An effort to clean up the Ala Wai Canal led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa celebrated two meaningful milestones in April. The reached 300,000 Genki Balls, and the City and County of Honolulu proclaimed April 2026 as “Genki Ball Month.” This bioremediation initiative involves Genki Balls—mud balls containing billions of Effective Microorganisms® (EM)—that are tossed into one of the state鈥檚 most polluted waterways where they sink to the bottom of the canal to help break down the sludge.

More than 150 students from Kamehameha Schools鈥� Kapālama elementary campus, Hawaiʻi School for the Deaf & Blind, Pearl City Elementary School, and Leilehua High School joined the Earth Day celebration at the Diamond Head end of the Ala Wai Canal.

The proclamation, signed by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and presented at the celebration, designated Genki Ball Month in “recognition of the many dedicated individuals and organizations collaborating on the Genki Ala Wai Project” and honored the “noble efforts to keep Honolulu鈥檚 waterways vibrant, safe and clean.”

7 years and 300,000 balls later

EM Technology has been successful in more than 100 countries worldwide over the past 30 years, inspiring Kenneth Kaneshiro, director of the Center for Conservation Research and Training in the at 糖心视频 Mānoa, and others to initiate this effort in 2019. Kaneshiro and his team determined that deploying Genki Balls was an approach that could engage community members and begin to enhance the water quality in the Ala Wai Canal.

The project has truly been a community-based effort, with more than 100 schools and organizations and 21,100 volunteers contributing over the past seven years. Students and community members helped make Genki Balls and tossed them into the canal, all while learning about the place where they live, work, and play.

“What is most gratifying for me is to see how the kids can be influenced by the project and be inspired to go into STEM fields,” said Kaneshiro. “In one instance, a student from ʻIolani School discovered a new species of bacteria which she named and described and published in a scientific journal. Another student built a drone using 3D printing technologies to be able to collect water samples from the Ala Wai to bring back to the lab for analyses of water quality.”

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For her research on fungi that can degrade plastic and sunscreen, Vera Wang, a senior at Kaiser High School, won in multiple categories at the for her research conducted in 鈥檚 lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Wang鈥檚 project earned 1st place Best in Category (Microbiology), 3rd place Best in Fair, a special award from the Friends of Hanauma Bay, a special award from Association for Women Geoscientist, and a scholarship award from the McInerny Foundation. She also qualified for the International Science & Engineering Fair, which will take place in May in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to pursue my project in the Amend Lab,” said Wang, who worked closely with Kaylee Christensen, a graduate student in the Marine Biology Graduate Program. “My research would have never, ever, been possible without Anthony and Kaylee. This project has been part of a much longer journey, so having it recognized feels both surreal and deeply rewarding.”

“This work was made possible because of Vera鈥檚 vision, and it gives me such optimism about the future of science in Hawaiʻi,” said Amend, who is based in the at (SOEST). “Her success is a testament to our public school system which is doing a wonderful job supporting and training our next generation of students. I can鈥檛 wait to see what discoveries she makes in college!”

Coconuts, fungus vs. plastic, sunscreen

During her sophomore year, Wang designed and built an ocean filter that removed sunscreen and microplastics from the surface water that was inspired by traditional Polynesian weaving while incorporating modern environmental science. It was not only scientifically effective, but—made entirely from coconut byproducts—also environmentally responsible across its full life cycle. But Wang realized that removing the pollutants from water is only part of the problem. The next challenge she considered was how to dispose of them responsibly.

“I learned that the pore structure of coconut fiber supports the movement of air and water, which can create a favorable environment for microbes,” Wang said. “That led me to wonder whether coconut husk could do more than physically capture pollutants. So this year, my research at the Amend Lab began exploring the fungal communities living in coconut husks and studying their growth and degradation abilities on sunscreen and plastic media.”

They discovered that fungi found naturally on coconut husks can biodegrade (decompose) sunscreen and plastic and that a tannin compound can be used to identify sunscreen- and plastic-degrading fungi. Christensen shared that the tannins present in the fibers might be encouraging growth of these complex degraders. Additionally, their genetic testing showed that some of the fungal species did not have a match to anything in the world鈥檚 largest reference database of known genes and genomes, indicating that these may be previously uncharacterized species.

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University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa graduating senior Emily Josefina Velasquez had full-ride scholarship offers closer to home. Instead, Velasquez, who came to Hawaiʻi from Mozambique, chose 糖心视频 M膩noa for its culture of environmental stewardship and community-centered science.

Among the more than 2,500 graduates in 糖心视频 M膩noa鈥檚 spring 2026 commencement ceremonies, Velasquez may have traveled the farthest to reach the islands. Her journey from Mozambique in southeastern Africa to Hawaiʻi spans approximately 12,000 miles, one of the longest possible distances between two points on Earth. She said Hawaiʻi immediately felt familiar in their connections between environment, culture and community.

“I wanted to study somewhere where the love and the passion for the environment and environmental science wasn鈥檛 separate from everyday life and kind of just ingrained within the culture,” she said.

Her family is expected to travel to Hawaiʻi to attend commencement. Velasquez said she told them that they didn鈥檛 have to make the trip, but they insisted on coming, and she said she is excited to welcome them to Hawaiʻi to watch her graduate.

Raised across continents

A major in the , Velasquez was born in California before moving with her family to Nigeria at 3 months old. She later lived in Ecuador and Mozambique as her father worked on international shipping port development projects.

