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’s 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’ 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’s 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 ����Ӱҵ 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 ’s lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Wang’s 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’s 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’t 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’s largest reference database of known genes and genomes, indicating that these may be previously uncharacterized species.

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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 ����Ӱҵ 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’s 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’s development of organs and healthy expression of genes that are involved in a wide range of functions,” said Smith.

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Extinction rates for island land snails commonly range from 30% to as high as 80% on some volcanic islands, according to a new that confirms “devastation” is no exaggeration for the state of global snail biodiversity. Lead author Robert Cowie of the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (SOEST) and an international team of researchers published their findings in .

“The Hawaiian Islands, especially, were home to at least 750 known species,” said Cowie, who is a research professor with the in SOEST. “All but a tiny handful of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Estimates have suggested that only 10–35% of this spectacular diversity, including some of the well-known and beautiful Hawaiian tree snails, still survive, a mere fraction of the unique native Hawaiian natural heritage.”

Tracking trends through ‘shell bank’

Cowie, along with Philippe Bouchet and Benoît Fontaine of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, placed an emphasis on Hawaiʻi and other Pacific Islands because this region has experienced the highest numbers of land snail species extinctions.

“Many islands are remote, and the level of interest in land snails as a component of the global biodiversity conservation agenda is low,” the authors noted. “The conservation status of many island land snails thus remains, at best, out of date.

However, land snails have an asset that other animal groups, especially invertebrates, do not — their shells, which can remain in the soil for many tens or several hundreds of years after the death of the animal. These shells, persisting in the soil for centuries, create a “shell bank” that allows researchers to identify species that went extinct before they could ever be officially recorded by modern science.

Extinctions and their causes

Most land snail extinctions have been caused primarily by habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species. Many high volcanic islands had diverse and highly endemic land snail faunas, with 50–100 endemic species on even very small islands such as Rapa in the Austral Islands.

The research team identified a recurring pattern of extinction that follows human arrival: deforestation and the indirect impacts of invasive species began with the initial arrival of people and became even more extensive and catastrophic following Western colonization. Direct impacts of invasive species on island land snails are exemplified by rats and deliberately introduced predators such as the rosy wolf snail (Euglandina) and the New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari), both snail predators.

“These have probably been the ultimate cause of extinction following the devastating habitat loss that initiated the extinction process,” said Cowie.

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For their research into therapeutic strategies aimed at combating Alzheimer’s disease, two University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� undergraduate students earned an award at an international biomedical meeting in October.

Christine Lau and Marie Ishida traveled to Daejeon, South Korea, to attend the 13th International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine. They delivered a poster presentation and an oral presentation describing their work. Lau and Ishida were recognized with an award for Top Poster Presentation from the publisher Springer–Nature.

Lau and Ishida conduct research under the mentorship of ����Ӱҵ Researcher Daniel Torres at the , where they study the ability of the micronutrient selenium to counteract the production of tau and beta–amyloid, two proteins involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lau is double majoring in psychology and molecular and cell biology, and recently started her BAM (bachelor’s and master’s) combined degree program for educational psychology. She hopes to go to medical school and become a forensic psychiatrist.

Ishida is majoring in biology, and is working toward attending medical school and becoming a physician. She said, “the symposium was an unforgettable experience that allowed me to witness the various projects that researchers are conducting.”

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate student earned top honors at a major international medical science conference, taking home two awards for her research.

Princess Jena Dalit Santiago, a second-year graduate student in the ’s Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, won both the “Best Graduate Student Talk and Poster” award at the International Symposium on Selenium in Biology and Medicine in Daejeon, South Korea, and the “Best Trainee Award” from the acclaimed Royal Society of Chemistry in the U.K.

“I was more nervous thinking of something to say when I received the award than when I presented my research,” Santiago said.

Her award-winning presentation dives into how the loss of the antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin 6 changes how the body uses selenium, which is essential to regulating a cell’s energy and repairing damaged lipid cell walls. Santiago’s passion for the field comes from watching her grandmother live with diabetes and other metabolic diseases. This inspiration aligns perfectly with Santiago’s research, where imbalances of antioxidants in the body is a major factor in metabolic illnesses.

