, UH) and Ivana Yoon (primary care, UH).

Through Chan and Zuckerberg’s gift, the program fully covered the cohort’s tuition, fees, transportation and lodging for all four years of medical school in exchange for a commitment to return to Kauaʻi after residency and serve the community as physicians for at least four years. This comprehensive support allowed the students to focus entirely on their rigorous training and hands-on clinical rotations at Kauaʻi’s local healthcare centers.

“When we started this journey in 2022, I was incredibly excited to learn medicine from the very people who inspired me—including my childhood pediatrician, who became my preceptor,” said Emoto, who was raised on Kauaʻi. “Today, that excitement has evolved into a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude. We have built strong relationships with our community clinics and patients, and we are ready to give back to the communities that shaped us.”

Related �鶹��ýNews story: Medical training track have prolonged, impactful presence on Garden Isle

A focus on rural medicine

The program was designed to immerse these new doctors in the nuances of rural medicine. Over the past four years, the students worked alongside Kauaʻi‘s medical community, transforming from eager first-year students into confident, community-focused physicians.

Travis Hong, director of rural training at JABSOM, oversaw the cohort’s progression from their welcome reception at Gaylords in 2022 to their graduation stage today.

“It was wonderful to see our cohort start off as brand-new medical students, grow throughout the years, gain clinical skills. and integrate into the community,” said Hong. “To see them really get to know their preceptors, work alongside them and finally graduate as physicians has been an incredible thing to witness. This is exactly how we build a sustainable, compassionate healthcare workforce for �鶹��ý.”

“The success of the Kauaʻi Medical Training Track serves as a powerful proof-of-concept for the rest of the state,” said Sam Shomaker, dean of JABSOM. “As �鶹��ý‘s only medical school, JABSOM plays a vital and unique role in solving our statewide physician shortage. By proving we can successfully train and retain doctors directly within a rural setting, we now have a replicable model that we hope to expand to Maui, �鶹��ý Island and Molokaʻi. This is how we ensure that all communities across our state have access to exceptional, locally rooted care.”

With subsequent cohorts already training behind them, the pipeline of locally tied, rural-focused doctors is officially flowing, promising a healthier future for Kauaʻi and all of �鶹��ý.

Bringing healthcare directly to individuals experiencing homelessness, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) is expanding its street medicine efforts across the state thanks to a new $1.7 million grant.

Awarded by the (HRSA), the multi-year funding will support outreach and training on Oʻahu, �鶹��ý Island and Kauaʻi through JABSOM‘s . The five-year grant begins with $362,140 in year one, and prepares the next generation of family medicine physicians to serve �鶹��ý‘s most vulnerable populations.

“This is an absolute blessing,” said Robert Carlisle, project director and JABSOM associate professor. “This is good for the state. This is good for the family medicine physicians. This is good for the people of �鶹��ý.”

Expanding outreach

The funding will launch new street medicine experiences for family medicine residents in Waiʻanae, �鶹��ý Island, and JABSOM’s new Kauaʻi program, which will train the first cohort on Oʻahu in 2026.

Carlisle credited partners, including HRSA’s Steven Coulter, JABSOM’s Chip Hixon, and site leads Cynthia Ohata, Ellen Bell, Megan Martelly, Doug Rose and Thomas Quattlebaum, with support from various local organizations.

“As physicians and professionals, we have a duty to society and the community around us,” Carlisle said.

Integrating behavioral health

Program leaders also plan to expand behavioral health and addiction services.

“The really tough lift will be to integrate behavioral medicine and addiction care into our outreach on the street,” Carlisle said. “Make no mistake, this was a massive effort to bring together four different programs across the state on three different islands. There was a lot of coordination and enthusiasm from all of us to recognize the potential benefits of street medicine.”

Seed funding from the �鶹��ý Academy of Family Physicians, JABSOM’s Office of Medical Education, and the �鶹��ý Medical Association helped launch the project.

“The small seed grants grew this much larger investment in street medicine,” Carlisle said. “This experience should have a profound impact with influence lasting over the next 30 years of their careers.”

To help purchase basic supplies like bandages and footwear, consider supporting the JABSOM .

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Researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� were awarded a $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the next phase of the Maui LOA (Learnings to Overcome Adversities) study, which examines the long-term impacts of the 2023 Maui wildfires and factors that influence health and well-being after disasters.

The three-year award is led by Alex Ortega, dean of the , and Keawe Kaholokula, chair and professor in the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the (JABSOM).