Before arriving in Hawaiʻi, Velasquez said she was searching for a university where science extended beyond the classroom. It was her high school English teacher at the American International School of Mozambique鈥攚here she graduated as the valedictorian鈥攚ho told her what he knew about 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

“You can take a biology class, and they鈥檒l teach you the same things, but it鈥檚 all about how it鈥檚 implemented,” she said. “I wanted to learn not only how the ecosystem works, but how it鈥檚 integrated within the community and the culture.”

‘I had a purpose being here’

She said 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 emphasis on environmental stewardship reminded her of the collectivist cultures she experienced growing up in Mozambique and Ecuador.

“I felt like the Hawaiian epistemology and the way the culture just so resembles what I grew up in,” she said.

At 糖心视频 M膩noa, Velasquez immersed herself in research opportunities across multiple disciplines. Her work has included invasive algae research in the Gal谩pagos Islands, invasive species studies at and marine carbon dioxide removal research through the . She has received funding and a scholarship through to present research on invasive species in Portugal.

Meet more amazing 糖心视频 graduates

“I was just extremely busy doing things,” Velasquez said. “Joining the sailing team and joining organizations and work definitely made it not feel like I was so far away from home, but that all the work I was doing here was meaningful and like I had a purpose being here.”

Finding community in Hawaiʻi

Velasquez said the transition to Hawaiʻi was made easier through friendships she built at 糖心视频 M膩noa, especially with her roommate, an international student from Switzerland and Brazil.

“Knowing that both our families are on the complete opposite side of the world, we were always there for each other,” she said.

Although she is graduating a year early, Velasquez said she plans to take time to reconnect with family and community in Mozambique before pursuing graduate school.

I haven’t gone back home for almost the entire time I鈥檝e been here. I need to return, not just to my family but to my other community, to reconnect and reflect on why I chose this path and where everything I鈥檝e learned can do the most good. Honestly, home is a complicated word for me since it’s not just where my family is but where I can show up, contribute, belong and wherever my curiosity takes me next.

Looking back on her time at 糖心视频 M膩noa, Velasquez said the university shaped both her scientific perspective and her understanding of responsibility as a researcher.

“It definitely has shaped me to become the kind of scientist that I want to become,” she said. “It showed me that science and cultural knowledge do not exist separately.”

The first cohort of the at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa includes 14 students, seven of whom are supported through from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hawaiʻi (DAR) and a Hawaiʻi-based philanthropic organization. Students and their 糖心视频 advisors will work collaboratively with the sponsoring agencies and Hawaiʻi communities on their graduate research projects.

“It is really encouraging to see the significant support for this new program from the community and the state and federal agencies we partner with,” said Jeff Drazen, sustainable fisheries program graduate chair and oceanography professor in the 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST). “Welcoming the first cohort of students is an exciting milestone, and having this level of community collaboration will really advance our goal of ensuring sustainable fisheries for people throughout the Pacific.”

The incoming students receiving fellowships are Kai Holdaway, Alexander Jemal, Ashley Meara, Kahakuhailoa Poepoe, Mackenzie Thielmann, Andrea Vega and Jake Zikan. Of the seven students, six will pursue master鈥檚 degrees, and one will pursue a doctoral degree; two are from Hawaiʻi, and five are from the U.S. continent.

Students address fisheries near and far

Supported by one of two DAR Fellowships, Thielmann鈥檚 research will focus on finding “nursery” areas where young fish grow along Oʻahu’s coastlines to help protect future fish populations. By analyzing a large state dataset, Thielmann will identify where juvenile fish are most common and see if these “hotspots” match up with where legal-sized adult fish live. This project will use advanced science to ensure that culturally important reef fish remain abundant for local families and fishers. Further, this will help DAR create better fishing rules and habitat protections.

One of the four fellowships supported by the in Honolulu, awarded to Holdaway, will support building a computer model that predicts where the Hawaiʻi longline fishing fleet might shift to as ocean conditions and fishing laws change. By analyzing vessel data and interviewing fishers, Holdaway wants to understand how factors like earnings, weather, and mapping tools influence a captain鈥檚 decisions. Ultimately, this work seeks to balance catching target fish with avoiding protected species to ensure a healthier marine ecosystem.

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–By Marcie Grabowski

For decades, scientists have worked to improve predictions of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate powerhouse that can cause droughts, flooding, marine heatwaves and more around the world. Researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa a study showing that they can skillfully predict El Niño and La Niña 15 months ahead of time using only observations of the ocean surface temperature and height—no complex climate model needed.

“We found that it can predict El Niño and La Niña surprisingly well, with useful skill up to about 15 months ahead,” said Yuxin Wang, lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher with the in the 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST). “Accurately predicting ENSO more than a year in advance is important because it can provide early warning, allowing communities, governments and resource managers to take actions and make adaptations to reduce the potential impacts from El Niño and La Niña.”

“Our simpler, data-driven empirical climate model, built only from ocean observations related to two core climate memories known for over 50 years, achieves ENSO forecast skill comparable to, and in some cases better than, many of today鈥檚 more complex climate models and leading AI-based approaches,” added Wang.

Building on past discoveries

Klaus Wyrtki, a pioneering oceanographer at SOEST in the 1960s through 1990s, was the first to show that sea level changes can reveal heat build-up in the tropical Pacific, which led him to propose using tide gauge observations to predict El Niño. Klaus Hasselmann, a German oceanographer and Nobel laureate, showed that the ocean can retain a memory of past climate conditions through large-scale temperature patterns, including sea surface temperature patterns outside the tropical Pacific that can still influence ENSO.