Santiago’s research is conducted with associate professor Lucia Seale at the , which is part of the . She is on track to finish her master’s project and graduate in May 2026. While she loves research, she’s drawn to practicing medicine and has submitted her medical school applications. Her ultimate goal is to return home to Maui and serve her community as a surgeon.

Children ages two to eight years across 11 Pacific jurisdictions—including Hawaiʻi—are not meeting daily recommended intakes for key micronutrients (essential vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts for health), either consuming too much or too little.

That discovery was led by scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, and covered the jurisdictions of Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Marshall Islands and Palau. The research team also found associations between children’s micronutrient intake, obesity and the presence of acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition that is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes development.

“Nutritional intake during childhood can shape health and well-being throughout life. Although excess intake of macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, is considered the main driver of obesity development, micronutrients, such as minerals and vitamins, can positively or negatively affect the processes that lead to obesity. So, understanding the micronutrient intake relationship to childhood obesity can guide precision interventions to address nutritional needs throughout the United States–Affiliated Pacific (USAP) region,” said co-lead author Lucia Seale, associate professor at the in the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� (SOEST).

Seale, co-lead Ashley Yamanaka, assistant director and assistant researcher at the (CHL Center) based in the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� (CTAHR), and co-authors from the , and ; University of Alaska Fairbanks; Northern Marianas College; University of Guam; and American Samoa Community College analyzed food intake data collected by the CHL Center.

Guiding future recommendations

Their findings also highlight specific concerns that require targeted intervention. For example, excessive sodium intake is a widespread issue across the region, posing risks to cardiovascular health. While previous studies have primarily focused on adults, the new research underscores the need to include children in sodium reduction efforts through education and policy initiatives.

“To advance nutritional programs, policies, and improve children’s health in Hawaiʻi and the USAP, we need data-driven strategies that are socio-economically and culturally relevant,” said Seale. “This study plays a crucial role in generating scientific evidence necessary to inform these targeted approaches. It represents an essential first step in shaping policies and interventions that reflect the unique needs of our communities, reinforcing ����Ӱҵ’s commitment to serving the people of Hawaiʻi and the USAP through research that drives meaningful change.”

For the entire story, .

Venomous stings and bites from aquatic species pose a significant but under-researched public health risk, according to a from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�. Researchers from the (JABSOM), and the found that aquatic envenomations (venom injected by a bite or sting) pose significant risks to coastal residents, particularly children, and those working in coastal environments.

Although rare among the general population, these incidents are increasingly common in tropical regions, where some of the world’s most venomous species—including box jellyfish, stingrays and cone snails—can cause severe injuries or even fatalities.

Critical gaps in reporting, research

“Our review shows critical gaps in reporting, especially for specific populations and regions,” said lead author Raechel Kadler, a PhD candidate in Associate Professor Angel Yanagihara’s Pacific Cnidaria Research Laboratory in the Department of Tropical Medicine at JABSOM. “For instance, box jellyfish envenomations are well-known throughout the Philippines and responsible for numerous deaths, yet these incidents are rarely covered in the news or included in formal reports.”

Yanagihara, who has led more than 12 field expeditions to the Philippines, emphasized the need for better documentation of the public health impacts of these lethal encounters.

The study also found that high-risk groups, such as coastal workers, children and residents of marginalized areas, are often excluded from available data. These groups face heightened risks due to limited access to medical care.

“Injury is globally underreported, especially in rural areas and among Indigenous Peoples,” said Catherine Pirkle, a professor in the Office of Public Health Studies who supervised this review. “It’s no surprise that aquatic envenomations, which disproportionately affect these groups, remain poorly understood.”

Focus on vulnerable groups, prevention

The researchers are urging more comprehensive studies to assess the full public health burden of aquatic envenomations, particularly in underserved regions and industries. By improving prevention strategies, raising awareness and enhancing medical responses, they hope to better protect those most at risk.

“Our goal is to direct attention and resources to vulnerable populations,” Kadler added. “This work is a step toward improving outcomes for those most affected by these injuries.”

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� and Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture are advancing global health solutions through the “, which links human, animal and environmental well-being. Since 2022, this partnership has united experts, students, and institutions from both regions to promote collaborative research, education, and cultural exchanges, aiming to build a more resilient future for Hawaiʻi, Fukuoka, and beyond.

Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country.
—Jerissa Ching Choe

In October 2024, ����Ӱҵ representatives Sandra Chang, professor, and Jerissa Ching Choe, PhD student, traveled to Fukuoka to meet students and officials, exploring new initiatives and preparing for the Youth Development Program in December. This program will bring more Fukuoka students to Hawaiʻi, offering an immersive experience to deepen their understanding of health and sustainability in Hawaiʻi’s cultural context.

The collaboration was formalized in April 2023 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM), underscoring a commitment to bridging education, health and sustainability. Throughout 2023, officials developed joint activities, including a high school exchange program and proposed a One Health curriculum for Fukuoka universities. In December 2023, Fukuoka sponsored select high school students to visit Hawaiʻi, where they connected with local peers, met with JABSOM faculty, and explored the Hawaiian healing garden to gain new perspectives on global health.

“Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country,” said Ching Choe. “I felt empowered to share my knowledge about One Health from Hawaiʻi to communities in Fukuoka. This trip made me not only appreciate the importance of One Health, but it widened my perspective on what the One Health approach looks like around the world. I plan to use this experience to drive my career pathway in One Health.”

����Ӱҵ certificate program offered to Fukuoka students

In June 2024, ����Ӱҵ signed a second MOU with Japan’s Tsuzuki Education Group to expand its , enabling pharmacy students in Japan to participate through a blend of virtual and in-person learning. Created by ����Ӱҵ faculty across JABSOM, the Office of Public Health Studies, the , and the , this program prepares students to address complex health issues with a holistic perspective. Initial funding was provided by the Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative in 2019.

To date, JABSOM has sent three medical students and one PhD student to Japan to share their One Health experiences. Together, ����Ӱҵ and Fukuoka are creating opportunities for future generations to address shared global challenges and foster interconnected, resilient communities.

Eight undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� experienced an all-expenses-paid research trip of a lifetime—spending eight weeks in summer 2024 immersed in the Galápagos Islands. They engaged in mentored research via a transformational journey that promoted deep connections to ʻ�徱�Բ� (land/sea), kānaka (people) communities and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (stewardship of places and people).

Creighton Litton, professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past two years, said, “Mentored research opportunities for undergraduate students is a high impact practice that provides myriad benefits to students, mentors, our campus and our islands as a whole. This is an innovative program—possible via a strong collaboration with the (CDF) in Galápagos, and engagement by multiple faculty from across the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� campus—that provides our students with transformative learning experiences in research science within a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning context.”

More than 80 students applied, and 12 were invited to enroll in a new spring course on island invasion biology to provide a base of knowledge for their mentored research projects. Eight traveled to the Galápagos and four conducted research in Hawaiʻi.

Students developed research proposals in spring 2024 with mentors from ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� and CDF. The collaborative mentorship approach allowed students to develop their research skills while contributing to real-world scientific questions. During the summer, the traveling students were housed at the CDF research station in the Galápagos, where they conducted their research projects focused on island invasion biology.

During the summer experience, students wrote research papers on every aspect of the scientific process, including literature review, data collection and analysis, conclusions and the socioecological implications of their findings. Each student also crafted a personal, contemporary kaʻao (epic story, tale) to document their experiences, from their hua (initial inspiration) to their haʻalele (preparing for the journey) to the huakaʻi (journey) to the hoʻina (reintegration) back into their on- and off-campus communities.

Important invasive species research

Matthew Kahokuloa’s project involved assessing plant diversity after the reintroduction of giant tortoises on Santa Fé Island.

“Being my first time leaving Hawaiʻi, it was amazing to experience the biodiversity and ecology of another archipelago’s ecosystem,” Kahokuloa said. “This trip provided me with invaluable field experience, especially in terms of working in remote environments and applying research methods.”

Emily Josefina Velasquez studied the impacts of Caulerpa racemosa (species of edible green alga) on sand dwelling benthic invertebrates (small aquatic animals that live on the bottom of bodies of water) in the Galápagos.

“You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean.” — Nicole Buyukacar

“The Galápagos was a place where my personal growth as an individual thrived and reaffirmed my passion and drive to work in academia,” Velasquez said. “It’s an unforgettable experience. You’re immersed in your project, living, breathing, and dreaming about it. I was surrounded by scientists from diverse backgrounds, and living and working in an environment where everyone shares a passion for understanding the world around them.”

