University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa Professor Emeritus of and pioneering marine microbiologist , was as a Fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology. The recognition celebrates outstanding scientific achievement and leadership in microbiology.

DeLong is considered a trailblazer in the field of metagenomics—the study of all genetic material from all organisms in a particular environment—whose research has transformed understanding of the ocean’s microbial life. His work advanced innovative gene cloning and sequencing, allowing scientists to study complex marine microbial communities and their role in the environment without the use of traditional microbial cultures.

“I was thrilled to hear the news about Ed’s election to the European Academy of Microbiology, a well-earned honor,” said David Karl, UH Mānoa oceanography professor,DeLong’s long-time colleague and co-director of both the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education and the . “Ed and other newly elected members represent the second golden age of microbiology, one centered on microbial oceanography and ecology.”

Scientific breakthroughs

Early in DeLong’s career, he used methodologies developed by his postdoctoral research advisor Norm Pace to identify microbes “in the wild.” Together they discovered two new lineages of a major microbial group called Archaea (previously not thought to live in seawater) were abundant everywhere—from in the Pacific Ocean to Antarctica, and from the sea surface to the seafloor.

Later, new methods that DeLong’s group adapted from the Human Genome project to study microbial ecology led to the discovery that most bacteria in the upper ocean can use sunlight to generate biochemical energy using proteins called opsins. This finding revealed a widespread, previously unknown solar energy-gathering mechanism in the ocean, with significant implications for the global carbon and energy cycles.

“To be recognized and honored by world-renowned microbiologists of the European Union was unexpected, and very humbling,” DeLong said. “I believe that scientific disciplines like microbiology should have no geographic or cultural boundaries—yet in today’s political landscape there are increasing challenges to free and open international collaborations. To me, this makes recognition by the European Academy of Microbiology all the more potent of an honor.”

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A health tech startup improving how community health workers (CHW) document client visits took the $2,000 first place prize in the second annual , hosted by the (PACE) in the University of �鶹��ý at ��ā�ԴDz�’s . The startup was one of 12 interdisciplinary teams made up of UH Mānoa students that competed in the two-week challenge.

The competition was co-hosted by , a software platform led by a Shidler and PACE alumnus, that empowers community-based organizations to address the social drivers of health. It highlighted PACE’s mission to bridge academic learning with practical, work-based problem-solving.

“Innovate 808 shows how powerful interdisciplinary learning can be when we connect students to real community partners,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “The ideas generated this year show that innovation truly thrives in collaboration.”

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The students in this year’s challenge represented 10 UH Mānoa colleges and schools. The result was a dynamic combination of technical, social and entrepreneurial ideas to support �鶹��ý’s community health workforce.

The winning team, Pear Lens, created a photo-based note capture and conversion tool that allows CHW to document client interactions more efficiently while maintaining data privacy. The team came together as four solo applicants met for the first time during the competition: Justin Paul Alejo (business), Jennifer Kawata (public administration), Biplav Paudel (business) and Ivy Vo (business).

“The competition brought together a diverse team of complete strangers to solve a complex challenge, but we quickly found our rhythm and collaborated seamlessly to propose a simple yet powerful idea,” Kawata said.

Kawehi Kea-Scott, a Pear Suite judge who used to work as a CHW, commended the team for “meeting CHWs where they are” by respecting existing workflows while introducing low-friction technology. “The fact that these students built a fully functioning prototype in just two weeks is remarkable,” Kea-Scott said.

Initially the competition was planned as a winner-takes-all prize structure, but the judges were so impressed by the presentations that three runner-up prizes were added. Each student from the following three teams won $350.

• Jayden Ronel Villanueva, Shannon Tai and Jaylyn-Kate Balon developed a tiered education and certification pathway with AI-generated feedback and mentoring for aspiring CHWs.
• Tate Goodman, Mau Tsujimura, Micah Tajiri and Lenox Covington created a machine-learning workflow tool that helps CHWs select the most effective resources for their clients.
• Logan Lee, Tristan Ta and Yeunggyun Kwon designed a referral platform that connects CHWs and clients based on shared experience and training, fostering stronger engagement.

