In an era of rising grocery costs, eggs remain one of the most accessible and complete protein sources for families. New research from the University of Hawaiʻi at ��ā�ԴDz�’s (CTAHR) is investigating how chickens age to help keep that high-quality protein on dinner tables. The study, published in , found that as laying hens age, significant changes occur in their gut health that negatively affect egg production.

Productivity gap

At their peak, up to 97% of high-performing hens lay eggs. But by 100 weeks, that number can drop to 70% or 75%. While a 75% success rate sounds high, it represents a major economic drain across the industry.

“A farmer is losing roughly 20–22% eggs, but still providing expensive feed to the chickens. We are trying to minimize those costs to help farmers survive financially,” said Md Ahosanul Haque Shahid, a PhD student in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences and the study’s lead author.

Starts in the gut

Working in the laboratory of ������Ƶ Associate Professor Birendra Mishra, Shahid’s research focuses on the community of microorganisms living in the chicken’s digestive tract.

Older hens appear to prioritize survival and physiological maintenance over reproductive output. As the chickens age, their bodies stop producing the natural chemicals and enzymes needed to break down food effectively.

As hens get older, the “instructions” in their DNA that manage nutrition and immunity begin to fade. This causes the lining of their gut to weaken—a condition known as “leaky gut”—which allows vital nutrients to escape. Because these nutrients aren’t being absorbed properly, the hen’s body doesn’t have enough energy to send to its reproductive system. Without that steady fuel supply, the hen simply cannot produce as many eggs as she used to.

Local impact, global reach

The study utilized chickens sourced from local Hawaiʻi farms, meaning the findings are specifically relevant to the islands’ unique environmental conditions.

However, the implications are global. As further molecular investigation is still going, by identifying the specific genes and molecular pathways that change with age, the researchers hope to develop new “nutrient strategies” and management protocols that can boost production by even 1% or 2%.

“That 2% makes a huge difference because you’re talking about tens of thousands of chickens,” Shahid said. “It’s a tremendous amount of affordable protein that can feed thousands of families.”

As the state works to increase local food security, researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are developing methods to naturally produce more nutritious, faster-growing fish.

Building on recent tilapia findings, a study from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) reveals how water salt levels can be used to control the fish’s internal chemistry. The research, published in , was led by Andre P. Seale, professor in CTAHR‘s Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences. These findings could potentially lead to healthier farmed tilapia in Hawaiʻi.

Unlocking the ‘salt water advantage’

While aquaculture has long relied on changes in fish diets to improve production, the ������Ƶ team is showing that controlled changes in salinity can naturally alter the composition of essential minerals in tilapia.

The study found that zinc concentrations are higher in the muscle of tilapia acclimated to seawater, while iron and manganese are higher in freshwater fish. The research also identifies “molecular gatekeepers” that manage the transport of these minerals when salinity levels change.

“We found that changing the salinity of water can change certain genetic pathways that regulate trace minerals in Mozambique tilapia,” said Seale. “This work opens the door for strategies to enhance the nutritional profile of fish, independently of changes in their diet composition.”

Sustainable production

The research was conducted at CTAHR’s Tuahine Aquaculture Research and Education Center and is part of developing strategies to improve the quality of aquacultured fish in Hawaiʻi.

Several federal agencies funded the project, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

College students across the U.S. may be misclassified by food insecurity surveys potentially hindering the effectiveness of support programs. A co-authored by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher examines critical gaps in how food insecurity is measured at universities—a crucial first step in helping students who struggle with consistent access to food.

The standard tool to measure food insecurity is a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey. Study co-author Jinan Banna, a professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences in the , noted that the survey’s wording can be confusing for students.

“We noticed that the standard government survey we used to measure food insecurity wasn’t necessarily designed for how college students think and live,” said Banna. She explained that college students “often live differently than the general adult population because they juggle meal plans, part time jobs, scholarships, intermittent housing and irregular incomes.”

For instance, questions about a “household” can confuse students who live in dorms or with roommates with whom they don’t share food resources. Similarly, the survey’s focus on monetary access to food may not apply to students who rely on a meal plan or family support.