Building on these two principles, the SOEST team developed the “Wyrtki-CSLIM,” short for Wyrtki CycloStationary Linear Inverse Model, a computer model to predict ENSO.

Predicting future ENSO

The Wyrtki-CSLIM currently predicts the development of a strong El Niño, more than 2°C warmer than normal over the equatorial eastern Pacific, toward the end of this year. This up-to-date is available online at the 糖心视频 Sea Level Center.

“Our Wyrtki model is predicting a stronger El Niño than most of the other statistical models, and it is in line with the much more sophisticated dynamical models,” said Matthew Widlansky, study co-author and associate director of the 糖心视频 Sea Level Center. “However, it is important to note that all models have uncertainties, and the climate impacts of each El Niño event are different.”

This new research also offers a clear direction for other ENSO forecasting systems.

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University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa professor David Ho was selected as a lead author for the on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). The report will give guidance to countries regarding how to estimate and report the emissions they manage through those methods as part of their national greenhouse gas inventories.

CDR and CCUS are tools to help countries achieve their emissions and climate targets, and the diversity of approaches to remove and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are growing fast.

“However, countries currently lack consistent, scientifically rigorous guidance on estimating and reporting the emissions they manage through these technologies in their national greenhouse gas inventories,” said Ho. “Without that, it’s very difficult to hold anyone accountable or to determine whether CDR and CCUS are actually delivering on their promises. This methodology report is about building the foundation to get the accounting right so that progress in CDR and CCUS is real and verifiable.”

The current federal administration withdrew the U.S. from the IPCC process earlier this year, creating a gap in U.S. expert representation in the IPCC. An observer organization nominated Ho so that U.S.-based expertise could still contribute to this report.

“The IPCC has brought together lead authors from a wide range of disciplines and geographies, and the conversations are already substantive and rigorous,” Ho said. “There’s a real shared sense that this report matters, that it will shape how governments think about CDR and CCUS for years to come. It’s a significant commitment, but one I think is genuinely worth making.”

The first lead author meeting was held in Rome, Italy, in April. More than 150 experts, selected by the IPCC Task Force Bureau, are participating in the writing process.

For more information, .

Oceanographers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa discovered that microbial communities—from the sunlit surface to extreme depths—in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre exhibit robust seasonal cycles. provides new insight into how high levels of biodiversity are maintained in the open ocean.

“A long-standing question in biological oceanography, which we refer to as the ‘paradox of the plankton,’ asks: How can open ocean species diversity be so vast and sustained, in a seemingly homogeneous environment like the open ocean?,” said Fuyan Li, lead author of the study and affiliate researcher in the in the 糖心视频 Mānoa .

The blue, deep waters of the Pacific Ocean have extremely low nutrient concentrations compared to coastal areas that teem with visible life, such as kelp forests off California or coral reefs in Hawaiʻi.

“Theoretical ecology suggests that one way co-occurring species diversity can be maintained, is if shared resources, such as nutrients, are used at different times of year, thereby minimizing competition,” Li said. “Though seasonal cycles are a fundamental property of many diverse ecosystems, seasonality in the tropics is less pronounced than in temperate or polar ocean habitats.” This work was funded by the Simons Foundation project called the SCOPE.

Tracking microbes through DNA

To determine whether microbial communities at Station ALOHA, a tropical, open ocean research station 60 miles north of Oʻahu, have seasonal cycles, Li and colleagues analyzed microbial DNA in samples collected monthly over eight years, leveraging the Hawaiʻi Ocean Time-series (HOT) program. The combination of frequent sampling over a long time period, and high-resolution species identification, allowed the researchers to make these new and unprecedented open ocean observations.

They found that more than 60% of the microbial groups they tracked exhibited seasonal cycling. While these seasonal cycles diminished at depths below 150 meters, surprisingly, they remained measurable in some deep-sea microbial species at depths of nearly two and a half miles.

“Notably, very closely related species or subspecies ‘bloomed’ at different times of the year, similar to seasonal patterns observed in some terrestrial plants and animals,” Li said. “Taking turns with respect to nutrient use throughout the year seems to be a key ecological strategy for microbial communities to maintain their diversity.”

By sustaining their populations throughout the year, microbial communities consistently supply organic matter and energy to organisms higher in the food web, for example larval fish. In this way, microbes ensure the stability of the marine food web and productivity in waters across the Pacific Ocean.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has finalized a strategic reorganization moving the within the (SOEST) to strengthen research synergies while maintaining dedication to the conservation of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 unique natural environment.

The Waikīkī Aquarium’s public offerings, including educational programs, conservation efforts, and community engagement, will remain unchanged. These adjustments are designed to enhance operations and more closely integrate the aquarium’s public mission with the university’s research objectives.

“This reorganization represents a commitment to the long-term sustainability of the Waikīkī Aquarium as a beloved public-facing institution,” 糖心视频 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “By moving the aquarium into a more robust research framework, we are ensuring it remains a premier site for marine conservation while maintaining the excellence and educational programming the community has come to expect.”

A living laboratory

The Waikīkī Aquarium reorganization into SOEST aims to create a more cohesive framework for marine science education and community service.

“Bringing the Waikīkī Aquarium into SOEST strengthens a powerful bridge between research, education, and community engagement—transforming it into a living laboratory where world-class science directly connects with the people of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific,” SOEST Dean Chip Fletcher said.

The move will integrate the Aquarium’s public education and service mission with SOEST鈥檚 marine life laboratory initiatives and research capabilities.

