{"id":219268,"date":"2025-07-29T14:35:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=219268"},"modified":"2025-07-29T14:35:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:35:03","slug":"diabetes-center-nih-renewal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/29\/diabetes-center-nih-renewal\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> diabetes research center secures $2.35M<\/abbr> NIH<\/abbr> grant renewal"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Mariana Gerschenson in the cryogenic laboratory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Asian populations facing some of the highest diabetes rates in the nation, the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Diabetes Research Center<\/a> has received a $2.35 million renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand research, strengthen infrastructure and train the next generation of scientists. In its seventh year of funding, the center is part of UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s Centers for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE<\/abbr>) and continues to focus on tackling this critical public health challenge.<\/p>\n

“Diabetes and prediabetes affect nearly half of the U.S.<\/abbr> population, and even more so in underserved communities,” said Mariana Gerschenson, professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology<\/a> at the John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a> (JABSOM<\/abbr>), who leads the initiative as principal investigator. “Our goal is to build a sustainable, collaborative center that addresses both the biological mechanisms and health differences associated with diabetes in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the Pacific.”<\/p>\n

Related UH<\/abbr> News<\/em> story: $11.7M grant renewal advances diabetes research in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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