University: Creighton University
Hometown: Waianae, HI
NIH Research Project:
Apoptotic Response and the Mechanism of Resistance to Topoisomerase 1 Inhibitors
Mentor: John N. Weinstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology
National Cancer Institute
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Aloha. In high school I started research with a project concentrating on native Hawaiian plants and their possible anticancer properties, which I learned from my great-grandmother, a Hawaiian herbal medicine practitioner. The results were published in the Pacific Health Dialog.
Working with Dr. Charles Boyd at the University of Hawaii, I continued this research and started on other projects involving cancer. While pursuing a biology degree from Creighton University, I worked at Creighton's Medical School where I conducted research on biochemical pathways in drug-resistant bacteria under the guidance of Dr. Nancy Hanson.
This is my third summer here in the UGSP. In the Lab of Molecular Pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute, I work with Dr. John Weinstein. The aims of this lab are to understand the molecular pharmacology of cancer, aid in the discovery of anticancer agents, and provide a rationale for selection of cancer therapy based on the molecular characteristics of a tumor. This is a newly developing area called pharmacogenomics.
I am planning to pursue a doctoral degree in a field related to pharmacogenomics in order to study and treat diseases such as cancer. My dream is to return to Hawaii and establish a biomedical research facility to address health disparities among minorities in Hawaii and to aid in the health of the local and global community. |