Nicole Buyukacar’s project was about the developmental dynamics and temperature sensitivity of the avian vampire fly.

“The most remarkable thing about the town we worked in, Puerto Ayora, was the abundance of wildlife living right there on our doorstep all the time,” Buyukacar said. “You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean. The experience was an incredible blend of learning to integrate academically and socially into a completely different place while constantly being in awe of the natural beauty and learning to understand the reason why it all needs to be protected.”

The students presented their research and kaʻao products at the CDF research station and at the UROP SURE Symposium. Most students are continuing to work with their mentors to produce peer-reviewed journal publications.

This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� and CDF and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($80,000). The funds will make the program available to ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� undergraduate students for at least the next two years.

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Office of the Provost has formally initiated the search for the next dean of the (SOEST). The search advisory committee reporting to Provost Michael Bruno has been established to start the search process.

SOEST is widely recognized as a world-class research and academic institution. It is ranked in the top 1% globally for atmospheric science, earth science and oceanography. The mission of SOEST is to serve society through uplifting and expanding new knowledge about our oceans, Earth, atmosphere and planets, and enhancing the quality of life in Hawaiʻi, the nation and across the globe, by providing world-class research and education, contributing to a high-tech economy, and promoting the sustainable and resilient use of the environment.

Denise Konan, dean of the College of Social Sciences, will chair the search advisory committee, whose members are as follows:

• Rosie Alegado, associate professor, Department of Oceanography and ����Ӱҵ Sea Grant, Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, SOEST
• Alex Culley, associate researcher, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, SOEST
• Jenny Engels, ADVANCE grant co-principal investigator, community member
• Jennifer Griswold, associate professor and chair, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, SOEST
• Amir Haroon, assistant professor, Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, SOEST
• Anita Lopez, director of Research Vessel Operations, RC����Ӱҵ member
• Teresa Medeiros, fiscal manager, ����Ӱҵ staff
• Gregory Moore, emeritus professor, Department of Earth Sciences, SOEST
• Yuta Norden, graduate student
• Robert Toonen, professor and Gates Endowed chair, Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, SOEST

The committee will recommend finalists to Provost Bruno, who will then recommend a selectee to the ����Ӱҵ president.

The search process has started and will lead into the spring 2025 semester with finalists invited to campus in spring and anticipated start date for the new dean in fall 2025.

The marine tubeworm Hydroides elegans is a major problem for the shipping industry, as it coats the hulls and propellers of ships, as well as piers, nets of mariculture facilities, and the pipes that bring cooling sea water to electrical and industrial facilities. But what causes this marine invertebrate—that starts as a tiny, swimming larva—to settle onto a surface and transform?

A , led by Marnie Freckelton, a postdoctoral researcher at the , a unit of the (PBRC) in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (SOEST), revealed that the carbohydrate portion of a complex molecule, called lipopolysaccharide, produced by specific bacteria is a signal to the tubeworms that they have found the “right spot,” when settling on ships or marine facilities.

The bacterial communities that rapidly coat newly submerged surfaces in the seas create a biofilm and produce chemical signals that are detected by swimming larvae. The new research is groundbreaking in its analysis of the chemicals from specific biofilm bacterial species that interact with the larvae of this tubeworm and induce them to settle and transform.

“In this way, biofilm bacteria initially establish and then maintain communities of animals and plants on the ocean bottoms by recruiting their larvae and spores to the sites,” said Freckelton. “The research provides strong evidence for the bacterial-molecular basis of the formation and maintenance of all benthic marine communities in the world’s seas.”

Mysteries remain

The team of scientists, including Michael Hadfield, senior author on the paper and emeritus professor in PBRC, noted that many other—in fact, most—biofilm bacterial species do not induce settlement in the tubeworm larvae. And even among different strains of the same bacteria collected from different habitats, some will induce settling and others will not.

“Looking to the future, we are interested in an in-depth structural understanding of the parts of these molecules that induce settlement and metamorphosis in marine species and how they interact in the larvae,” said Freckelton. “We also plan to test the larvae of other marine invertebrates, such as coral, for patterns in their settlement cues.”

