CREATE Program Supports Research Training of Hawai ‘ i and Guam Students
In spring 2021 four first-year graduate students participated in the inaugural graduate student class of the UH Cancer Center ’ s Cancer Research Education , Advancement , Training , and Empowerment ( CREATE ) program . In the summer , 16 undergraduate ( sophomore and junior ) students , attending universities across the nation , comprised the inaugural undergraduate class of the CREATE program .
To qualify for the program , all students must be from Hawai ‘ i or Guam . Up to four first-year graduate students are accepted for either the spring or fall semesters . This fall just one student was recruited for the program , while three students will be hosted in the spring .
The trainees were paired with faculty mentors to work in the UH Cancer Center ’ s Population Sciences in the Pacific or Cancer Biology programs .
They received training in the responsible conduct of research , laboratory safety , and human research protection ; participated in seminars and journal clubs ; prepared manuscripts ; and created and presented posters on their research findings .
CREATE is supported by a $ 1.35 million grant from the National Institutes of Health over five years , and addresses the overarching goal of enhancing the training of a future workforce to meet biomedical , behavioral , and clinical research needs to lower cancer incidence and mortality in the Pacific .
The CREATE program is led by UH Cancer Center faculty members Gertraud Maskarinec , MD , PhD , Joe W . Ramos , PhD , and Joseph Keawe ‘ aimoku Kaholokula , PhD .
Honoring a friend through interesting , necessary work
Jenny was my neighbor across the street when we met in 2003 ,” says Elizabeth Wong . “ We got a kick out of our last names being the same . Although we were from totally different places — she was from New Zealand and I ’ m from the U . S .— we were close in age . She was open , friendly and smart .” Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer and died of the disease in 2020 .
“ She was a great mother and a great wife . Jenny ’ s family was the heart of her life . She loved her dog Macchiato , who was her best friend . She had four daughters who are fabulous people . She was married for more than 40 years . And she was one of my best friends .”
Early stage research projects called pilot studies , often rely on support from private donors while preliminary data are collected . If the findings are compelling , researchers will be more likely to successfully compete for and be awarded larger federal grants . Elizabeth ’ s gift puts Shepherd ’ s work in position for greater funding later .
Elizabeth knew the project was right for a gift in her friend ’ s honor . “ Dr . Shepherd ’ s work is interesting and necessary ,” she says . “ It falls in line with Jenny ’ s story , and she would be happy to be associated with it . She did everything she was supposed to do for treatment of her breast cancer , but after five years , the cancer came back .”
In memory of Jennifer Wong , Elizabeth made a donation toward establishing the Hawai ‘ i Pacific Islands Mammographic Registry . The registry compiles breast cancer risk information , such as mammograms and MRIs , from women in screening programs , says John Shepherd , PhD , Interim Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer at the UH Cancer Center .
“ Hawai ‘ i is behind in understanding breast cancer risk in our specific mix of ethnicities , cultural influences and genetics ,” he says . “ We had no Hawai ‘ i mammography registry or coordination between our medical centers to identify how the risk of breast cancer is unique in Hawai ‘ i .”
Best friends Elizabeth Wong and Jenny Wong
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