“Students could be misclassified as food insecure, even when the real situation differs,” said Banna. This lack of a reliable measurement tool makes it challenging for universities and government agencies to understand the true scope of the problem.

The study calls for a more precise survey to provide accurate data, which in turn will allow for a more effective allocation of resources and support programs to help students who are struggling.

Hawaiʻi residents with hypertension (high blood pressure) who struggle to afford healthy food will soon receive a powerful new prescription from their doctors: fresh, local produce. A new program will provide patients with $100 a month in vouchers to buy fruits, vegetables and poi at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

This innovative “produce prescription” program is the centerpiece of a $2.8 million grant awarded to researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at ��ā�ԴDz�’s (CTAHR). The study aims to create effective, culturally relevant health interventions by directly linking nutrition to healthcare for those facing both hypertension and food insecurity.

How it works

The program will be implemented at three community health centers: Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Waimānalo Health Center, and Hamakua Kohala Health Center. It will train community health workers to help patients use the monthly vouchers, which are provided for 12 months.

For Monica Esquivel, an associate professor in ������Ƶ CTAHR’s Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences, who is leading the project, this work is deeply personal. As a registered dietitian, she saw firsthand how her patients wanted to eat healthier but couldn’t afford fresh food. She and other doctors felt frustrated because they didn’t have the right tools to help their patients reach their health goals. This grant is the next step in creating those tools.

“If you don’t have enough money to get food, then your stress is high, and then it’s really hard to control your blood pressure,” Esquivel said. This approach has been shown to improve people’s diets and health, reduce food insecurity, and provide an economic boost to their community through increased produce sales.

The fruits and vegetables will be sourced from farmers’ markets and food hubs in the state. In fact, �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s Medicaid health program was the first state in the nation to include a provision that local produce be a priority for these programs.

“This program helps close the gaps caused by food insecurity by making fresh, local produce more accessible. It supports our patients’ health and strengthens our community,” said Alicia Higa, executive director of ʻElepaio Social Services and chief community health officer at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

Mary Oneha, CEO of Waimānalo Health Center, said, “Continuous access to locally grown fruits and vegetables is a challenge for many families. Efforts by Waimanalo Health Center to have locally grown fruits and vegetables readily available have filled a need for many families. We are thrilled to partner with the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience on a ‘produce prescription’ program to help people address high blood pressure.”

When Gabby Jamain transferred back home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa after starting college out of state, she wasn’t sure if veterinary medicine was still the right path for her. She decided to give the field one last chance through an internship course at the (HKVC)—where she quickly found the encouragement she needed.

“Everyone was incredibly welcoming and committed to teaching me about what they do, why they do it, and how they do it,” Jamain said. “Their faith in me when I was feeling such uncertainty about my future motivated me to grow and reignited my desire to work in a veterinary setting.”

She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences from ������Ƶ Mānoa in 2020 and enrolled in Windward Community College’s veterinary technician program. Choosing the hybrid track allowed her to balance coursework with hands-on clinic experience.

Hands-on learning

“The hybrid program was the perfect option for me to get my certification while also getting to work in the field. I am very much a hands-on learner, so being at work was a great opportunity for me to understand the coursework more deeply and master the skills I’m actively learning about,” she said.

Jamain earned a certificate of achievement in veterinary assisting in 2022. That preparation proved invaluable in 2023 when she flew to Maui to volunteer at a pop-up clinic in the wake of the Lahaina fires. The makeshift site served as a triage center for animals rescued from the burn zone and provided urgent care for pets in need.

She earned her associate’s degree in veterinary technology in 2024. Today, Jamain has come full circle. She is now the head technician at HKVC, mentoring the next generation of animal care professionals.

“The mentorship I received from ������Ƶ alumni during my ������Ƶ Mānoa internship was invaluable for me staying in this field, while my Windward CC grad coworkers not only shared their old textbooks, but amazing advice on what to expect at Windward,” Jamain said. “Now that I’m a ������Ƶ alumni I hope to be that person for aspiring vet professionals.”

