A University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa study of high school football injuries nationwide found that a rule designed to reduce dangerous hits to the head did not lead to an increase in leg injuries, a potential consequence student researchers set out to examine.

The targeting rule, adopted in 2014, prohibits players from initiating forceful contact above an opponent鈥檚 shoulders. (JABSOM) students Nolan Tanji, Cameron Nishida, Philip Lee and Sasha Rovinsky wanted to know whether efforts to avoid the head and neck were causing players to tackle lower and shifting injuries to the legs.

“We were just thinking as people are avoiding the head and neck, they’re going to be tackling lower in the body, so maybe the injury burden might be getting shifted lower in the body,” Tanji said.

Thousands of injuries analyzed

The researchers analyzed high school football injuries among athletes ages 14–18 using a national database containing emergency department data from more than 100 hospitals across the country. They compared injuries from the five years before the targeting rule with the five years after it took effect.

The team reviewed more than 14,000 entries to determine how the injuries occurred.

Researchers identified 7,315 lower-extremity injury cases before the rule and 5,611 afterward. When used to estimate national totals, the numbers declined from about 242,000 injuries to 193,000.

“It was really surprising,” Tanji said. “It was something that was the complete 180 from what we were expecting before analyzing the data.”

The researchers cautioned that the targeting rule cannot be credited with causing the decline. Changes in training, injury prevention and equipment technology may have contributed.

The study also found that knee injuries represented a slightly larger share of lower-extremity injuries after the rule took effect, while the proportion involving collisions between players increased. The researchers said those findings warrant further study.

The database included only injuries treated in emergency departments and did not identify which positions the injured athletes played.

“It’s not completely safe but, you know, it’s looking promising for the future in terms of injuries in football,” Tanji said.

Investigating a hidden environmental health threat across Hawaiʻi—pollutants left behind by decades of agricultural and industrial activity, and whether wildfires and other disasters can bring those contaminants back into the environment and into people鈥檚 bodies—is the focus of a new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-led research project that received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The new study builds directly on the (MauiWES), 糖心视频鈥檚 longitudinal health study (a health study that follows participants over time) established after the 2023 Maui wildfires, and will expand that work to understand how Hawaiʻi鈥檚 historical environmental contamination may be affecting communities today.

The highly competitive NIH R01 grant, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will establish the Health and Environment Assessment Longitudinal (HEAL) cohort, following 1,000 Hawaiʻi residents over five years. It will be the first systematic investigation in Hawaiʻi of heart and lung health risks associated with these legacy pollutants, including arsenic, lead, dioxins and others related to “forever” chemicals.

The project, Impact of Legacy Pollutants on Cardiopulmonary Health Following Natural Disasters, is led by principal investigators Alika Maunakea, professor at the (JABSOM), Ruben Juarez, –HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professor of Health Economics at 糖心视频 Mānoa, and Alison Lee, a physician-scientist with ties to Hawaiʻi at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 past may still be affecting health today

For generations, sugarcane shaped Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy, communities and landscape. But that history also left behind contaminants that can remain in the environment for decades. Former agricultural areas may contain arsenic, lead, dioxins and other mixtures. Arsenic was historically used in pesticides and in canec, a sugarcane-based construction material once widely used in Hawaiʻi homes and buildings. The concern is not only what remains in the ground, but what happens when these hazards are spread by flood or wildfires.

The 2023 Maui wildfires burned homes, buildings and infrastructure in communities with a long agricultural history. Researchers want to understand whether intense fires can disturb contaminants that have remained in soil or older structures for decades, creating new pathways of human exposure.

“Hawaiʻi has environmental exposures that are deeply connected to our history, but we still know remarkably little about what they mean for health today,” Maunakea said. “MauiWES gave us an unprecedented window into what happens to health after a major wildfire. Now we can build on that foundation to ask a bigger question: Are pollutants left in our environment decades ago still affecting people today, and can disasters bring those risks back to the surface?”

MauiWES to a statewide environmental health study

The new cohort will build on the infrastructure, community partnerships and scientific foundation developed through MauiWES while expanding the research beyond wildfire exposure alone.

Over five years, researchers plan to enroll 1,000 people across four groups: people with little-known exposure to wildfire or legacy pollutants; residents near former sugarcane lands; people exposed to wildfire but with lower expected exposure to legacy pollutants; and people exposed to both wildfire and legacy pollutants.

Researchers will combine soil and water testing, biological samples, heart and lung assessments, community-engaged citizen science, and geographic mapping to answer important questions: What is in the environment, is it getting into people, and is it affecting their health? They will examine outcomes including lung function, blood pressure and inflammation.

“Wildfires can burn homes and infrastructure and disturb contaminants that have been sitting in our environment for generations,” Juarez said. “By connecting environmental samples with what we find in people鈥檚 bodies and their health, we can begin to understand that full chain of exposure. This can help us design approaches to mitigate such exposures and improve the health of our community.”

Finding Hawaiʻi鈥檚 hidden contamination with national implications

One major goal is to identify potential contamination hotspots near former sugarcane areas and determine whether people living near those areas have higher levels of pollutants in their soil, water or biological samples. Researchers will then examine whether those exposures are associated with poorer heart and lung health and whether legacy pollutants help explain some of the health effects associated with wildfire exposure.