“As the state鈥檚 trusted window into Pacific marine life, the synergy created by anchoring the WaikĪkĪ Aquarium within SOEST will not only enhance the stewardship and research stories that the Aquarium is able to share with our community, but will provide even greater opportunities for our students to gain hands-on experience in marine husbandry and conservation,” Waikīkī Aquarium Acting Director Judith D. Lemus said.

The reorganization from the Office of the Provost is reported to be cost-neutral, with no additional funds or positions requested. Current employees at Waikīkī Aquarium will remain in their existing positions and structures, ensuring continuity of service for the public and the university community.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has received nearly $1 million in new federal funding—including a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award—for research led by Assistant Professor Tianlu Wang to develop tiny, flexible robots designed to work in hard-to-reach environments, from coral reefs to the human body.

The funding includes a five-year, $659,613 CAREER award and a two-year, $299,997 Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Fellows grant, both from NSF.

“By focusing on both performance and safety, we鈥檙e working to make miniature robots practical for real-world use in places that are difficult to reach,” said Wang from 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 . “This research brings us closer to technologies that can better support healthcare and protect sensitive environments.”

The CAREER project focuses on improving how small “soft” robots move and function in fluids such as the ocean or inside the body. These robots, about the size of a few millimeters to centimeters, can adapt to their surroundings. However, they currently lack the speed, agility and manipulation capabilities as seen in small marine organisms. The research aims to change that by developing new ways for the robots to interact with fluids, helping them move faster, turn more easily and handle objects. Potential uses include exploring coral reefs and mangroves, monitoring aquaculture systems and reaching difficult areas of the body for medical diagnosis or treatment. The project also supports student learning through new courses, research opportunities and public outreach.

The CAREER program is the NSF鈥檚 flagship award for early-career faculty in the U.S., supporting those who show strong potential to lead in both research and education. CAREER awardees are also eligible for nomination to the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, a White House honor recognizing innovative research and leadership.

Safety and environmentally friendly design

The EPSCoR fellowship focuses on safety and environmentally friendly design. In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, the project will develop miniature soft robots made from materials that are safer for natural environments and medical use. It will also establish methods for designing and testing these robots to ensure they can operate effectively without causing harm. The work is expected to expand research opportunities at 糖心视频, while training students in robotics, materials science and biomedical engineering.

Wang also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at The Queen鈥檚 Medical Center and a cooperating faculty in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

Related 糖心视频 News stories:

• Heart tech, mini medical robot breakthrough: 糖心视频 researcher earns $230K award, April 8, 2026
• Bio-inspired breakthroughs: Engineering solutions from nature, August 26, 2025
• Team of microscopic soft robots could transform medical care, November 10, 2024
• Robot tech to clean oceans wows international summit, February 6, 2024

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers revealed that Waikīkī is facing a fundamental shift in flood hazards as sea levels rise—transitioning from a flooding that is driven primarily by rainfall to events increasingly dominated by tidal processes. The team identified two key pathways that will become more significant with sea-level rise, both of which will increase public exposure to sewage-contaminated waters. The study was published in .

“Our findings make clear that current flood management strategies for Waikīkī are incomplete,” said Kayla Yamamoto, climate modeling analyst at the in the 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST). “Most planning focuses on surface damage and economic loss from storms, but largely ignores the contamination dimension. Our results show that contaminated flooding will become more frequent, more extensive, and eventually a daily occurrence rather than a storm-driven one. There are currently no effective management strategies in place to address this.”

Simulating future scenarios

The team used an open-source, physics-based flood model to simulate how multiple flood sources interact in Waikīkī. The team used an advanced flood model that, unlike previous models, integrates all sources of flooding—rain, tides, underground water behavior, and storm drains—to provide a single, complete view of the hazard

“What we found is that during extreme rainfall like we鈥檝e been experiencing, high tides and elevated water levels in the Ala Wai can combine to create conditions where contaminated water flows back into low-lying streets and sidewalks,” said Shellie Habel, study co-author and coastal geologist with the Coastal Research Collaborative and . “As sea level rises, it will take less extreme rainfall and tides to cause similar flooding in the future.”

The two key pathways they identified were: storm drain backflow, where polluted water from the Ala Wai Canal is forced into streets and public spaces in Waikīkī through drainage systems, and groundwater emergence, which brings sewage and other contaminants from aging and leaking sewage infrastructure to the surface.

The model simulations show that storm drain backflow is projected to occur even when there is no rainfall:

• 1 foot of sea-level rise: Storm drain backflow occurs during extreme tides, even without rain.
• 2 feet of sea-level rise: Storm drain backflow occurs during moderate daily tidal conditions.
• 4 feet of sea-level rise: Groundwater emergence (bringing sewage to the surface) begins to occur without rain.

Researchers compared their model simulations against tide gauges, canal water level sensors, groundwater monitoring wells, and photographs of street-level flooding during three real recent storm events, including a major 50-year Kona storm in December 2021, a moderate storm in April 2023, and a five-year Kona storm in May 2024.

Implications for Waikīkī, beyond

The Ala Wai Canal is one of the most polluted waterways in Hawaiʻi, containing sewage, heavy metals and pathogens such as Vibrio and MRSA. Exposure to these waters is a documented risk, with MRSA infections linked to Hawaiʻi waters already contributing to an estimated 200 deaths per year in the state. Because Waikīkī is a primary economic engine where residents and visitors are in constant contact with coastal waters, the anticipated flooding represents a growing public health and environmental crisis.

Many coastal cities around the world rely on estuarine waterways to drain their stormwater, and face the same combination of aging infrastructure, rising seas and contaminated waters.