The global market for tropical fruit is projected to grow more than 20% by 2029, and a study by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate student Jae-Eun “Jennie” Cha created a special test that can find five common tropical fruits all at once: mango, pineapple, avocado, banana and coconut. The test has proven 100% effective.

The method, called a “multiplex PCR assay,” can find allergy-causing ingredients in complicated food mixes and helps make sure food labels are correct and protects consumers from allergic reactions. The test identified the correct fruit species in the 32 commercial tropical fruit products it was tested on, matching the fruit labels every time.

The (CTAHR) PhD student presented her research before a global audience of more than 30,000 food science professionals at the 2025 Institute of Food Technologists’ Annual Meeting in Chicago. Her work earned her first place and a $1,000 prize in the Division Graduate Student Oral Competition.

Cha’s winning research addresses the growing problem of food allergies, especially as more people around the world are eating tropical fruits. She’s been working on this study for the past 18 months.

“I was really nervous, and my presentation was on the first day, so during the whole flight, I think I was just practicing my presentation slides on the plane,” Cha said.

Cha was proud to represent CTAHR, the human nutrition program, and Soojin Jun’s food engineering lab at this international event.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has officially changed its name to the (CTAHR), in a step that CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal said will better reflect the college’s mission and vision (below).

“This update embodies our college’s commitment to fostering resilience across individuals, communities, economies and ecosystems, emphasizing its focus on sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, and family and community well-being,” said Grewal. “We at CTAHR define human resilience as building individual, community and environmental endurance in the face of challenges such as climate change.”

CTAHR aims to lead research and educational initiatives that help prepare Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region to respond to and recover from climate-driven impacts to agriculture and communities.

“Our programs are centered on enhancing the human condition through a comprehensive approach to building resilience in agricultural and natural systems in the face of climate change,” said Grewal.

The process to change the name, which retains the college’s well known acronym, CTAHR, began shortly after Grewal started as dean of the college in March 2024. He had a series of meetings with faculty, students, staff, and alumni who all supported the name change proposal. A survey conducted among CTAHR faculty, staff, students, alumni and stakeholders found that more than 67% of respondents endorsed the change, with more than 72% agreeing that “human resilience” better captures the college’s mission and values.

The mission of several of CTAHR‘s departments already reflect the name change such as the , which conducts research and teaching programs on individual and family resiliency. The focuses on research and academic programs in human nutrition and dietetics, to enhance nutritional health of individuals, children and families. The explores human dimensions research through the relationships between humans and the natural environment for improved human management decisions and policy creation. CTAHR‘s extension programs focus on improving economic, social, and health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities and offer youth development programs such as 4-H to build teenage resiliency.

The school will be changing its signage and webpages over the coming months to reflect the name change. “Human Resources” was added to the then “College of Tropical Agriculture” in 1978 when the college merged with the ������Ƶ Hawaiʻi Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, which was dissolved in 1999. The meaning of “human resources” has since shifted from resources for people, like healthy food and clean water, to primarily being associated with business and personnel management.

CTAHR was the very first college at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa when it was founded in 1907 under the Morrill Act as a land-grant college of agriculture and mechanic arts. The flagship campus now has 17 colleges and schools.

CTAHR Mission

CTAHR creates and delivers knowledge that supports and strengthens families, agricultural and food systems, and the natural environment. We educate and serve the people of Hawaiʻi and those from around the world with integrity and excellence.

CTAHR Vision

CTAHR provides exceptional education, research, and extension programs in tropical agriculture and food systems, family and consumer science, and natural resource management for Hawaiʻi and the international community. We cultivate innovative scientific inquiry, solve real world challenges, and provide experiential learning in an interdisciplinary setting with global impacts.

For his outstanding academic performance, research contributions, and service to professional community, Pravin Mishra, a graduate student in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) was awarded the Poultry Science Association (PSA) Hatchery’s Student of the Year 2024 Award. The award includes a certificate of recognition and a $1,000 travel grant to attend the 2025 PSA annual meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mishra has also been elected as junior student director for PSA, where he will serve on the board of directors and PSA Hatchery Advisory Committee. Mishra’s election showcased his commitment to the association’s goals of providing educational, social and professional support to student members.