“Most environmental health studies look at one exposure at a time,” Lee said. “But communities experience many exposures together. Hawaiʻi gives us an important opportunity to understand what happens when a major disaster occurs on top of decades of existing environmental contamination.”

The implications extend far beyond the islands. Across the U.S., wildfires are increasingly reaching communities where homes, vehicles, industrial materials and historical contamination can all become part of the disaster environment. The researchers hope the study can ultimately help Hawaiʻi identify where contamination remains, who may be most exposed and what can be done before the next disaster occurs—while providing a model for other communities facing similar risks nationwide.

The NIH R01 grant, funded by NIEHS, is under award number 1R01ES038296.

As demand for medical laboratory scientists grows, the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa is preparing students for the critical health care profession through a program that reports a 100% employment rate within one year of graduation.

The Medical Technology Program has trained medical laboratory scientists since 1946. Their behind-the-scenes work helps physicians diagnose patients and determine treatment.

“Our students work in labs, and they run the tests that assist physicians with diagnosing patients. They actually look at cells, look at bacteria under a microscope, and a whole host of other things,” said program director Rhena Singh. “About 70% of medical decisions rely on test results produced by medical labs and the people that run medical labs are our students, our alumni.”

Singh said career prospects are strong as medical laboratory scientists nationwide continue to retire.

“The job outlook for our students is excellent,” Singh said. “We have a 100% employment rate so every single one of our students gets a job within one year of graduating.”

Small program, strong connections

The program also connects students with local industry leaders and alumni, including through its annual open house, to encourage networking and mentorship.

For student Sandy Liang, a 2025 糖心视频 M膩noa graduate, working as a lab assistant introduced her to the profession.

“I鈥檝e always known that I wanted to work in the medical field and I knew I loved the lab but honestly, I did not know about med tech until I started working as a lab assistant,” Liang said.

The two-year bachelor鈥檚 degree program currently has 30 students, is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences and is the only medical technology program in the state. Enrollment is expected to expand with the relaunch of an online program in fall 2027.

Liang hopes to use her training to build a career in Hawaiʻi.

“It鈥檚 home, you know? I don’t want to have to leave. I want to live here. I want to stay here. I want to help the people here,” Liang said.

A University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa nursing professor is helping shape how the next generation of health care providers learns about reproductive health.

Molly Altman, associate professor and PhD Program director at the (SONDH), is the lead editor of the fifth edition of Gynecologic Health Care: With an Introduction to Prenatal and Postpartum Care, a widely used textbook for nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals.

The new edition adds expanded coverage of abortion, early pregnancy loss, trauma-informed care (prioritizes patient safety and support) and reproductive justice (the right to control one’s own reproductive health decisions). It also examines the history of nursing and midwifery and how inequities in health care have shaped patient experiences.

Altman brings more than 20 years of experience as a certified nurse-midwife and more than a decade of teaching experience. Her research focuses on reducing inequities in reproductive health care, including racism and bias in clinical settings.

She joined 糖心视频 M膩noa in 2024 and has continued her work to strengthen nursing education and research. She recently helped relaunch SONDH‘s PhD program, which prepares nurse scientists to address health challenges in Hawaiʻi and beyond.

Altman edited the new edition with Ellen Solis, associate professor and Nurse Midwifery DNP Program director at the University of Washington. The textbook is published by Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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The Family Medicine Interest Group at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM) has earned a national award recognizing the group’s efforts to inspire future family physicians through community service, clinical exposure, education and leadership.

JABSOM was one of 21 groups nationwide selected for the honor of a 2026 Program of Excellence by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

Cultivating community engagement

Through JABSOM‘s H.O.M.E. (Homeless Outreach and Medical Education) Clinic, students participate in community service projects throughout the year. The group also organizes educational opportunities, including an event featuring a physician subspecialty panel to introduce students to the range of careers within family medicine.

Second-year medical student Kyle Tsujimoto helps lead the group, noting that its activities reflect a larger culture of community engagement he discovered after coming to JABSOM from California.

“JABSOM as a whole does a really great job of fostering students to actually really care about being involved in the community,” Tsujimoto said. “The faculty and the culture that they’ve developed, we come in and it’s just something really amazing that we gravitate towards.”

He added that the experience has helped him better understand the people and communities he hopes to serve: “It’s been a really great way for me to do what I can to get involved and to really learn as much as I can about the populations and the people and the communities that we really aim to serve.”

Tsujimoto credits previous student leaders and faculty, including H.O.M.E. Clinic Director and Associate Professor Jill Omori, with building the foundation that led to this year’s recognition.

“I feel like this is really a reflection of that culture that’s been developed and the hard work that my upperclassmen, my predecessors, have put into building this organization into what it is,” he said. “It’s really inspiring to see how special the opportunities that we have here are. I really just hope to be a part of spreading that and continuing that for future classes at JABSOM.”

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Three University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM) students are exploring ways to expand access to specialized orthopedic care across the Pacific, where patients often travel hundreds or thousands of miles for treatment.