Takeda invited the winning teams to present their solutions to his executive team and encouraged all participants to consider internships and employment at Pear Suite, as he shared that Pear Suite will be continuing its nationwide expansion after he recently raised $7.6 million in funding.

“Just try it, go out there and find problems to solve,” Takeda said. “Being able to test ideas, try new things and see what the feedback is from your customers is a great way to learn and grow.”

Teams were also mentored by Jeff Hui, PACE‘s entrepreneur in residence, who advised students to “take advantage of these real world experiences. These are the opportunities that open doors to new career paths and set you apart when you are interviewing for a job.”

A new species of bacteria has been discovered off the coast of Oʻahu, shedding light on how unseen microbial life connects �鶹��ý’s land and sea ecosystems.

Researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa identified Caulobacter inopinatus, a previously unknown species of bacteria found in seawater collected near a beach on Oʻahu’s south shore. The finding——was unexpected because all other known species in the Caulobacter genus (a scientific group that includes closely related species) are from freshwater or soil environments, not the ocean.

The discovery, made during a UH Mānoa undergraduate marine microbiology class, began as a routine demonstration on how to grow bacteria from seawater samples. When one colony growing on a Petri dish looked different from all the other colonies, further testing confirmed it was something entirely new.

From land to sea

Scientists found that C. inopinatus cannot survive in salt concentrations typical of seawater, despite being isolated from it. This paradox led researchers to investigate how it ended up in the ocean. They determined it was likely transported from land by submarine groundwater discharge—the natural movement of fresh groundwater through the seabed into the sea. These discharges are known to carry nutrients and pollutants into nearshore waters; in this case, they may also move land-based microorganisms. Microbial exchanges are important because bacteria play critical roles in nutrient cycling, water quality and coastal ecosystem health.

“Understanding how microbes move between land and sea helps scientists track the flow of nutrients and contaminants that can affect coastal water quality, fisheries and coral reef health—issues that directly impact �鶹��ý’s communities and economy,” said study co-author and UH Mānoa Professor Stuart Donachie. “Discoveries like C. inopinatus help us better trace how land-based activities and natural processes influence marine environments at a microscopic level.”

The species name, inopinatus, comes from the Latin word for “unexpected,” reflecting both the chance nature of its discovery and its surprising characteristics.

Collaborative work

The research was part of ongoing microbial diversity studies led by Donachie. Undergraduate researchers Austin Dubord and Mia Sadones contributed to the project through UH ��ā�ԴDz�’s , which supports student-led research and creative work. Collaborators included UH Mānoa faculty Michael Norris and Jennifer Saito, graduate students Chiyoko Onouye and Thi Hai Au La, and University of Mississippi Assistant Professor and UH Mānoa PhD graduate Rebecca Prescott.

The study is dedicated to the late UH Mānoa Earth Sciences Professor Craig Glenn (1954–2024), whose pioneering research on submarine groundwater discharge in �鶹��ý helped illuminate how freshwater and seawater interact along island coastlines, and to former UH undergraduate student Justin Bukunt (1983–2011), whose early research on groundwater discharge at Kawaikui Beach Park informed this discovery. Their contributions continue to inspire new generations of scientists exploring �鶹��ý’s unique coastal environments.

The School of Life Sciences is housed in UH ��ā�ԴDz�’s .

To address gaps in ocean data and modeling efforts and better understand ocean carbon, oxygen and heat, oceanographers at the University of �鶹��ý Mānoa were awarded $4.5 million from the nonprofit Schmidt Sciences. They are team members on two of five projects by and the to join the (OBVI).

The five projects will form the inaugural membership of OBVI, which has committed $45 million over the next five years. The research will address the interlinked questions of how rapidly the ocean is gaining heat and carbon while losing oxygen, and the resilience of marine ecosystems in a rapidly warming world.

“This was a competitive search for the best science on the planet and oceanographers at the UH Mānoa came to play!” said Dave Karl, director of the in SOEST and member of the OBVI advisory board.