In addition, his exemplary service as the Chair of the Project Innovation Committee for PSA Hatchery (2022–24) was also celebrated, where he spearheaded collaborative projects.

“Winning these awards was a truly humbling and gratifying experience,” said Mishra, of the . “It feels incredible to have my hard work and dedication recognized by the Poultry Science Association. I am also deeply honored to have earned the trust of my peers to serve as junior student director. These accolades are a testament to the support I have received from my mentors, fellow students, and the entire academic community.”

Specializing in poultry nutrition and gut health under CTAHR Professor Rajesh Jha, Mishra’s research focuses on feed and feed additives, with the goal of promoting sustainable poultry production.

“This opportunity will allow me to network with industry leaders, exchange ideas with fellow researchers, and gain deeper insights into current challenges and innovations in poultry science,” Mishra said. “Additionally, serving on the PSA Board of Directors will expose me to strategic decision-making processes, broadening my perspective on how to address issues in the field. All these experiences will undoubtedly enrich my studies and shape my future research endeavors.”

PSA is a leading global organization comprising approximately 1,800 educators, scientists, industry researchers, and students committed to advancing the poultry industry.

A recently completed aquaculture facility, encompassing approximately 8,600 square feet and containing two recirculation systems used to house aquatic organisms in freshwater or saltwater, is now in operation at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

The Tuahine Aquaculture Research and Education Center (TAREC) was established as a partnership between the (CTAHR) and (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant).

“Ultimately, through a versatile and integrated system design capable of providing animals with a range of environmental conditions, the main goal of TAREC is to provide a platform for integrated research, extension and education activities that address aquaculture industry needs and funding agency priorities while supporting workforce development,” said CTAHR Professor Andre Seale, who spearheaded the project.

There are nearly 80 tanks and experimental aquaria ranging in capacity from 20–5,000 liters. The facility is currently housing tilapia broodstock and Native Hawaiian sea cucumbers for ongoing research projects. Seale and his students are also conducting a Hawaiʻi Sea Grant-funded study on striped mullet culture for Hawaiian fishpond restocking efforts.

“We have been thrilled to work with Dr. Seale over the past several years to help create a much needed aquaculture facility at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and look forward to our continued partnership on aquaculture research, outreach, and education activities,” Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Director Darren Lerner said.

Seale is also utilizing TAREC for experiential learning activities on aquaculture systems for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in his aquaculture production course. Future outreach and education activities include collaborating with Hawaiʻi Sea Grant on aquaculture training workshops for the community.

Funding for TAREC was provided by the ������Ƶ Mānoa Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research, CTAHR, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In ancient Hawaiʻi, fishponds were remarkably successful in ensuring a steady supply of food. Yet, efforts to revitalize this traditional aquaculture have encountered challenges. With biennial awards totaling $315,759, two new aquaculture projects led by Andre Seale are addressing these problems.

Seale’s studies employ two local species for sustainable aquaculture development: (Stichopus horrens) and ʻamaʻama, or (Mugil cephalus). His team also includes graduate assistants Tyler Goodearly and Reilly Merlo, who are enrolled in the Nutritional Sciences PhD program, as co-investigators.

Sea cucumbers

To improve the productivity of sea cucumbers, Seale and Goodearly will partner with local producers, fishpond managers and collaborators to devise a species-specific approach for inducing spawning behavior while assessing the viability of larvae. The researchers hope the knowledge gained will provide a framework for overcoming the reproductive dysfunction of sea cucumbers and reliably producing them in Hawaiʻi. Ultimately, it could spearhead national sea cucumber production efforts and lead to practices that will optimize growth in sustainable aquaculture systems, including Hawaiian fishponds.

“This sea cucumber is a good candidate for aquaculture, given its fast reproductive life cycle, ecosystem services rendered as sediment feeders and high value in Asian markets,” said Seale, of the .

ʻamaʻama

Natural recruitment of the striped mullet to fishponds has become unreliable, and the introduction of hatchery-raised fry directly into the fishponds has been largely unsuccessful.