“The first phase of Maui LOA revealed important lessons about the health and mental health consequences of the wildfires,” said Ortega. “With NIH’s continued support, we can now translate those lessons into evidence-based strategies that improve disaster preparedness, recovery and resilience for communities facing future disasters.”

Lessons from Maui residents

Researchers will survey 1,200 adults who were living on Maui during the wildfires, including those who were displaced, to examine factors that influence long-term recovery and disaster response among individuals, families, communities, healthcare systems and social service organizations across Maui.

Related UH News story: Study links 2023 Maui wildfire to spike in suicide, overdose, August 7, 2025

The new award builds on an initial phase that gathered perspectives from residents, community organizations, emergency responders and healthcare providers to help guide the survey design.

Recent findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in August 2025 showed that the mental health effects of the wildfires extended across Maui, not just within burn zones. The study identified housing displacement and income loss as key drivers of depression and anxiety.

The survey findings are expected to inform public policy, emergency response planning, health services and community recovery efforts in �鶹��ý and nationwide.

“Nearly three years into the recovery, we hope to learn more about the personal, sociocultural, community and system-level factors that promote health and well-being after experiencing a devastating disaster, such as the 2023 Maui wildfire,” Kaholokula said.

He added, “Recovery is not the same for everyone. We hope to understand how these factors evolve over time and vary across different populations as communities continue to rebuild.”

One year ago, a dedicated cohort of students entered the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM)’s . On June 10, standing before family and friends, graduates celebrated the completion of their year-long post-baccalaureate journey and their admission to medical school. The ceremony marked the culmination of a year of long hours and academic and personal growth.

Building a foundation for success

For , ʻImi Hoʻōla, which means “those who seek to heal,” has helped prepare students for the academic rigor of medical school while developing a commitment to serve the community.

While the coursework tested students academically, graduates cited the cohort’s strength as a reason for their success.

“The people who I graduate with are really amazing people,” graduate Tyler Chock said. “I’m really happy to have made it here with them.”

That sense of community was evident as the cohort gathered for the final grade reveal of the spring semester. Students braced themselves for what had become a familiar process. Instead, the tutors entered and delivered the news all at once.

“They just said that we all passed, and we were all done,” graduate Nanea Delostrico recalled. “We all kind of jumped up and hugged each other. It was a beautiful moment and just a big celebratory excitement that we had all made it, and we all did it together.”

The completion ceremony was capped off by a speech from 2005 JABSOM graduate and 2001 ʻImi Hoʻōla alumna, Chia Granda. Graduates were then presented with gifts from the McGuire ʻohana and Friends of ʻʻImi Hoʻōla.

The Queen’s Health Systems provided stipend support to students during their time with the program and has extended its commitment by awarding five full-tuition, four-year medical school scholarships to the current ʻImi graduates. The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation has also provided its second recipient with a full-tuition, four-year scholarship to support a current graduate’s medical education.

Now that ʻImi Hoʻōla is behind them, the graduates turn their attention toward the next chapter of their journey: medical school.

Read more at .

Researchers at the and UH ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) were awarded more than $12 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Pacific Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in Medicine (PAC-AID)—a new research center dedicated to accelerating biomedical discoveries through artificial intelligence and data science to benefit people in �鶹��ý and the Pacific region, and worldwide.

Funded through the NIH‘s (COBRE) program, the five-year award will provide approximately $12 million through February 2031. The award was administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, with a federal award date of June 4, 2026.

The center will be led by Principal Investigators John Shepherd and Youping Deng. Shepherd is chief scientific officer at the UH Cancer Center, and B.H. and Alice C. Beams Endowed Professor in Cancer Research at JABSOM. Deng is co-director, Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource, at the UH Cancer Center; and professor and director, Bioinformatics Core Facility, at JABSOM.

PAC-AID will serve as a central hub integrating AI into biomedical research to improve health outcomes in �鶹��ý. Over five years, the project will renovate the UH Cancer Center Data Center to establish a new Medical AI Core (MedAI Core), providing advanced, high-performance computing resources and AI expertise. Physically located within both the UH Cancer Center and JABSOM on the shared Kakaʻako campus, PAC-AID will directly fund four major inaugural research projects and establish a Pilot Projects Program to support more than eight new, locally relevant pilot studies.

“At the heart of our mission as a flagship research university is the drive to translate innovation into meaningful impact,” said Vassilis Syrmos, incoming chancellor of UH ����ԴDz�. “PAC-AID is a vital expansion of that mission, enabling our faculty to harness the power of artificial intelligence to pioneer new avenues of biomedical inquiry that were previously unreachable, solidifying the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s role as a global leader in health innovation.”