“Our modeling framework is transferable, and we hope this study serves as a wake-up call to modernize stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, integrate contamination risk into coastal flood planning, and build early warning systems before these thresholds are crossed,” Yamamoto said.

Danielle Bartz, a PhD candidate in at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has received a . Initially selected by the Zonta Club of Hilo for a $2,000 local award, Bartz advanced to the international competition, where she emerged as one of 16 recipients worldwide. This $10,000 award recognizes outstanding women in STEM, with honorees representing nine countries in this year鈥檚 cohort.

Bartz鈥檚 research leverages cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies combined with local ecological knowledge shared by the community to monitor marine biodiversity and assess critical habitats. She developed a novel, low-cost eDNA water filtration system, which has the potential to revolutionize marine biodiversity monitoring by making it more accessible and cost-effective, particularly in resource-limited settings. This project was supported by the Patents2Products Fellowship through the 糖心视频 Office of Innovation and Commercialization.

“It鈥檚 an honor to be part of a global group of women working to advance STEM, and I am very thankful for the opportunities I鈥檝e found through the Zonta Club,” Bartz said. “I鈥檝e connected with this phenomenal network of women supporting women. My goal is to make marine research more accessible while working alongside local communities to protect culturally and ecologically important species.”

Bartz鈥檚 dissertation examines the disappearance of a culturally and ecologically significant shark species in Hawaiʻi. Her research, which confirmed a shark nursery habitat in Hilo Bay, contributed to the area鈥檚 first formal recognition as a vital shark habitat by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: Shark nursery habitat research earns PhD candidate top international award, March 20, 2025

The Zonta Women in STEM Award uplifts innovation and celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women between 18-35 years of age in STEM fields and acknowledges their groundbreaking research, pioneering discoveries, and/or exemplary contributions to advancing knowledge and innovation in a STEM field.

The Marine Biology Graduate Program is an interdisciplinary program co-administered by 糖心视频 Mānoa‘s and the .

Visualizing a future where to survive rising tides has earned a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research team the 2026 Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) Best Journal Article Award.

The team leveraged scientific data, studies and community participation to create architectural renderings that visualize how 奥补颈办ī办ī鈥檚 built environment can be modified to accommodate future flooding.

“By merging climate science with architectural design and integrating direct community feedback, we are creating forward-looking, actionable visions that will help coastal communities like Waikīkī successfully adapt to the growing realities of sea-level rise,” said Wendy Meguro, principal investigator and associate professor.

Selected for its “exceptional quality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the field,” was honored in April at the 2026 ARCC–EAAE International Conference at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.

Engaging stakeholders

The research engaged more than 1,000 individuals, including residents, urban planners, government employees and local business owners. Presentations of these strategies have drawn hundreds of participants from recreation, hotel and restaurant industries. The findings are already being utilized by the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi and the Honolulu Climate Change Commission to guide adaptation policies.

“This recognition underscores the immense value of community-driven design in climate resilience,” said research associate Josephine Briones. “Our process shows that when you actively listen to stakeholders and combine their local insights with rigorous scientific evidence, the resulting adaptation strategies become much more practical, impactful and relevant.”

Authored by Meguro, Briones, German “Gerry” Failano and Charles “Chip” Fletcher, the project represents a partnership between the , and . It was funded by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, National Sea Grant and the Office of Naval Research.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has identified a large-scale tropical disturbance called the Madden鈥揓ulian Oscillation (MJO) as a significant driver of the islands’ climate, including extreme events, such as the extraordinary rainfall Hawaiʻi experienced in March and April. This weather pattern travels eastward through the tropics every 30–60 days and, , significantly boosts rainfall during its active phases, particularly on windward slopes.

This research advances scientific knowledge of the processes that influence 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 climate and can help improve forecasts one to three months in advance.

“Understanding how the MJO affects 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 climate helps explain rainfall variability on timescales of weeks to months,” said Audrey Nash, lead author of the study and doctoral candidate in the in 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 . “The MJO evolves slowly and can be monitored in real time. Understanding its influence can help scientists and forecasters better anticipate periods of heavy rainfall, drought conditions, and shifts in weather patterns across the islands.”

High-resolution data reveals the pattern

While the MJO was known to influence weather patterns across the tropics, its impact on Hawaiʻi had not previously been examined in detail at timescales of one to three months.

Nash and Giuseppe Torri, associate professor of atmospheric sciences, analyzed long-term, high-resolution atmospheric and rainfall datasets covering Hawaiʻi and the surrounding Pacific Ocean, including data from the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal. By compositing rainfall, temperature and atmospheric variables across different phases of the MJO, they identified consistent patterns showing how the MJO modulates rainfall and climate conditions across the Hawaiian Islands.

“We expected a small impact, but it was surprising how consistently rainfall across the islands responds to active and suppressed phases of the MJO,” said Nash.

Active phases of the MJO are also associated with cooler temperatures, higher humidity and stronger northeasterly winds across the islands. The authors note that these patterns appear to be linked to large-scale atmospheric responses to the MJO, including slow moving Rossby waves in the central North Pacific and strengthening of the local Hadley Circulation, a major feature of global atmospheric movement that cools the tropics and warms the poles.

“Improving our understanding of rainfall variability is critical for water management, agriculture, and hazard preparedness,” said Nash. “This work reflects the University of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 mission to study the unique environmental systems that shape life in the islands and to provide science that benefits local communities.”