Students Philip Lee, Sasha Rovinsky and Mason Caldwell published their research in the . The study examines approaches Pacific Island nations are using to strengthen local orthopedic care.

Bringing care closer to home

The researchers identified three primary approaches: overseas referrals, traveling surgical teams and “train-in-place” programs, in which experienced orthopedic surgeons work with local physicians over several years to develop surgical expertise.

While each approach has strengths, the researchers say combining them could create a more sustainable regional system.

“There’s a lot of effective approaches to addressing disparities in the Pacific, but we rarely examine whether these efforts translate into sustainable solutions,” Lee said. “We designed this project to show that investing in a multi-modal approach—especially a train-in-place model—can improve patient outcomes and provide a more cost-effective solution for local governments.”

Caldwell, who grew up in Guam, has seen the challenges firsthand. Guam serves as a referral center for patients throughout Micronesia, including those from Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and other outer islands.

“We have access to U.S. referral networks. We can send people to Hawaiʻi, and we also act as our own little hub within Micronesia,” Caldwell said.

The research also highlights Hawaiʻi’s role in strengthening healthcare across the Pacific. JABSOM students regularly complete clinical rotations throughout the region, building relationships with physicians and communities while gaining firsthand insight into healthcare challenges.

The project brought together experts from JABSOM, Stanford University, the University of California San Francisco, the American Red Cross and the Pacific Islands Orthopaedic Association (PIOA).

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Twelve students have joined the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa ‘s (JABSOM) ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 Program, a 53-year initiative to prepare future physicians and strengthen Hawaiʻi‘s healthcare workforce.

The year-long post-baccalaureate program provides academic preparation and support for students pursuing medical careers, with an emphasis on serving Hawaiʻi communities.

The new class includes Swasthita Sadagopan, Dannia Andrade, Camarin Camacho, Johnathan Cornell, Lawrence Gerald Guittap, Kody Kobayashi, Tiffany-Ryan Kusano, Alexia Maki, Nathan Paz, Alessandra Clariss Ramirez, Gabriela Siaosi and Moeko Teter.

Sadagopan, a Mililani native and 糖心视频 M膩noa biology graduate, said mentors helped her overcome doubts about pursuing medicine. She conducted research with JABSOM’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and was encouraged to apply to ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 by physician and program graduate January May Andaya, and professor Ben Fogelgren.

“I’m very thankful for them,” said Sadagopan. “For them to tell me that I’m capable of doing it was really reassuring.”

‘Many hands willing to hold you up’

The class recently met ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 alumni and current medical students during the program’s annual Open House, which gave students an opportunity to learn about the demands of medical school and the support network that comes with the program.

Kobayashi, who hopes to return to Kauaʻi as a physician, said that support is an important part of the ʻImi experience.

“There are many hands here that are willing to hold you up when you need some help,” he said. “We’re always going to have someone who’s there for us.”

Ramirez, who grew up in Waipahu and attended Chapman University in California, said ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 is also helping her achieve her goal of returning home to practice medicine.

“It’s always been my goal and my dream to come back to Hawaiʻi after completing my higher education in California or in the mainland,” Ramirez said. “So I’m really happy that ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 was my opportunity to come home.”

Since 1973, 327 ʻImi 贬辞ʻ艒濒补 participants have graduated from JABSOM, with many going on to become physicians and leaders in Hawaiʻi.

Scientists can’t prepare for future viral threats if they don’t know what’s already in the environment. That’s the idea behind an international research project involving the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM), where researchers created the largest known atlas of RNA viruses found in urban and peri-urban environments worldwide.

Researchers created a baseline map of viruses that already exist in environments people encounter every day. That information could help scientists recognize unusual viral activity sooner and improve surveillance efforts during future outbreaks.

The researchers identified about 60 viruses that computer models predict could infect humans and 47 that may infect other animals. They also identified 166 viruses that appear to interact with antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as ESKAPE pathogens.

“What this study shows is that we can do viral surveillance,” said Joshua Burkhart, an affiliate assistant professor in JABSOM‘s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. “I don’t think we can propose that we have an idea of the next pandemic, but work like this, if conducted more regularly, could help us get ahead of the next pandemic.”

The study, recently published in , identified more than 55,000 RNA virus sequences collected from soil, sediment and other environmental samples across nearly 100 cities in 30 countries. About 80% of those viruses had never been documented before.

While that number may sound alarming, Burkhart says the findings should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a cause for concern.

“I don’t think the results of this study recognize increased risk,” said Burkhart. “Actually, I think it’s a very hopeful message.”

Understanding the findings

“It opens a door,” Burkhart said. “The ESKAPE pathogens are the primary risk, and these viruses could open new avenues for us to develop new antibacterial agents.”

The study also found roughly half of the RNA viruses appear to infect bacteria, challenging the long-held belief that RNA viruses primarily infect animals.

“Soil and sediment had extremely high viral diversity,” Burkhart said. “We already know there are many risks of floodwater and runoff water. I think this study emphasizes our need to study those sources even more.”

