CORE VALUE
KULEANA , COMMITMENT
Members of the UH Pacific Center for
Genome Research
NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS
This year , the National Institutes of Health awarded UH Cancer Center researchers $ 16.2 million for two exciting projects focusing on health disparities : 1 ) the UH Pacific Center for Genome Research and 2 ) Specialized Program of Research Excellence . Both projects will focus on improving health outcomes for our ethnically diverse populations , including Native Hawaiians and Asian Americans .
The University of Hawai ‘ i Pacific Center for Genome Research ( PCGR ), one of only two full-scale genome research centers funded in 2023 at minority-serving institutions , aims to better understand the root causes of diseases such as specific types of cancer and heart disorders . The PCGR has two primary research projects . The first aims to better understand what causes selected diseases in racially and ethnically diverse populations . The second will characterize genomic risk factors of lung cancer in Native Hawaiians . In addition , the PCGR will expand the pool of diverse genomic scientists and trainees at UH .
PROJECT LEADERS / LEAD RESEARCHERS :
Lang Wu , PhD Youping Deng , PhD Award : $ 10.9 million
The first Specialized Program of Research Excellence ( SPORE ) in Hawai ‘ i will conduct studies that bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and real-world applications . SPORE ’ s initial focus on disparities in lung and breast cancers will 1 ) address the extremely high lung cancer mortality rates among Native Hawaiians , develop a culturally sensitive , risk-based lung cancer screening strategy , and compare molecular features of lung tumors across ethnic groups , and 2 ) target the high breast cancer rates among Native Hawaiians and escalating breast cancer rates observed in Asian Americans . Researchers will evaluate the performance of published risk-prediction models based on mammography images and explore related molecular features of breast tumors .
PROJECT LEADERS / LEAD RESEARCHERS :
Loïc Le Marchand , MD , PhD Jeffrey Berenberg , MD , MACP Award : $ 5.3 million
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