, an assistant professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa , has received the Career Development Award from the to advance medical research and technology for vascular and heart health. The three-year, $230,727 award supports promising early-career investigators working on innovative solutions in cardiovascular and related biomedical research.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” Wang said. “This support allows us to explore bold ideas that could change how we approach medical treatment inside the human body, while building a strong network of collaborators who bring different expertise to the table. It鈥檚 a great opportunity to train the next generation of engineers and create technologies that could one day make procedures safer and less invasive.”

Wang鈥檚 project focuses on developing miniature soft robotics combined with artificial intelligence to create new medical devices that can navigate hard-to-reach areas of the body and enhance the function of cardiovascular and neurovascular systems. The work builds on Wang鈥檚 previous research on soft robotics inspired by diverse marine life. By studying how small aquatic animals move efficiently through complex environments, his team designs flexible robots that can safely operate in delicate spaces, such as inside the human body.

Related 糖心视频 News stories:

• Bio-inspired breakthroughs: Engineering solutions from nature, August 26, 2025
• Team of microscopic soft robots could transform medical care, November 10, 2024
• Robot tech to clean oceans wows international summit, February 6, 2024

The award also supports collaboration and mentorship with scientists from 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 , The Queen鈥檚 Medical Center, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These partnerships aim to strengthen research and expand real-world applications of miniature soft robotics in healthcare.

Wang also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at The Queen鈥檚 Medical Center and a cooperating faculty in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

The project highlights 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 growing role in robotics and biomedical engineering, with a focus on developing technologies that can improve patient care and address complex health challenges such as sudden cardiac arrest.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor Emeritus of and pioneering marine microbiologist , was as a Fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology. The recognition celebrates outstanding scientific achievement and leadership in microbiology.

DeLong is considered a trailblazer in the field of metagenomics—the study of all genetic material from all organisms in a particular environment—whose research has transformed understanding of the ocean’s microbial life. His work advanced innovative gene cloning and sequencing, allowing scientists to study complex marine microbial communities and their role in the environment without the use of traditional microbial cultures.

“I was thrilled to hear the news about Ed’s election to the European Academy of Microbiology, a well-earned honor,” said David Karl, 糖心视频 Mānoa oceanography professor,DeLong鈥檚 long-time colleague and co-director of both the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education and the . “Ed and other newly elected members represent the second golden age of microbiology, one centered on microbial oceanography and ecology.”

Scientific breakthroughs

Early in DeLong鈥檚 career, he used methodologies developed by his postdoctoral research advisor Norm Pace to identify microbes “in the wild.” Together they discovered two new lineages of a major microbial group called Archaea (previously not thought to live in seawater) were abundant everywhere—from in the Pacific Ocean to Antarctica, and from the sea surface to the seafloor.

Later, new methods that DeLong鈥檚 group adapted from the Human Genome project to study microbial ecology led to the discovery that most bacteria in the upper ocean can use sunlight to generate biochemical energy using proteins called opsins. This finding revealed a widespread, previously unknown solar energy-gathering mechanism in the ocean, with significant implications for the global carbon and energy cycles.

“To be recognized and honored by world-renowned microbiologists of the European Union was unexpected, and very humbling,” DeLong said. “I believe that scientific disciplines like microbiology should have no geographic or cultural boundaries—yet in today鈥檚 political landscape there are increasing challenges to free and open international collaborations. To me, this makes recognition by the European Academy of Microbiology all the more potent of an honor.”

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Ten graduate programs at the are in the nation鈥檚 top 50, and an additional 17 programs are in the top 100, according to the 2026 , released on April 7.

糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 (JABSOM) also placed in the nation鈥檚 top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care, and 糖心视频 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 ranked in a in the nation.

The highest ranked 糖心视频 Mānoa programs were in the , ranking No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs.

The ranked No. 22 (tied) for best international programs, and the (SOEST) placed No. 40 (tied) for best Earth sciences programs. JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas and No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care.

“糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 strong showing in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings underscores our commitment to excellence in teaching, research and student success,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “These results reflect the talent and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, and Hawaiʻi can take pride in knowing their university is preparing the next generation of leaders and changemakers for our community and the world.”

Rankings were based on multiple factors, including research activity (such as publications and citations), student and alumni outcomes (employment and earnings), quality assessments (from peers and recruiters), student selectivity (GPA and test scores), and faculty resources (doctoral degrees awarded and student-to-faculty ratios).

Note: not all programs are ranked every year. See these 糖心视频 News stories on previous years鈥� rankings: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Jump to program rankings:
William S. Richardson School of Law  |  John A. Burns School of Medicine  |  Shidler College of Business  |  School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology  |  School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene  |  College of Education  |  Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health  |  College of Social Sciences  |  College of Engineering  |  College of Natural Sciences  |  College of Arts, Languages & Letters

William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law was ranked in 16 categories by U.S. News and World Report. In addition to its ranking of No. 18 (tied) for best environmental law programs and law schools with most grads in federal clerkships, No. 24 for best part-time law programs, No. 41 (tied) for best international law programs, No. 47 (tied) for best dispute resolution programs and No. 48 (tied) for best legal writing programs, the 糖心视频 law school placed No. 91 (tied) among the top law schools in the nation.

Other law school rankings include:

• Tax law: No. 80 (tied)
• Criminal law: No. 88 (tied)
• Contracts/commercial law: No. 92 (tied)
• Health care law: No. 92 (tied)
• Constitutional law: No. 95 (tied)
• Business/corporate law: No. 101 (tied)
• Clinical training: No. 102 (tied)
• Intellectual property law: No. 127 (tied)
• Trial advocacy: No. 175 (tied)

John A. Burns School of Medicine

JABSOM was one of 16 schools that placed in the nation鈥檚 top tier (tier 1) for best medical schools for primary care. JABSOM also placed in tier 3 for best medical schools for research.
In addition, JABSOM ranked No. 42 for most graduates practicing in rural areas, No. 45 for most graduates practicing in primary care, No. 139 for speech language pathology and No. 171 for most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas. .