Although Hawaiʻi samples were collected as part of related research, they were not included in this publication. Burkhart hopes future studies will expand environmental monitoring throughout the islands.

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A University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa research team is working to improve lung cancer treatment by developing new ways to predict which patients will respond to immunotherapy and identify treatments that can overcome resistance. The five-year, approximately $3.26 million National Institutes of Health grant supports the (JABSOM) and the research team.

The project, “Novel Biomarkers for Predicting and Improving Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer,” runs through July 2031. It is led by Youping Deng, professor and director of JABSOM‘s Bioinformatics Core Facility, who also serves at the 糖心视频 Cancer Center’s Biology Program and Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource.

By combining a predictive biomarker (a biological molecule that helps predict how a patient will respond to treatment) with a potential therapeutic approach, the project aims to help physicians select treatments more precisely while creating new options for patients whose tumors do not respond to existing immunotherapies.

While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)—a type of immunotherapy that blocks the proteins cancer cells use to hide from the immune system, allowing it to better recognize and attack them— have transformed non-small cell lung cancer treatment, resistance remains a hurdle, and current biomarkers are not always accurate in predicting patient response.

“Our team has discovered a new biomarker that may more effectively predict treatment response, as well as a promising therapeutic target that could help overcome ICI resistance,” Deng said. “This NIH R01 grant will allow us to validate these discoveries and move them closer to clinical application.”

The research team includes JABSOM‘s Shaoqiu Chen and Li Ma, and the 糖心视频 Cancer Center’s Owen Chan and Xin Chen.

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A physician wellness program founded by University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM) emeritus professor of psychiatry William “Bill” Haning has earned national recognition for its work supporting Hawaiʻi’s healthcare professionals.

Puʻulu Lapaʻau, Hawaiʻi‘s physician health program, successfully completed the Federation of State Physician Health Programs’ (FSPHP) Performance Enhancement and Effectiveness Review (PEER™), becoming one of the first 10% of physician health programs nationwide—and only the fifth in the country—to achieve the distinction.

The recognition validates Puʻulu Lapaʻau‘s commitment to providing healthcare professionals, including 糖心视频 faculty and students, with nationally recognized support for their health, wellness and resiliency. The PEER™ review evaluates physician health programs against national best practices for clinical care, policies and organizational effectiveness, helping ensure healthcare professionals receive high-quality, confidential support while protecting patient safety.

“This recognition reflects years of dedication to building a program that supports Hawaiʻi’s healthcare professionals with compassion, confidentiality and accountability,” said Haning, who founded Puʻulu Lapaʻau in 2006. “There was no certainty whatsoever as to the potential for success—or for that matter, any longevity developing out of this. To see Puʻulu Lapaʻau recognized as one of the nation’s leading physician health programs is incredibly rewarding.”

Puʻulu Lapaʻau provides confidential support for physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals experiencing burnout, mental health challenges, substance use disorders and other concerns that may affect their well-being or ability to practice. The nonprofit also promotes wellness initiatives that help healthcare professionals remain healthy throughout their careers.

“If we have healthcare providers who are truly healthy themselves, that’s huge,” said Geri Young, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at JABSOM and executive director of Puʻulu Lapaʻau. “Healthcare professionals are just as vulnerable to stress and burnout as anyone else—perhaps even more so. The PEER™ review will strengthen our ability to support Hawaiʻi’s healthcare professionals and, ultimately, the patients they serve.”

Haning brings decades of experience in medicine, education and military service. He recently served on the 糖心视频 Board of Regents from 2021–2026.

Puʻulu Lapaʻau stands ready to come alongside our local healthcare professionals experiencing burnout or struggling with work – life balance. If you or someone you know could benefit from Puʻulu Lapaʻau’s confidential services, visit the , or call (808) 593-7444.

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In an effort to help the estimated 93,000 people exposed to jet-fuel-contaminated drinking water, the , facilitated by the University of Hawaiʻi, held a training event for healthcare professionals with guidance on caring for patients using findings from recent research.

In July 2026, and partnering with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at University of California, Berkeley, the registry provided nearly 200 healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date guidance when caring for patients who were exposed to jet fuel in November 2021, including emerging recommendations for clinical evaluation, monitoring, treatment considerations and patient support. .

Drawing from a recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, “Clinical Follow-up and Care for Those Impacted by the JP-5 Releases at Red Hill,” the registry鈥檚 webinar reached a national audience of participants.

“Broadly sharing the registry as the best method for collecting long-term health information is critical given the global dispersion of exposed military families that have relocated since the crisis occurred,” said Rosana “Sanie” Weldon, director of the Red Hill Registry.

Advancing care through provider education

The registry offers educational opportunities for both healthcare professionals and community members. In March, Seiji Yamada, a family medicine physician, director of medical student education, and faculty member at the , presented the registry鈥檚 first continuing education session for healthcare professionals during “Grand Rounds,” hosted virtually by Pali Momi Medical Center.

“Our website houses resources, such as fact sheets and reports, that Red Hill community members can utilize for their own health advocacy, including a letter to clinicians documenting the exposure,” said Weldon.