SUBSEA project $3.8M

The SUBSEA project will examine how marine organisms in the ocean’s twilight zone—a dim layer roughly 200–500 feet below the ocean’s surface—alter the absorption and circulation of carbon dioxide in ocean gyres (large, circular currents) from the North Pacific to the South Atlantic.

“Oceanographers are having a tough time predicting how life in ocean gyres will respond to climate change, but we know nutrients will play a deciding role,” said Nick Hawco, assistant professor of oceanography and UH Mānoa project lead. “Compared to the gyres in the Southern hemisphere, the North Pacific receives a larger supply of nutrients from the atmosphere. This is an amazing opportunity to compare and contrast how the ocean gyres adjust to changes in nutrient supply that we might see in the future.”

The project team includes UH Mānoa Professor of oceanography Angelicque White, and Benedetto Barone, a UH research oceanographer.

InMOS project $700K

Oceans help mitigate climate change by absorbing heat and carbon, but are experiencing a triple threat from warming, decreasing oxygen, and increasing acidification that may cause harm to marine ecosystems. The second project, InMOS will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop estimates of sources and sinks of ocean heat, carbon and oxygen for the past 35 years. Project members aim to both reduce uncertainties in these budgets and understand the physical and biogeochemical processes affecting these interlinked cycles.

Seth Bushinsky, UH Mānoa assistant professor of oceanography and InMOS project team member will lead the effort to develop new marine observational products based on large data sets of ocean carbon, oxygen and nutrient measurements.

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–By Marcie Grabowski

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

Some people become scientists. For Assistant Professor Kiana Frank of the (PBRC) at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, it was evident early on in her childhood that she was born a scientist.

As an inquisitive 6-year-old growing up in Kailua, Frank listened to her great grandmother’s story about the lepo ʻai ʻia (edible mud) in the nearby Kawainui Marsh. According to the legend, the mud was eaten by King Kamehameha the Great’s warriors after the fierce Battle of Nuʻuanu, and Frank was told it to be similar in taste to her favorite food, paʻiʻai (pounded taro). However, there was a catch—to gather the mud, one had to maintain absolute silence.

While conducting her first silent expedition—eagerly tasting all the different colors and textures of mud in the marsh (that were not delicious)—she refined her kilo (observational skills), and developed a deep sense of ecological inquiry. While she did not find the magical mud, Frank discovered something more. Her calling as a scientist, and one who would later become one of �鶹��ý’s leading experts in environmental microbes and their role in sustaining healthy ecosystems.

“I did not become a scientist, I was born a scientist because my kūpuna (ancestors) before me were natural scientists,” Frank said. “For me, science is how I connect to and better understand the places I love. Science is my tool to mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (protect, care for the land).”

One of these areas is Kawainui. Frank vividly recalls an old painting in her grandmother’s house that portrayed Kawainui not as the invasive marsh she was familiar with but as a loko iʻa (fishpond) that had once provided an abundance of food for all of Kailua. It was at that point, she began to ponder the impact of human activity on places like this. Frank delved into the foundational moʻolelo (stories) and mele (songs) of Kailua to gain insights into a healthy Kawainui ecosystem and its historical functioning.

“Our kupuna laid the groundwork with their scientific discoveries and passed on their knowledge to us in their moʻolelo,” said Frank. “It is our responsibility to learn from their observations and to continue to tell their stories.”

Discovering the world of microbes

As a freshman at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, Frank discovered microorganisms. Microbes form the foundation of the food web, influencing the availability of nutrients and carbon for other organisms like algae, zooplankton and fish. Frank believed that understanding the role of microbes in the ecosystem was crucial to restoring the productivity back to loʻi (taro patch) and loko iʻa, as well as the key to finding the lepo ʻai in Kawainui.

She began to collect samples of microbes across Koʻolaupoko, investigating how land management influenced the diversity and distribution of microorganisms across ahupuaʻa (traditional unit of land management that runs from mountain to sea). She eventually developed a novel technique for DNA extraction from small volumes of water so she did not have to hike up and down mountains with gallons of water.