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A new study highlights the growing threat of microbial pollution in Hilo Bay on Hawaiʻi Island. Partially funded by the (PI-CASC), a program hosted by a university consortium, led by the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, the research found that levels of harmful bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (staph) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), spike at beaches with freshwater discharge.

Published in , the study also warns that climate change will worsen these conditions. Predicted changes in precipitation could cause larger, more concentrated pulses of pathogen export during storms. This would increase the public’s risk of infection from swimming and other recreational activities.

Led by ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� researcher Maria Steadmon and co-authored by Tracy Wiegner, a professor at ����Ӱҵ Hilo, the study currently finds that pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA are 6 to 78 times more concentrated in certain areas of Hilo Bay.

“Sea level rise will result in more onsite sewage disposal systems being inundated with seawater, resulting in a large export of pathogens from them with the tides,” Weigner said.

Setting the stage for critical research

This research builds on work started by ����Ӱҵ Hilo alumna Louise Economy during her time in the PI-CASC (MCC) program. MCC connects graduate students with ����Ӱҵ Hilo faculty and established networks within Hawaiʻi Island’s natural resource management communities. This collaboration aims to build long-term partnerships that enhance community resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts.

“Working with managers, or people using science to support community resilience to climate change, and to create research projects with usable outcomes was compelling to me because it allows our efforts to be of direct use,” said Economy.

MCC foundational vision realized

Economy’s work, which began in 2016, linked rainfall to increased pathogen levels, predicting that climate change would intensify these trends. Her research led to predictive models that inform watershed management decisions, especially under changing climate conditions.

“By PI-CASC providing support for Louise in the Manager Climate Corps, a seed was planted and through Louise’s work and mentoring, it blossomed into several other student studies and publications, including the most recent one by Maria Steadmon. All studies are groundbreaking and PI-CASC funding was instrumental to starting it,” said Wiegner.

Today, Economy is a microbiologist at the Hawaiʻi District Health Laboratory. Her team conducts analyses of ocean water, drinking water, milk, and shellfish products and identifies human pathogens.

More on PI-CASC

The vision of PI-CASC is to provide science that supports the adaptation of fish, wildlife, water, land, and people to a changing climate. The program is hosted by a collaboration of universities, including ����Ӱҵ Hilo and the University of Guam, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Two graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher with the University of Hawaiʻi at ��ā�ԴDz�’s were selected to be .

A highly competitive selection through the Department of Energy’s National Microbiome Data Collaborative program, the Ambassador Program utilizes a cohort-based learning approach to train and support early career researchers.

Andrian Gajigan

Gajigan, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in with advisor and professor Grieg Steward, is investigating the interactions and dynamics between phytoplankton and giant viruses in the ocean. Gajigan is developing and observing lab-based model systems as well as field investigations, specifically, the role of giant viruses in algal bloom demise and phytoplankton succession.

“I am deeply fascinated with microbes because of their often underappreciated importance,” said Gajigan. “The world would cease to exist if we were to remove microbes on the planet. They are the chemists and sentinels of Earth’s climate.”

Kacie Kajihara

Kajihara graduated from ����Ӱҵ Mānoa with a master’s degree in botany with advisor Nicole Hynson, who is a professor in the (PBRC). She will soon start the to pursue a doctoral degree with Michael Rappé, professor at the , where she will study the genomics and ecology of SAR86, a globally prevalent group of marine bacteria.

“Through the Ambassador Program, I’ve been able to receive training on FAIR data and other data standards that put equitable science at the forefront, and I look forward to sharing this information with the ����Ӱҵ community,” said Kajihara.

Nicola Kriefall

Kriefall is a postdoctoral researcher in PBRC co-advised by Matthew Medeiros and Hynson. Her research focuses on the roles that microorganisms play in shaping food webs, specifically looking at small pools of water where mosquitoes begin their life cycle. This area of research holds additional potential for information to combat the mosquito’s disastrous ecosystem and human health impacts—especially in Hawaiʻi, where they are invasive.