Shidler College of Business

The Shidler College of Business placed in nine subject areas. Leading the way were international programs at No. 22 (tied), accounting programs at No. 68 (tied), information systems programs at No. 72 (tied) and marketing programs at No. 91 (tied). In addition, Shidler ranked at No. 104 (tied) for best management programs, No. 113 (tied) for best executive programs, No. 123 (tied) for best finance programs, No. 125 (tied) for best entrepreneurship programs and No. 142 (tied) for best part-time MBA programs.

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

SOEST placed No. 40 (tied) among the nation鈥檚 best Earth sciences programs.

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene placed No. 55 (tied) for best nursing school–master鈥檚 and No. 62 (tied) for best nursing school–doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Both were the only programs in Hawaiʻi to be ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

College of Education

The College of Education ranked No. 57 (tied) in the U.S., the 21st straight year the college has been listed as one of the nation鈥檚 top 100 education programs. Nationally accredited since 2000, the College of Education continues to be recognized for its award-winning programs and people.

Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health

The ranked No. 89 (tied) among the nation鈥檚 top public health schools and programs in the U.S. accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The Department of Public Health Sciences offers a ; a , with specializations in , , and , and a , as well as PhD program in , specializing in community-based and translational research and a PhD in . The Department of Public Health Sciences is also home to an online master of public health program to meet workforce demands.

College of Social Sciences

The College of Social Sciences placed among the nation鈥檚 best in at No. 90 (tied) and at No. 92 (tied).

College of Engineering

The ranked among the nation鈥檚 best in at No. 91 (tied), at No. 92 (tied), and at No. 128 (tied). The College of Engineering overall ranked No. 164 (tied) among the top engineering schools in the U.S. that grant doctoral degrees.

College of Natural Sciences

The placed among the nation鈥檚 best in at No. 97 (tied), and at No. 115 (tied), and at No. 125 (tied).

College of Arts, Languages & Letters

糖心视频 Mānoa placed No. 106 (tied) among the nation’s best for fine arts programs.

Other rankings

糖心视频 Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject, March 25, 2026
• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ballroom dance team won its third consecutive national title at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 27–29.

Competing against 37 colleges, 糖心视频 Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation鈥檚 top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @糖心视频M—a registered independent organization at 糖心视频 Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the 糖心视频 Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @糖心视频M was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

“Nationals was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me,” said Caleb Zerbe, who competed in the nationals for the first time. “Getting to see so many people dance and enjoy themselves on the floor made me realize how fun dancing can be, even at the highest stages. It was a moment that helped me build a lot of confidence, and one that I will never forget.”

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious 糖心视频 Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.). Each student danced in up to 32 different events at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, tango, viennese waltz, foxtrot and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero and mambo) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba, paso doble and jive).

Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some events. This trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as Hawaiʻi has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all 糖心视频 Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, 糖心视频 Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

糖心视频 Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science), coach and alumnus
• Synthia Sumukti, coach and alumna
• ʻAulani Wagner, library science and American studies
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Amanda Kanthack, psychology and Japanese
• Caleb Zerbe, computer science
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Christopher Wright, electrical engineering
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Hannah Madiam, kinesiology
• Iris Calauan, pre-nursing
• Jonathan Bona, civil engineering
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Kanaru Ebi, psychology
• Karl Merritt, mechanical engineering
• Luis Hernandez, electrical and computer engineering
• Lyndsey Moku, political science
• Maya Ito, psychology
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Noah Asano, computer science
• Samantha Reed, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Tessa Heidkamp, journalism and political science
• Andrew Lin, computer science alumnus
• Sydney Kim, computer science alumna
• Jason Aguda, computer engineering alumnus
• Matthew Rummel, political science and business alumnus
• Ariel Ramos, cinematic arts animation alumna
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science alumnus
• Wilson Tran, computer science alumnus
• Florence Liu, faculty, mathematics

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心视频 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心视频 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti dancing the Mambo in the Senior IV American Rhythm Championship final. (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Students cheering for their coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Among the finalists in a national NASA competition focused on advancing technologies for future space exploration is a student-led engineering team from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and 糖心视频 Hilo.

(Robotic Space Exploration) is one of 14 university teams selected for the 2026 . The challenge invites students to develop innovative concepts supporting sustained human activity on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Powering lunar operations

The team鈥檚 proposal, (Power Energy Transfer Architecture for the Lunar), centers on building a scalable power management and distribution system for lunar operations. The concept integrates multiple energy sources and storage methods, including nuclear power and energy stored using lunar soil, to support long-term missions and lays the groundwork for future applications on Mars.

As a finalist, Project PETAL received a $7,000 award to support participation in the RASC-AL Forum, scheduled for June 1–4, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. During the forum, students will present their work to NASA engineers and industry professionals while refining their concepts through technical feedback. The top-performing teams will be recognized for technical merit, innovation and presentation excellence.

“Being part of this project has shown us what it takes to develop a concept that could be considered for future lunar and Mars missions,” said Nathan Chong, project manager of Project PETAL and 糖心视频 Mānoa computer engineering freshman. “It鈥檚 been incredibly rewarding to collaborate across campuses and push ourselves to think at a much higher level.”