For her ingenuity and innovative work, she earned first place and best-in-category in environmental sciences at the 2004 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Portland, Oregon. After graduating, Frank earned a full merit scholarship to the University of Rochester where she studied molecular genetics and earned her bachelor of science degree magna cum laude in 2008. She continued on to Cambridge, Massachusetts to pursue research at the intersection of microbial ecology and biogeochemistry—earning her master of arts and PhD in molecular cell biology at Harvard University in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

When she returned home to the islands, her childhood dream of becoming a professor at UH Mānoa was realized. Today, Frank uses modern techniques in microbiology, molecular biology and geochemistry to complement and expand upon the observations of her kūpuna. With a unique blend of storytelling and scientific rigor, she brings to light the intricate workings of the world. From the tiniest microorganisms to the vastness of nature, Frank unravels mysteries of the unseen to deepen humankind’s understanding of and relationship to place.

“The deep held pilina (relationship) between ʻ�徱�Բ� (the land), akua (natural elements, spiritual deities) and kānaka (the people) provided the foundation for ancient �鶹��ý’s thriving abundance. Microbes are the physiological representations of this pilina,” said Frank. “Microbes are our akua, they are the unseen mediators of geochemical processes and ecosystem services that shape productivity ma uka i kai (from the mountain to the sea).”

For more about Frank’s work at PBRC, .

Noelo is UH’s research magazine from the .

• Related UH News story: Next generation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander scientists shine, August 5, 2022

A new species of bacteria that was found in an air conditioner in Honolulu has been analyzed and named by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa. This bacteria species isn’t harmful to humans, they said, but microbiome environments humans encounter on a daily basis may on rare occasions contain potentially harmful bacteria.

What is a microbiome?

The term microbiome often refers to the microbial community in a habitat, such as soil, seawater, on an animal or plant, on your skin or in your gut. A related term is “urban microbiome,” which refers to microbial communities in urban settings, such as gardens, water supplies and even in domestic appliances. Some microbes in the urban microbiome may cause health issues in some people, or corrode or block pipes, so identifying which microbes are present may help us protect human health and infrastructure.

Bacteria discovery

In 2016, Maxwell Darris, an undergraduate student at , joined the “” summer program at UH Mānoa, funded by the . In Professor Stuart Donachie’s lab in the Department of Microbiology, now part of the , Darris cultivated bacteria from a biofilm hanging from a pipe carrying condensed water from an air conditioner in Honolulu. One of the bacteria was a new species, which Darris and other researchers formally named as Chitinophaga pendula. The term “pendula” refers to how the biofilm was hanging from the pipe. Work to confirm Darris had found a new species was completed by Chiyoko Onouye, a graduate student in the Donachie lab.

More than 40 Chitinophaga species are known, most of which were first found in soils, with others from plant surfaces or roots, rocks, aquatic habitats and one from a human source. Darris’ discovery is the first new Chitinophaga species found in an air conditioner. The researchers said this shows that new microbial species are closer than people may think.

“Students’ continuing discoveries of new microbe species underscore that students from our local schools and universities can make a major impact in science,” Donachie said. “Work currently in review from our lab will provide more new species named by local school students. While taxonomy is often not considered the most exciting science, students always get excited when we tell them about new microbes. They would love to be involved, too, especially if it means getting to choose a name!”

The discovery was .

Microbiomes in the home

While Chitinophaga pendula does not pose a threat to humans, Donachie said that discoveries of new microbes tell us something about the nature of life on Earth, about microbial diversity in terms of the number of different species we share the planet with, and about the adaptations or metabolic capabilities that make each species’ existence possible.

Everyone has microbiome environments in their home, such as sponges used to wipe or wash dishes, to cloths used to wipe counters or tables. Microbiomes also exist in refrigerators, dishwashers and toilets. If a space has a window-mounted air conditioner, there will almost certainly be a microbiome in the part where condensed water flows from the unit.