One of those resources is a examining the health effects of exposure to unburned kerosene-based jet fuels and other kerosene-based products in Environmental Health. Led by Veronica Carvajal, junior specialist at the and scientific coordinator for the Thompson School Registry Hub, the review is the first to focus on exposure to unburned jet fuel specifically and continues to inform the ongoing work of the registry.

“The Red Hill Registry offers an important opportunity for both community members and researchers to help close this gap, an increasingly urgent issue given the multitude of jet fuel contamination events that have occurred,” said Carvajal.

Since the 2021 fuel spill at Red Hill, additional spills have occurred across the country, underscoring the need to better understand the long-term health effects of pre-combustion jet fuel.

The registry鈥檚 next continuing education opportunity will be at the Western Occupational Health Conference hosted at the ʻAlohilani Resort in September, where registry staff will be keynote speakers.

The University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa’s (JABSOM) marked a major milestone impacting medical care in the state with its White Coat Ceremony in July. The students in the Class of 2030 boosted the school’s Service Commitment Scholarship Program, surpassing 500 years of committed physician service to Hawaiʻi.

The ceremony welcomed 77 incoming medical students, who donned the symbolic white coat marking their entry into the medical profession.

“We are already doing what we’ve dreamed of,” said medical student Gabriela Cruz-Mattos. “Through having the opportunity to focus on academics, to focus on serving our community, I think it’s not just about being able to have that financial support, but being able to have that support just as a community member. I’m just eternally grateful.”

Supporting future physicians

Launched in 2019, the Service Commitment Scholarship Program provides financial support to students who commit to practicing medicine in Hawaiʻi after completing their residency training. Supported by JABSOM and private donors, the program helps address the state’s physician shortage while reducing the financial burden of medical school.

JABSOM awarded about 12 to 13 service commitment scholarships annually during the program’s first several years. This year, the school awarded 21 scholarships, pushing the cumulative service commitment from all recipients beyond 500 years. The long-term impact is expected to be even greater, because many recipients were born and raised in Hawaiʻi and already planned to build their careers here.

For many students, the scholarship allows them to focus on their education while preparing to serve their communities.

Student Tyler Chock hopes to specialize in cardiothoracic surgery to help address cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of illness among Native Hawaiians.

“I’ve always wanted to pursue cardiothoracic surgery,” he said. “My biggest reason is that there’s such a huge disparity, and cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity in the Native Hawaiian population, so I really wanted to help my community reduce that.”

Preparing physicians who remain in Hawaiʻi is central to the school’s mission.

JABSOM Dean Sam Shomaker added, “To the extent our graduates stay and practice medicine here, we’re doing our job and it’s really gratifying to see how many of our graduates wind up deciding to practice here and take care of the communities that raised them.”

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Three years after the 2023 Maui wildfires, residents are showing meaningful signs of recovery—but persistent food insecurity, housing instability, health concerns and weakening social support continue to place many families at risk. That is the central finding of a new community report released July 27 from the (MauiWES), led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi.

The report, “,” follows many of the same adults and children over time, allowing researchers to examine how their health and living conditions have changed since the disaster. The findings show that recovery is underway, but that progress remains uneven across Maui families.

MauiWES has conducted more than 4,000 appointments and screenings to more than 2,500 participants, providing residents with mental health assessments, blood pressure checks, lung function testing, blood testing, social needs screening, health information and referrals.

Key findings

• Employment among returning adults increased from 62.0% to 80.9%.
• Health insurance coverage increased from 85.1% to 90.5%.
• Participants living in temporary housing declined from 40.6% to 34.4%, while those who felt secure in their housing increased from 72.2% to 79.6%.
• Food insecurity remained widespread, affecting 44.9% of returning adults. The most severe level of food insecurity remained essentially unchanged at approximately 23%.
• High social support declined from 62.3% to 53.7%, suggesting growing recovery fatigue and strain on families and community networks.
• Nearly one in two adults continued to report depressive symptoms, approximately one in four screened with moderate-to-severe anxiety and nearly one in three reported post-traumatic stress symptoms.

“These findings show that Maui鈥檚 recovery is moving forward, with real progress in employment, insurance coverage and housing stability,” said Ruben Juarez, co-director of MauiWES and –HMSA Distinguished Professor of Health Economics. “The opportunity now is to build on that progress by connecting housing, food, healthcare and social support so that every family has the foundation needed to recover and thrive.”

The report identifies four closely connected foundations of long-term health recovery:

• Food and income security
• Stable and secure housing
• Access to healthcare and follow-up
• Strong family and community support

Researchers found that residents facing food insecurity, housing insecurity or limited social support consistently experienced greater emotional distress. For example, half of adults who felt insecure in their housing reported moderate-to-severe post-traumatic stress symptoms, compared with about one-quarter of those who felt secure.

“The progress is real, and it should be recognized,” said Alika K. Maunakea, MauiWES co-director and professor. “But the biological, emotional and social consequences of a disaster do not disappear on the same timeline as debris removal or reconstruction. Long-term recovery requires continued health monitoring, early intervention and trusted pathways to care.”

Children remain a priority

The report highlights mixed findings among children and adolescents. Overall anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression declined, but severe depressive symptoms increased from 11.8% to 15.1%, and severe post-traumatic stress symptoms increased.