In order to better understand how to improve rearing practices and stock enhancement of this species, this project aims to establish strategies to adjust the fingerling hatchery environment to improve its environmental resilience, and optimize survival and growth once introduced to a Hawaiian fishpond setting.

Seale and Merlo will focus on the effects of variable salinity and temperature regimes on physiological markers of growth, stress and salt-and-water regulation in the fish. This will help establish which environmental conditions can best prepare the juvenile mullet for survival in the natural fishpond setting.

“In addition to informing management strategies for rearing the ʻamaʻama in fishponds, the results should also provide further insight into how these native fish might adapt to future changes in climatic conditions,” said Seale.

Additional opportunities for international research programs, labs, conferences, workshops and more will be available to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa faculty and students after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) in January.

The MOU was signed between the (CTAHR) Associate Dean for Research Walter Bowen, Brent White of ������Ƶ’s Office of Global Engagement and Hyung-Hee Baek of KFRI.

“KFRI is only one of many government-affiliated research institutes in the food and agriculture sectors in Korea,” said Soojin Jun, a professor in CTAHR’s . “There are plenty of funding opportunities requiring international collaborations. With this MOU, we anticipate more exchanges of faculty, scholars, and students, academic publications, organizations of joint research programs such as on-site labs, and periodical joint conference meetings or workshops.”

After the signing ceremony, KFRI delegates and ������Ƶ faculty presented their own research projects and further discussed the potential for collaboration.

To alleviate issues within the Hawaiʻi livestock industry, members from the University of Hawaiʻi are aiming to restore the Waialeʻe Livestock Research Station on the North Shore of Oʻahu, which was once a heavily relied upon community resource for livestock feed, harvesting, research and more.

As the state faces limited livestock slaughter capacity, ������Ƶ Mānoa (CTAHR) faculty, students, and Oʻahu North Shore stakeholders look to the front runners of the livestock industry as inspiration to revamp the research station.

Temple Grandin—a renowned livestock industry leader—expressed her support for the restoration of the station, and consulted with lifelong North Shore resident Paul Eguires to share her knowledge on new concepts of efficient and humane livestock-handling facilities. Eguires plans to return the site’s slaughter capability to a functioning state.

“Temple has had significant influence in the design and construction of efficient and humane livestock-handling systems across the U.S. and across the globe,” said Jeff Goodwin, leader.

"Grandin, also a widely respected and international spokesperson on autism, visited the Urban Garden Center to speak to members of the autism community. As an alumna of 4-H—;a national program with its Hawaiʻi branch sponsored by CTAHR's Cooperative Extension—she said that 4-H helped her get out of her autistic shell."

“It became obvious to the crowd that the way autistic kids experience the world relates directly to how Temple Grandin looks at the livestock facilities she plans and constructs,” said Goodwin. “These two fields of expertise, animal behavior and world-perception of an autistic youth, have many common elements to them. Temple uses her world-perception as an autistic person to design the most humane animal-handling facilities in the world.”

The mission of Grandin’s work in agriculture and her work in helping families touched by autism have a common goal.

“Making the lives of others better (human and animal), doing something of lasting value with your life, that’s the meaning of life,” said Grandin. “It’s that simple.” 

This week’s ������Ƶ News Image of the Week is from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Prem Lal Mahato, a graduate student in the .

Mahato shared, “A locally hybridized hibiscus attracted a bee.”

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Two students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ (CTAHR) are furthering the research of their mentor.

In 2020, Associate Research Professor Andre Seale studied how fish recognize and tolerate changes in aquatic environments, such as temperature and salinity—now, in 2023, graduate student Tharindu Malintha and undergraduate student Ke Cao were given an opportunity to shine in this field.

“I’m extremely proud of these two young scientists,” said Seale. “Through their hard work and dedication, they produced impactful research while making speedy progress toward their personal and professional development.”

Malintha and Seale have also conducted research together, and their work, “,” appeared in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology.

The students’ findings

Under Seale’s mentorship, Malintha found multiple transcription factors that are sensitive to ambient solute concentration. Transcription factors control multiple genes, including the one that encodes for prolactin, a hormone that in fish is important for salinity acclimation.