The project also aligns with broader 糖心视频 efforts supporting NASA鈥檚 Artemis missions, including a lunar rover instrument being developed at 糖心视频 Mānoa that is slated to fly as part of the Artemis 5 mission. The work creates opportunities to connect student-led projects such as PETAL with real-world systems headed to the Moon.

Space science and engineering initiative

Project PETAL members are primarily from engineering and related STEM disciplines at 糖心视频 Mānoa and 糖心视频 Hilo. The interdisciplinary effort emphasizes hands-on design, systems integration and real-world problem-solving. Faculty advisors supporting the project include Matthew Siegler and Marvin Young from 糖心视频 Mānoa, and Branden Allen from 糖心视频 Hilo.

Project PETAL is part of , which aims to expand space technology development and hands-on student training. Launched in 2024, the initiative provides students with opportunities to work on advanced space systems while building Hawaiʻi鈥檚 capacity in aerospace engineering and instrumentation. It is a collaboration among 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 College of Engineering, the Institute for Astronomy and 糖心视频 Hilo.

Team RoSE is one of more than 20 at 糖心视频 Mānoa, which seek to foster long-term, in-depth, project-based learning to engage students and better prepare them for future careers.

More about Project PETAL

A led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa reveals that surface water ice in the Moon鈥檚 permanently shaded regions (PSRs) is less abundant than previously thought. The research provides the most detailed look yet into the lunar PSRs where sunlight cannot reach directly, suggesting that while ice may exist, it is likely present in low concentrations or small, isolated pockets.

This study builds on nearly a decade of breakthroughs by the team, led by Shuai Li, an associate researcher at the in the 糖心视频 Mānoa . Li previously led the 2018 discovery of the first direct evidence of surface ice using data from India鈥檚 Chandrayaan-1 mission.

Less water on the Moon means future lunar explorers may face tighter constraints for sourcing drinking water and fuel, making planning and resource management even more critical.

Reflected sunlight, crater walls

In this latest effort, the team utilized NASA鈥檚 ShadowCam, an ultra-sensitive camera aboard the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter. ShadowCam is specifically designed to image the Moon鈥檚 darkest corners by capturing sunlight reflected off nearby crater walls.

Researchers found no evidence of “widespread” water ice at high concentrations (above 20% to 30% by weight). This discovery highlights a puzzling disparity between the Moon and other airless bodies like Mercury and Ceres, which host substantial, nearly pure ice deposits in their poles although the Moon鈥檚 poles are even colder.

While the delivery of water via impacts may be similar across the Moon and Mercury, Li suggests Mercury鈥檚 much hotter surface may facilitate substantially more water formation from solar wind than the Moon. Alternatively, the Moon’s unique environment—including space weathering from solar wind, volcanic degassing and mixing of rock layers from impact—may destroy or bury surface ice more effectively.

Science of light scattering

This study was made possible during ShadowCam鈥檚 extended mission, which allowed the team to capture images from multiple angles to analyze how light scatters off the lunar surface. This is the first time researchers used scattering properties of water ice to search for it on the Moon. Rocks and dust on the lunar surface sends more light back toward the direction from which it came, while water ice scatters light forward.

“Water ice doesn鈥檛 just make the surface brighter,” said Li. “The way it scatters light is a fingerprint. By using stereo observations to look at these shadowed craters from different perspectives, we were able to detect this distinctive forward-scattering behavior for the first time.”

In the high-resolution images, the team identified a few small areas, roughly 20 to 50 meters in size, that exhibit both high reflectance and unique forward-scattering properties. These optical signatures are consistent with ice concentrations greater than 10%.

Li said, “I thought we’d find more bright, ice-rich areas, so the small number we found was a bit surprising. However, the forward-scattering signal was a true and exciting surprise because it required stereo observations that were only possible during the extended mission.”

Researchers have found there is a bacterial protein “key” that allows the Hawaiian bobtail squid to develop a healthy body and its bioluminescent “glow.” While researchers have long known the squid recruits Vibrio fischeri from the ocean to provide bioluminescent camouflage, a University of Hawaiʻi
at Mānoa revealed that the benefit of the partnership extends far beyond light-production: the bacteria were found to play a vital role in the healthy development of the squid.

“Our recent work revealed that in order to develop properly, the squid host requires a protein provided by its bacterial symbiont,” said Jill (Kuwabara) Smith, lead author of the study, who was a postdoctoral researcher at the (PBRC) in the 糖心视频 Mānoa (SOEST) at the time of this research. “This was very surprising, but given that the work we do with this symbiosis model is always pioneering, just about every new finding is a surprise!”

Most bacteria release tiny, protein-filled “delivery packets” from their surfaces. Researchers previously knew that the Vibrio fischeri bacteria used a specific protein in these packets, called SypC, to start its relationship with the squid.

“Once the bacteria and its vesicles are inside the squid host, the new research found that the SypC assumes a new function—it prompts development of the light-organ itself,” Smith shared.

Tracking a rare but important protein

To test this, the team tracked SypC by making it glow under a microscope. They found that without this single bacterial protein, the squid鈥檚 body did not develop correctly. Interestingly, the squid’s own immune cells—which usually kill germs—actually helped pick up these bacterial packets and carry them to the exact spot where the light organ needed to grow. Without SypC, the expression of 138 different genes in the squid was altered.

“In addition to contributing light-production capabilities, Vibrio fischeri are prompting the squid鈥檚 development of organs and healthy expression of genes that are involved in a wide range of functions,” said Smith.

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