Children鈥檚 lung function screening results improved but remained concerning, according to researchers. Stage 1-range blood-pressure readings and obesity also increased, reinforcing the importance of continued pediatric screening, school-based mental-health support and family-centered services.

“Children may appear resilient while still carrying significant emotional and physical effects beneath the surface,” said Christopher Knightsbridge, a MauiWES mental-health therapist based in Lahaina. “Supporting children means supporting the entire family鈥攊ncluding their housing, food security, daily routines and access to trusted care.”

From screening to sustained care

The report calls for Maui鈥檚 recovery to move from separate emergency programs toward a coordinated health-recovery system connecting healthcare, behavioral health, housing assistance, food programs, schools, insurance enrollment and trusted community organizations.

“Screening cannot end with a result on paper,” Juarez said. “Every concerning result should become a supported pathway to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Families should not be left to navigate a complicated recovery system on their own.”

MauiWES is a community-based partnership involving 糖心视频 researchers, local healthcare providers, grassroots organizations and recovery partners across Maui.

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See more 糖心视频 News stories on MauiWES. For more on MauiWES and information on resources, .

The University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa 19th annual Medical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) program gave high school students the opportunity to experience life as a medical student.

Throughout the week-long program from July 6 to 10, 84 students worked through medical scenarios they might encounter as physicians.

This year, students experienced a new addition to the program.

Bryan Brown, assistant professor of medicine, introduced a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired learning activity that transformed cardiovascular disease into an interactive adventure. Students worked together to battle characters representing diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and heart disease. Brown鈥檚 goal was to make complex medical concepts memorable by combining storytelling with active learning.

Donor support made it possible for 12 neighbor island students from Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, 尝腻苍补ʻ颈, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island to participate this year.

Charlotte Jo, a student at Wai膩kea High School, hopes to take what she’s learning back to Hawaiʻi Island.

“I’m hoping to learn more so I can come back, serve my community, and really help out our healthcare system,” she said. “We really need it, especially here on the Big Island.”

Nineteen years after the MDT program began, many of its participants have gone on to become medical students. The hope for the program is to leave high-school students inspired to volunteer in hospitals, seek out shadowing opportunities, and continue exploring healthcare.

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Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have found that certain gut bacteria are linked to how quickly the body ages, providing new insight into the connection between the gut, health and longevity.

The findings, , found that differences in gut bacteria explained about 15% of the differences in how quickly participants鈥� bodies were biologically aging. The work provides evidence that gut microbiome carries meaningful biological information related to how quickly the body ages at the molecular level.

“This study advances our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and biological aging,” said senior author Alika K. Maunakea of the 糖心视频 Mānoa . “We found that microbial patterns in the gut were significantly associated with molecular measures of aging, even independent of chronological age. These findings open important new directions for understanding how modifiable biological systems influence long-term health trajectories and longevity.”

• Related 糖心视频 News story: Gut bacteria linked to how our genes switch on and off, September 22, 2025

Tracking the gut-body connection

The research analyzed stool and blood samples from 123 participants representing a broad adult age range. The team compared the types of bacteria found in participants鈥� guts with biological markers in their blood that estimate how quickly their bodies are aging. Unlike chronological age, which measures the number of years a person has lived, biological aging biomarkers attempt to capture how rapidly the body is aging physiologically.

The investigators observed that gut microbial composition was specifically associated with DunedinPACE, a next-generation biomarker that estimates the pace of biological aging. Several types of bacteria demonstrated particularly strong associations with aging trajectories. Among the findings, Bifidobacterium adolescentis emerged as one of the strongest microbial signatures associated with slower biological aging, while Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens showed one of the strongest associations with accelerated aging.

Lead author Braden P. Kunihiro said the findings highlight the growing scientific importance of the gut microbiome in precision health research.

“The gut microbiome is highly responsive to lifestyle, diet, environment and other everyday exposures,” Kunihiro said. “Our findings suggest that the microbiome may reflect important aspects of biological resilience and aging in ways that could eventually help inform future wellness and healthy aging strategies.”

The study also included a group of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander participants, populations historically underrepresented in aging and microbiome research. Co-author Ruben Juarez noted that the work may help researchers better understand how environmental and social factors become biologically embedded over time.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: Native Hawaiians face higher rates of accelerated biological aging, 糖心视频 study finds, July 29, 2024

“The microbiome exists at the intersection of behavior, environment and human biology,” Juarez said. “Studies like this help illuminate potential pathways through which lived experiences and social factors influence long-term health outcomes.”

The researchers emphasize that the study found a connection between gut bacteria and biological aging, but it does not prove that one causes the other. More research is needed to determine whether changing the gut microbiome can affect how the body ages.

“This is an important early step toward understanding the gut microbiome鈥檚 relationship with healthy aging,” Maunakea said. “Future research will help clarify the mechanisms involved and whether these microbial signatures may eventually contribute to precision approaches for promoting long-term health and wellness.”

Editor’s note: This July 15 interview was conducted before federal officials confirmed shredded iceberg lettuce as a source of one cyclospora outbreak; investigations into other cases are ongoing.