“AI has the potential to unlock major medical breakthroughs and help people live healthier lives, and we need to take advantage of it,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, who played a pivotal role in securing the grant. “This new funding will help �鶹��ý continue to attract top-tier talent and develop treatments and cures that will benefit people across the state.”

“The $12 million over five years will substantially strengthen AI and data science capabilities and support the development of the next generation of investigators,” said UH Cancer Center Director Naoto T. Ueno. “The research advances made possible by PAC-AID will further the UH Cancer Center’s work toward new understandings and treatments for cancer, to save lives in �鶹��ý and the Pacific, and across the globe.” In addition, high paying jobs generated by this project will have a strong economic benefit for our local communities.

“At JABSOM, our mission is to improve the health of �鶹��ý through education and research,” said Sam Shomaker, JABSOM dean. “This investment will help accelerate discoveries that address the real health challenges facing our communities and ensure that advances in AI translate into better outcomes for patients.”

Enabling workforce development

Shepherd and Deng will oversee efforts to build research capacity, as well as foster the next generation of independent investigators using artificial intelligence and advanced data science approaches to address critical medical and public health challenges. Beyond funding research, this award establishes a workforce development mechanism to support the next generation of faculty investigators.

“This COBRE award provides the critical infrastructure to bridge advanced AI computational methods with our specific clinical and community health challenges,” Shepherd said. “By fostering a collaborative environment for our investigators, we are equipping them with the technical capabilities to tackle the most persistent health disparities in our islands and turn complex data into actionable health solutions.”

“By the end of this project, we expect to have a nationally competitive Medical AI Core, four independently funded research leaders, and more than 10 pilot projects,” said Deng. “Through these efforts, alongside workshops and collaborative research opportunities, we will significantly strengthen �鶹��ý‘s capacity for AI-enabled biomedical research and innovation to address important health challenges in our region and beyond.”

Transforming medical research with AI

Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming healthcare and biomedical research by helping scientists analyze large and complex datasets, identify patterns that may otherwise go undetected, and accelerate the development of new approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

AI has the potential to unlock major medical breakthroughs and help people live healthier lives, and we need to take advantage of it.
—U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz

Shepherd, who leads the , is using a massive breast imaging database to develop AI biomarkers that predict cancer risk specifically for Asian and Pacific Islander populations.

The new PAC-AID will support similar faculty-led research projects, provide funding for pilot studies, and establish shared research resources that can be used by investigators across disciplines.

Initial funded projects include AI-driven research by UH Cancer Center researchers Kevin Cassel (using full-body imaging to triage skin lesions) and Elizabeth Nakasone (studying pancreatic cancer in Native Hawaiian and Japanese populations); UH ����ԴDz� public health researcher Jonathan Huang (modeling environmental toxicant effects on fetal development); and JABSOM researcher Yiqiang Zhang (identifying genetic traits in congenital heart disease).

COBRE Phase 1 grants focus on the development of independent biomedical researchers and research centers, and are designed to have a 15-year cycle.

“PAC-AID is specifically designed to develop six to eight early-stage faculty members at the University of �鶹��ý and across Pacific Island institutions who will use artificial intelligence and data science to address cancer and chronic disease outcomes in one of the nation’s most medically underserved and understudied regions,” Shepherd said.

He added that the expected impact to �鶹��ý is substantial. “Our benchmark for success is that the funded faculty projects, four initially and two to four more when those graduate in year 3, and will later achieve independent NIH R01 (Research 01 level university) funding at an estimated $3.25 million per award. That represents a projected $19.5 million in additional federal research funding returned to the State of �鶹��ý (six funded R01s) on top of the initial $12 million COBRE award itself — a combined potential economic and research impact of more than $31 million for �鶹��ý‘s research and healthcare workforce. These estimates are for the first 5-year period.”

PAC-AID joins a growing portfolio of NIH-funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence at UH ����ԴDz�, including the , and the .

Recent Kona low flooding has heightened concerns about leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted through contaminated floodwaters. Now, University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� student researchers at the (JABSOM) are exploring new methods to track and detect the pathogen.

“For years, we’ve primarily thought of this as a waterborne disease,” said graduate student Rodson Zorilla. “Now, we also see the soil as a possible variable. It could serve as another agent that helps transmit the bacteria.”

These insights broaden understanding of exposure risks, revealing that soil acts as an often overlooked variable in the spread of leptospirosis during flooding events.

Researching environmental spread, prevention

Undergraduate student Colby Macapagal is studying how leptospirosis spreads through �鶹��ý‘s waterways, including ahupuaʻa systems carrying contaminants from the mountains to urban areas. He notes that floodwaters can carry bacteria into local communities, creating health risks for people and wildlife, and emphasizes the need to further study how these contaminants travel downstream.