Donachie recommends washing and bleaching sponges and cloths used to wipe surfaces, making sure refrigerators are cleaned, and properly cleaning surfaces that food comes into contact with during handling or storage. Signs that should not be ignored are odors from cloths and sponges, slippery surfaces such as in showers, and unexpectedly slimy or furry textures on foods.

Others who contributed to the research included Rebecca Prescott, a UH Mānoa Department of Microbiology PhD graduate and NASA postdoctoral research fellow, now an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi; and Professor Hans-Jürgen Busse at the Institute for Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. The research was supported in part by a National Science Foundation “Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site” award to Donachie and Stephanie Kraft-Terry at UH Mānoa (Award number: 1560491).

University of �鶹��ý experts were named to the list for 2022, including a ninth-straight appearance for a professor.

Released on November 15, the list recognizes scientists who have demonstrated significant influence through publishing multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. The experts were selected from the publications that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and publication year in the Web of Science citation index.

“We are proud of the high quality research demonstrated by our very own UH scientists on this premier list of highly cited researchers. Their work provides further evidence of our status as one of the world’s great research universities,” UH Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno said.

Shidler Professor Stephen Vargo

Professor Stephen Vargo has appeared on this premier list for the ninth consecutive year. He was one of just 92 scientists worldwide selected to the economics and business category. Vargo has demonstrated exceptional influence through his publications, which were frequently cited by his peers during the last decade. His articles focused on the “Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic” framework, which redefines how value is co-created through economic exchange.

IfA Astronomer Daniel Huber

Associate Professor and Astronomer Daniel Huber was recognized on the highly cited researchers list for the fourth straight year. He was one of just 93 scientists worldwide selected to the space science category. Huber’s research focuses on the structure and evolution of solar-type and low-mass stars using observational techniques such as asteroseismology, optical long-baseline interferometry, spectroscopy and broadband photometry, as well as the discovery and characterization of exoplanets. Huber’s research uses data from space-based and ground-based telescopes such as Kepler, K2, TESS, Keck, the CHARA Array, as well as various ground-based photometric and spectroscopic surveys.

SOEST Professor Fei-Fei Jin

For the third consecutive year, (SOEST) Professor Fei-Fei Jin was named to the list in the cross-field category, which identifies researchers who have contributed highly cited papers across several different disciplines. Jin’s research interests cover a wide range of topics, including the dynamics of large-scale atmosphere and ocean circulations, and climate variability. His primary research focuses are understanding the dynamics of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, climate variability in the extratropical atmospheric circulation and global warming.

SOEST Professor Emeritus Bin Wang

SOEST Professor Emeritus Bin Wang was recognized on the highly cited researchers list in the geosciences category for the third time (previously in 2017 and 2018). He has been with the Department of Atmospheric Sciences (formerly Department of Meteorology) at UH Mānoa since 1987. Wang is a leading meteorologist specializing in climate and atmospheric dynamics. Among his research interests are variability and predictability of Asian-Australian monsoons, climate predictions, tropical cyclones and El Niño-Southern Oscillation dynamics.

Former SOEST postdoctoral fellow Daniel Mende was honored in the cross-field category for the first time. Mende specializes in environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, metagenomics and more. Mende is now assistant professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam.

This story was compiled based on current affiliation according to the Web of Science’s Highly Cited Researchers list. If there are other researchers currently or formerly affiliated with UH, email Marc Arakaki at marcra@hawaii.edu.

The negative effects of food preservatives on the mouth microbiome (the collection of all microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and their genes, that naturally live inside and on human bodies), are shown through a study by students.

Their research highlights a significant and almost immediate impact, with a 26–31% decrease in viable bacteria with less than 10 minutes of exposure to sulfite preservatives, and was published in .

“Our recent study showed the effects of two types of sulfite preservatives on the composition of the human mouth microbiome (based on saliva samples). This was the first published study that we are aware of to look at food preservative’s effects on the mouth microbiome,” said UH Maui College Professor Sally Irwin, who is also an adjunct professor with the UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). “We feel that this is significant because other research has shown the connections between changes in the mouth microbiome and changes in the gut and connections to several human diseases.”