“Transcription factors are molecules that turn genes on and off by binding to DNA,” said Malintha, who defended his PhD dissertation with “Environmentally Sensitive Transcription Factors in the Prolactin Cell, Gill and Kidney of Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus).”

Malintha added that changes in temperature can activate or inhibit similar transcription factors and characterize the molecular pathways activated in gills and kidneys when fish are in different salinities.

Furthermore, Cao has been working on a project to show how tight-junction proteins help fish cope with change. Tight-junction proteins play a key role in maintaining structural integrity between cells. When fish are challenged with rapidly changing salinities, these proteins act to prevent excessive water movement across the gill.

Cao’s project was supported by an (UROP) award, and was presented at the 46th annual Albert L. Tester Memorial Symposium and the UROP undergraduate showcase.

Research that helps identify how age, sex and ethnicity can impact body fat and risk for early cardiovascular disease was nationally recognized by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD). University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Jonathan Bennett, a PhD student, under the mentorship of researcher John Shepherd, will receive the Best Research Abstract Award from ISCD at its on March 31, in Chicago, Illinois.

Bennett’s findings suggest that the measurement of body fat associated with disease risk is more complex than previously thought and requires more research to understand the relationship between fat storage and disease risk.

He found that the use of a DXA scan, commonly used in hospitals and clinics to measure bone, muscle and fat, make it possible to collect data in larger populations, advancing the understanding of the role that fat plays in disease development.

“Using the recommendations from our review, we can inform researchers on how to improve the study of the different locations where fat is stored to better elucidate what is truly a ‘risky’ level for a person,” said Bennett, who will earn his PhD this spring. “This will undoubtedly improve screening and monitoring of cardiovascular disease risk in clinical practice.”

The ISCD is a professional association that aims to improve muscle and skeletal health assessment techniques to improve quality of resources for patient care.

The ������Ƶ Cancer Center leads numerous studies that examine body fat, including , and the . To participate and learn more, visit the .

This week’s ������Ƶ News Image of the Week is from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Pravin Mishra a graduate student in .

Mishra shared “The photo was taken at the Small Animal Facility of Magoon Research and Instruction Facility during the animal study (part of Pravin Mishra’s MS in animal sciences thesis) under the supervision of Dr. Rajesh Jha (Department of , College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�).&�����ܴ�;

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The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) was awarded a National Needs Fellowship Program grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

CTAHR’s Kacie Ho, Soojin Jun and Yong Li will use the funds from the grant to recruit six new graduate students—particularly those from Native Hawaiian, Native American and Alaska native backgrounds—to the in CTAHR’s . The recruited students will develop their teaching and leadership skills through student-centered training opportunities. They will also receive advanced training in food science research.

“In order to strengthen the food system and bolster our local food industries in Hawaiʻi, we need to foster and develop the next generation of experts and leaders in food safety, food processing and food chemistry,” said Ho. “These are the people we need to ensure the safety, quality and nutritional density of the foods we grow, process and eat in our state.”

Native Hawaiians are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and other issues in the food system. Yet, they and other Indigenous people are currently underrepresented in the food science workforce.

“We want to make a specific effort to recruit and empower our talented Native Hawaiian students, who might not have thought of getting a higher degree in food science,” said Ho. “We believe if we provide the opportunity, students will rise to the challenge, and will become the experts and leaders in our local and global food systems.”

The grant and overall project goal align with CTAHR‘s new , in regards to workforce development and its initiative toward a resilient and thriving food system. These have implications for health as the students will be engaging in advanced food science research to enhance the safety of foods, develop improved food-processing techniques to enhance the quality and nutrition of foods and study the impacts of certain food components on potential health outcomes.

“This grant will help strengthen our food science program and allow us to better develop the future talent we need in our workforce and to support �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s food system,” said Ho.

When University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna Jemma Baird saw the chance for hands-on experience at animal rescues in Italy, she jumped at the opportunity. The (pre-veterinary) major earned her bachelor’s degree in May 2022. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Baird moved to �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� to pursue marine biology, but decided to pursue animal science because of her interest in working with domesticated animals and livestock.