A growing cyclospora outbreak across the U.S., including a recently confirmed travel-related case in Hawaiʻi, is raising questions about how the foodborne parasite spreads and how people can protect themselves. Erika Noel, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa (JABSOM), answers common questions about cyclospora, including its symptoms, treatment and simple food safety practices that can help reduce the risk of illness.

Q: Why is this outbreak more concerning than previous years?

Cyclospora is something that we see annually, particularly in the spring and summer months from May through August. But what has been so concerning about this current outbreak is that we don’t currently know the main source. In previous years, it has been traced back to things like raspberries, pre-washed salad mixtures, and other produce.

Q: Can cyclospora spread from person to person?

Cyclospora is not contagious, as it cannot be passed from person to person. It is transmitted when people consume food or water that is contaminated with human feces containing the oocysts, or the eggs, of the parasite.

Q: What symptoms should people watch for?

The symptom range looks like a typical stomach bug: diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, cramping and bloating. Because of that, many cases fly under the radar. Some people ride the illness out at home rather than seeing a doctor. Most of the time, people will recover from the illness on their own, with symptoms resolving within about a week. So, it is definitely not something to panic about. Again, it is important for us to be aware, but not panic, about the cyclospora outbreak during this time.

Q: What are the best ways to reduce your risk?

The best way to prevent illness is to, first and foremost, follow standard hygiene and food safety practices. Washing our hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before and after preparing food is important, as alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not kill cyclospora; however, soap and water do. Cleaning produce with vinegar has been more effective than just running water alone. For example, use one part vinegar to three parts water. It doesn’t kill the cyclospora, but it helps the parasite detach from the fruits and vegetables, which has been shown to reduce the risk of getting sick or making the illness less severe. Produce is safest when it is heated to 158°F degrees or higher, which actually kills the cyclospora.

Q: So when in doubt, just cook it?

Absolutely. When in doubt at this time, the best thing to do is cook. For fruits with crevices, such as raspberries or strawberries with bumpy surfaces, we actually recommend cooking them in pies or jams to greater than 158°F degrees, because we know that those have been linked to previous cyclospora outbreaks. Freezing them can reduce the number of parasites, but probably not entirely, so we do recommend cleaning. Other things like cilantro and basil, which have small leaves, should be washed thoroughly, separating the leaves in order to decrease the chances of an outbreak. For green onions, we would like for you to trim the root end and remove the outer layer.

Q: What should people know if they become infected?

It is part of the reportable diseases to the Department of Health, and we do see some cases every year throughout the nation. So, it is relatively common in the sense that it happens every year, just not to this degree. One of the greatest things about cyclospora is that there are treatments for it. We always say do not take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol without the consultation of your primary care physician. What is interesting is that even though it is a parasite, it has been found that an antibiotic is very effective in treating cyclospora.

Q: What is your final advice?

Even though we cannot eliminate our risk completely, it is just important for us to go back to the basics and always wash our hands. If you are sick, please do not prepare food for yourself or other people. Make sure to call out sick, and know that alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not kill cyclospora. So, always go back to hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

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A new endowed scholarship at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa驶s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) honors the legacy of Caroline Chang, a devoted pediatrician and mentor who was dedicated to mentoring the next generation of physicians. Chang, 43, died in May after an 18-month battle with stage four breast cancer.

Established by her family, the will support JABSOM medical students pursuing pediatrics, reflecting the mentorship and commitment that defined Chang’s career as chief of pediatrics for Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi.

“She just really loved mentoring medical students,” said Jennifer Loh, Chang’s sister-in-law and longtime colleague who serves as chief of endocrinology at Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi. “She wanted to help grow people who might be interested in pediatrics.”

Supporting the next generation of pediatricians

The scholarship aims to ease financial barriers for students considering the specialty.

“Pediatrics is often one of the lower-paid medical specialties, which can create financial barriers for students,” Loh said. “This scholarship offers support to those passionate about the field, while honoring the qualities Caroline embodied.”

At her core, Loh said Chang驶s qualities were brilliance and steadiness.

“She was incredibly bright and hardworking,” she said. “But what made her stand out was that calm, can-do attitude. No drama. You could bring her a problem, and she’d say, ‘We’ll figure it out. We驶ll get it done.’”

For Loh and her brother, Jeff, who was Chang驶s husband, the endowment preserves Chang’s memory for her three children.

“I wanted her to be remembered,” Loh said. “I want her kids to know her as a physician as well as their mom.”

Support the and .

For decades, scientists have studied whether oxygen-carrying liquids could help people breathe when their lungs are too damaged or underdeveloped to function normally. They have assumed those liquids could replace the lung’s natural surfactant—an ultrathin film that coats the tiny air sacs inside the lungs and prevents them from collapsing during breathing. Research from the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa suggests that assumption may be incorrect.

A new three-year, $491,121 National Science Foundation (NSF) award will enable Professor Yi Zuo and his team to investigate one of the most fundamental unanswered questions in lung biophysics while developing a new generation of experimental tools that could advance biomedical engineering, materials science and future liquid breathing technologies.