The study concluded that sulfite preservatives (at concentrations regarded as safe by the FDA) alter the abundance and richness of the microbiota found in saliva and decrease the number of viable bacteria.

“This endeavor has changed my life for the better by giving me more confidence to pursue a career in science.”
—Luz Maria Deardorff

The research project started in 2018 with UH Maui College students Racheal Kent, Francesca Yadao and Luz Maria Deardorff, and required about 18 months of developing techniques and optimizing protocols followed by extensive experimentation and data analysis. Faculty involved in the study included Peter Fisher, Michelle Gould, Junnie June and Irwin.

In April, Deardorff, who is now at UH Mānoa studying biological sciences, presented the team’s research at JABSOM and later at a chapter meeting of the American Microbiology Society.

“This research opportunity strengthened my understanding of the scientific method and nuances in conducting experiments. It has provided me with expertise in working in a laboratory that puts me a step ahead of my peers,” Deardorff said. “This endeavor has changed my life for the better by giving me more confidence to pursue a career in science and providing me with a science ʻohana with my research associates and mentors.”

The project was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences and .

Irwin said, “We feel it’s important for consumers to be aware of the potential negative effects of [sulfites] and other food additives on their mouth and gut microbiomes and to avoid them as much as possible, and rely more on fresh, not processed, foods.”

Sometimes we have had a class where the subject material seems a bit tough to interpret. And sometimes a teaching assistant who has been in our place helps make the connections we could not initially see.

University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa graduate students who have studied any life sciences field as an undergraduate or graduate student are invited to apply to become a teaching assistant (TA) in the .

According to School of Life Sciences Associate Director of Instruction Stephanie Kraft-Terry, the school is looking for approximately 64 TAs to assist in teaching undergraduate labs in the areas of biology, botany, marine biology, microbiology and molecular cell biology.

“We hire TAs with background in both undergraduate and graduate studies in the life sciences and encourage anyone with that background who is interested in providing excellent instruction to undergraduate students, regardless of their graduate program, to apply,” Kraft-Terry said.

The application review deadline is April 29. Applications will continue to be accepted but priority will be given to those students who submit an application by April 29. Visit the for more information and to apply.

Creating an impact for students

Breena Gaskov is working as a life sciences TA, while finishing up her first year as a student in the program. Gaskov holds an undergraduate degree in biology with a focus in microbiology.

“Being a TA for the School of Life Sciences allows me to make that impact on students who are looking for their passion in science, and guide them along the way,” Gaskov said. “For me, becoming a School of Life Sciences TA was a no brainer. I now get to come full circle and teach others in the same way that made me fall in love with science!”

Along with receiving a nine-month salary and tuition waiver, Gaskov said one of the major benefits is to be able to personalize your instruction to your skill set.

“I purposely teach in the same way that worked best for me when I was in my students’ place,” Gaskov said. “I have the ability to make even difficult subjects fun, for both me and the students! The biggest one though, for me, is the ability to see the impact being made on students. I have had multiple students walk into class and tell me ‘I was having a bad day today and this class made it better,’ and ‘I actually look forward to coming to this lab.’ I always leave the lab feeling full of happiness, every single time.”

Gaining self-confidence

Chris Nakano became a life sciences TA after hearing about the position from fellow peers in his classes. He earned his graduate degree in in fall 2021.

“Aside from the tuition exemption and stipends, the office staff, lab coordinators and principal investigators are incredibly supportive in both the sense of helping you excel as a budding educator and understanding of your busy schedule as a student,” Nakano said. “It’s a great introduction to scientific pedagogy, and you’ll nurture the self-confidence to troubleshoot the basic lab techniques prevalent in any scientific laboratory. You’ll also be surrounded by experts in the field that are generous in experience and wisdom, who are incredibly eager to share their counsel.”

Nakano recommends interested applicants to apply early, have enthusiasm and be committed.

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

—By Marc Arakaki