Upon graduating, Baird applied and was accepted to participate in the this past summer. The program, which creates international experiences to prepare future healthcare professionals for their careers, offered a pre-vet track to work alongside veterinarians and animal carers at well-known animal rescue organizations in Italy.

“I came across an email from Doctors in Italy to participate in this ‘life-changing, career-enhancing adventure’ in Italy,” said Baird. “I still had to apply to veterinary school, so in the meantime I thought it would be a perfect option for me to gain more field experience and explore Italy at the same time.”

She participated in a two-week summer program that included a combination of lectures and practical activities held at an animal clinic, a museum of comparative anatomy and at two sanctuaries that hosted equids (family of animals that includes horses), large and small ruminants (mammals that chew cud), small animals, exotic animals and wildlife.

Baird spent her days getting involved with everything from daily care, to special needs and veterinary checks.

“I helped the vets clean wounds on sheep in the fields. I vaccinated horses. I helped feed the animals too. We spent most of our time in sanctuaries,” Baid explained.

“Jemma showed to be a very enthusiastic and proactive student, and had a particular passion towards pursuing a career as cetacean veterinarian,” said Marta Bonsi, a veterinarian and program coordinator with Doctors in Italy. “However, she demonstrated a great interest towards all the different aspects of the veterinary field she was engaged in, from small animal to farm animal and equine practice. I wish Jemma all the best for her future career.”

As a student, Baird was active in various activities and enjoyed her time at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

“I was an event coordinator in the for two years and was also on the for four years. I loved it! I met most of my friends on the team. We traveled to California and Florida for regattas,” she said.

With no veterinarian schools in Hawaiʻi, Baird has applied to various schools on the continental U.S. As she awaits her acceptance, she works as a seabird caretaker at Sea Life Park and provides lectures to the public about their Hawaiian monk seal, Kekoa, and Humboldt penguins. Baird is also a vet assistant at VCA University Animal Hospital, where she assists four veterinarians.

Baird encouraged other pre-vet (or health science) students looking for a study abroad experience where they can shadow doctors in a clinical setting to apply for the fellowship.

“It was one of the best abroad options for pre-vet students at ������Ƶ,” she said. “It is a great opportunity to meet and learn from vets in Italy and was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken.”

For more information, go to the .

Improving the reproduction of kampachi (also known as longfin yellowtail or Almaco Jack) and Pacific white shrimp in Hawaiʻi is the focus of a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoaʻs (CTAHR), ������Ƶ (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) and Hawaiʻi Pacific University’s (HPU) Oceanic Institute (OI) research partnership.

Nearly $1 million in funding from a (NOAA) Sea Grant will address the key barriers of kampachi production by focusing on improving egg quality, fecundity (ability to produce many offspring) and juvenile development. Nearly $250,000 will fund a second project that will use a genomic approach to improve the reproduction performance of shrimp, including laboratory experiments to assess and improve their genetic traits.

Kampachi are among the most valuable finfish groups for offshore aquaculture development. Yet, they are notoriously difficult to rear and harvest on a large commercial scale. At the same time, despite the shrimp industry’s massive volume and the U.S. being a leader in shrimp genetics research, programs on genetic improvement have given little attention to shrimp egg and larvae production.

“Through an integrated collaboration among university research, extension efforts and industry partners, the results obtained through this proposed work will result in the facilitation and expansion of commercial development of these and related species,” said Andre P. Seale of CTAHR’s and principal investigator of the kampachi study. “By addressing production constraints, this combined HPU and ������Ƶ effort will contribute to increasing commercial production in Hawaiʻi.”

“This is a critical time for aquaculture, food security and our ability to feed humans sustainability around the world,” added Bradley (Kai) Fox of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. “We are very fortunate to be able to collaborate with researchers at OI to push cutting-edge technologies with global relevance forward, while at the same time recognizing, appreciating and learning from our host culture here in Hawaiʻi, where aquaculture has been practiced and refined for a thousand years.”

The funding is part of a nearly $14 million federal funding investment by NOAA Sea Grant to select Sea Grant programs around the country, including Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, to strengthen U.S. aquaculture.