Other JABSOM researchers are working to improve detection. While current rapid tests are fast, they can lack precision. Researchers are now developing more advanced diagnostic tools that can better identify immune responses and improve early detection.

Sophomore undergraduate Duy Linh Nguyen Tran is working on improving screening methods using blood samples, while also uncovering a concerning trend. Historical long-term data shows leptospirosis remains present in �鶹��ý, with positivity rates of 3.8% in 1943 and 2.65% from 2020–2024.

“There have to be some innovative ideas now in which you can really push for prevention,” Nguyen Tran said. “Those ideas will be important for the community to see.”

Zorilla emphasized a broader framework. “These findings highlight what researchers describe as a One Health approach—recognizing the connection between environmental, animal and human health.”

As extreme weather events increase attention on leptospirosis, researchers say improved understanding, detection and prevention remain critical to protecting public health.

The work is supported in part by a �鶹��ý Community Foundation grant awarded to JABSOM virologist Vivek Nerurkar, with additional support from UH ����ԴDz� programs including the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and Minority Health Research Training (MHRT) program.

A recent study by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and Washington State University shows how fathers pass on traits influenced by their environment to their children. The research provided new data refining the mechanistic basis of paternal epigenetic inheritance.

The team was spearheaded by Monika Ward of the (JABSOM) and Wei Yan of Washington State University, whose work offers new insight into how these hereditary signals function.

, the study challenges the idea that sperm pick up this vital environmental information while maturing in a specific part of the male reproductive system called the epididymis. Instead, researchers found that mature sperm lack the specific mitochondrial DNA (genetic material for cell energy) required to facilitate this process, suggesting the information is set earlier while the sperm is still in the testes.

How testes help pass on traits

To test this, researchers fed male mice a high-fat diet. They then used a specialized fertilization technique to create offspring using both early-stage sperm from the testes and fully mature sperm. They discovered that the early sperm passed on traits from the father’s diet just as effectively as the mature sperm did.

“This work is a perfect example of how assisted reproduction technologies can be used to advance understanding of key processes in male reproduction,” said Ward, a researcher in the and professor of anatomy, biochemistry and physiology.

Related UH News story: UH researchers advance study of key male fertility gene

By using a direct injection technique with early-stage sperm, the team proved that sperm do not need to mature in the epididymis to pass on environmental information.

The study also clarified the amount of mitochondrial DNA in sperm. By testing sperm at various stages, the team confirmed that this material is progressively removed during development, leaving mature sperm almost entirely without it. They also found that small RNA, which carries genetic information, is primarily set during development in the testes.

The findings support a framework in which environmentally responsive molecular information is programmed during sperm development in the testes and later delivered to the egg by mature sperm depleted of mitochondrial DNA.

“The founder of our institute, Ryuzo Yanagimachi, was a pioneer who first developed many of the techniques used in modern IVF,” said Ward. “This study is a great example of how his legacy and our expertise continue to lead to new scientific discoveries.”

University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) faculty member Paris Stowers has been honored for her efforts in helping medical students find their voice in obstetrics and gynecology.

Stowers, an assistant professor of , received the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Medical Student Recruitment Award. She was recognized for developing a student leadership and mentorship model within the organization’s District VIII, which includes �鶹��ý and several western states.

The initiative was designed to engage medical students in the OBGYN field early by giving them a real seat at the table.

“There was an interest in developing a medical student advisory council so medical students could have a leadership role in the organization,” Stowers said.

As the council’s first faculty advisor, Stowers helped build a program that connected students across �鶹��ý and several western states through virtual meetings, mentorship, advocacy work and national conferences.

Strengthening student advocacy, recruitment

“We ask them what kinds of things they want to work on,” Stowers said. “It’s more successful if it’s student-driven.”

Students engaged in various health education and advocacy projects and attended national advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., where they met with lawmakers alongside practicing OBGYN physicians. The program emphasized professional development skills, such as networking at conferences and maximizing mentorship opportunities.

The model has also helped strengthen recruitment in regions historically struggling to retain OBGYN physicians, including rural states facing physician shortages. JABSOM students Brandi Mikami and Paige Harakuni served on the council this year.

“I cannot think of someone more deserving of this award than Dr. Stowers,” said Harakuni. “She has a remarkable ability to bring students into the conversation and make us feel like valued members of the organization.”

Stowers hopes the experience shows future physicians they can help shape healthcare systems and policy. “You can make a change in your medical school, but also at the national level,” she said.