“The oxygen-carrying liquid does not simply replace the lung’s natural surfactant,” said Zuo from the and the . “Instead, the two appear to work together at the interface between two liquids. Understanding how that interface behaves is essential if we want to improve future liquid ventilation technologies.”

A century-old problem with new implications

Scientists have studied the pulmonary surfactant for more than 70 years to understand how it works when we breathe air. Much less is known about how it behaves when the lungs are filled with oxygen-rich liquids.

Liquid ventilation, in which oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon liquids (synthetic liquids that carry large amounts of oxygen) partially or completely replace air in the lungs, has long been investigated as a potential treatment for premature infants and patients suffering from severe respiratory failure. Researchers have also envisioned future applications in emergency medicine, deep-sea diving and human space exploration. However, much remains unknown about the basic mechanics of how these liquids interact inside the lungs.

Inventing a new scientific tool

A major objective of the project is developing a new experimental platform capable of studying molecular behavior at liquid-liquid interfaces. Current techniques were originally designed nearly a century ago to investigate films on water exposed to air. Those methods work well for traditional surface science but cannot adequately study the interface between two liquids.

Building upon technology invented in Zuo’s laboratory, the team is developing a small device that lets scientists watch how molecules gather and interact where two different liquids meet.

“This project is really about developing a new way of studying one of nature’s most important interfaces,” Zuo said. “Once we have the technology, it can be applied far beyond lung biology.”

Impact beyond medicine

Liquid-liquid interfaces play essential roles in biological systems, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, drug delivery, energy technologies, food science and environmental engineering. The new instrumentation developed through this NSF project is expected to provide researchers with a versatile platform for investigating molecular self-assembly in many different applications.

The University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa’s (JABSOM) is helping strengthen Guam’s future physician workforce by mentoring the next generation of aspiring doctors.

One of them is Eduardo Biala Jr., a recent graduate whose journey to medicine was inspired by watching family members travel off island to access specialty care.

“Seeing my family members navigate healthcare, having to go off-island to seek whatever specialty care they needed and being exposed to that is what kind of got me interested in medicine and I took a leap of faith,” Biala said.

That leap led him from the University of Guam to JABSOM through the ʻImi Hoʻōla Program. Now he mentors students on the same path through Chålan Åmte, a nonprofit founded by JABSOM students and alumni to support aspiring physicians from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Building Guam鈥檚 next healthcare generation

Current JABSOM student Mason Caldwell, Chålan Åmte’s executive director, said the organization has grown into a network of physicians, medical students and pre-medical students committed to strengthening Guam’s healthcare workforce.

“The direct translation of Chålan Åmte is ‘a pathway to healing’ and that鈥檚 one of the things that we鈥檙e trying to solidify and make sure it will continue after us,” Caldwell said.

Members mentor students through the medical school application process and regularly return home to connect with aspiring physicians.

For Caldwell, Chålan Åmte is creating the support system many of its members never had. Instead of relying on word-of-mouth or internet searches, today’s pre-medical students can connect with mentors early and receive guidance throughout the application process. He hopes Chålan Åmte will continue serving as a resource for future physicians while strengthening connections between Guam, the Marianas and JABSOM.

Biala noted that despite the physical distance, he remains deeply connected to the island and finds the work of Chålan Åmte highly rewarding.

“For me, when I hear that they got into JABSOM, I think ‘Yes! You鈥檙e going to love it there!’” he said.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa’s Chelsea Miller has received national recognition for expanding access to hands-on genomics education.

Miller, a PhD student in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering in the (CTAHR), earned the Outstanding Poster Award at the (NISBRE), held June 17 in North Bethesda, Maryland.

Breaking barriers in science education

Her award-winning poster, “Genome on the Go: Decentralizing Molecular Biology Education through Portable Genomics Tools and Near-Peer Mentorship,” highlights a training model designed to reduce barriers to advanced laboratory instruction for students in Hawaiʻi and other geographically isolated regions.

Developed through the (Hawaiʻi INBRE) program with support from U.S. Department of Agriculture workforce development initiatives, the project brings portable DNA sequencing tools and graduate student mentors directly to learners, enabling a full “sample-to-sequence” workflow in classroom and field settings.

Over the past year, Miller and her team conducted 11 workshops across Hawaiʻi, the Pacific and the continental U.S., training 72 participants using Bento Lab and Oxford Nanopore technologies.

Strengthening biomedical workforce development

The approach helps prepare the next generation of biomedical workforce while giving students access to modern molecular biology techniques typically limited to well-equipped research laboratories.

“This award reflects the incredible efforts of our graduate student instructors and the vision of making genomics accessible to every student, regardless of location,” said Jon-Paul Bingham, Hawaiʻi INBRE PATHways director and co-author of the project.

Miller was one of three Hawaiʻi INBRE-affiliated researchers recognized at the biennial NISBRE meeting, which highlights national research and training supported through the IDeA program. Also honored were Li Tao, professor at the , who received the Outstanding Mentorship and Teaching Award, and Natalie Graham, assistant professor at 糖心视频 Hilo, who earned the Scientific Merit Award.

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