“It’s endlessly fascinating to me that single-celled microorganisms we can’t even see with the bare eye are able to take us down or prop us up,” Kriefall said. “For instance, they can be pathogenic and make us ill or reside in our gut and help us digest things we otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”

–By Marcie Grabowski

A 2023 Hollywood film Nyad takes viewers on a journey alongside Diana Nyad in her five attempts at a historic 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida. Annette Bening was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Nyad in the movie that also starred Jodie Foster. Nyad’s inspiring true story was made possible, in part, by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research associate professor Angel Yanagihara.

Yanagihara, who is with the and John A. Burns School of Medicine , played a key role in developing topical technologies (for which she is sole inventor, US Patent #10,172,883) including a cream that prevents box jellyfish stings, a life threatening hurdle Nyad had to face to complete her record breaking swim.

Nyad contacted Yanagihara in March 2012 after she was severely stung by box jellies during her third attempt to complete the swim. She found Yanagihara’s name while searching the internet for people who had anything to do with box jellies.

“I received an email out of the blue with 40 detailed questions,” said Yanagihara. “I looked her up and saw that she had a TED talk and I listened to that and I was immediately smitten by this person and how much discipline she brought to her athleticism and her goal.”

Yanagihara’s own experience with a box jellyfish sting at Kaimana Beach in 1997 that required emergency care. That spurred her research after she discovered no one had studied the venom’s biochemistry. Nyad’s team sought Yanagihara’s expertise and wanted her to accompany Nyad on her next swim attempts.

“They insisted that they absolutely needed me to be on this swim in person,” Yanagihara said. “I realized if I didn’t go, she might very well die because of the lack of general understanding of this venom including the mistaken care that previous folks had given her by injecting her with epinephrine on her last attempt.”

Testing out the cream on herself

At the time, Yanagihara’s research had focused on developing treatments for combat divers and special forces personnel affected by jellyfish stings. However, Nyad sought a preventative solution. Yanagihara conducted various tests on the discharge mechanism of box jellyfish tentacles and found a working combination, which she then compounded into anhydrous lanolin used by long-distance ocean swimmers to prevent chapping.

“After exhaustive in vitro testing, I found a combination that did work,” Yanagihara said. “I went out swimming by myself with it on and then I laid a live box jellyfish on my own skin and it worked!”

Yanagihara’s contribution to Nyad’s swim emphasizes the role of research and collaboration in pushing the boundaries of human achievement.

“It’s very important to highlight that there are highly innovative approaches at the University of Hawaiʻi,” said Yanagihara. “This work was initially solely supported by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. I would like to see novel funding mechanisms at ����Ӱҵ to foster a more innovative ecosystem.”

Yanagihara’s character was also cast in the film Nyad and was portrayed by actress Jeena Li.

“While it was fun to be included in name, the Hollywood version of my role was almost unrecognizable. My actual research was not included. I was in the water as a free diver from dusk to dawn, the actress appears to only have been in the water once,” said Yanagihara on being played by Li in the film.

To help save one of the world’s most endangered tropical ecosystems, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor Nicole Hynson was selected as a new by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) for her research on the subterranean fungal network in Native Hawaiian dryland forests. One of her goals with the project is to provide guidance for ecosystem restoration practices, which currently have limited knowledge of fungal systems.

Nearly all plants on Earth form a close interaction with mycorrhizal fungi, a group of network-forming soil fungi. These fungal networks connect plants underground, can distribute vital nutrients across ecosystems and may even enable signaling between plants.

Supporting threatened ecosystems

As an Underground Explorer, Hynson will collaborate with researchers and local communities around the world to map mycorrhizal fungal networks in their home ecosystems.

“This project will provide guidelines to greenhouse and land managers on how to incorporate mycorrhizal fungi into restoration practices throughout Hawaiʻi,” said Hynson, who is based at the in the ����Ӱҵ Mānoa (SOEST) and is the director of the .

Hynson added, “Additionally, this project will assess how habitat degradation is affecting fungal communities and identify specific sites to prioritize for conservation based on the diversity and uniqueness of their mycorrhizal fungal communities—a strategy that despite interest from land management agencies has yet to be incorporated into Hawaiian conservation practices.”

With SPUN support, Hynson will assess fungal communities from the healthiest and most intact Native Hawaiian dryland forests and those that are in a degraded state. Hynson and her research team will also test whether inoculation with fungi cultivated from healthy dryland forests will significantly boost the health and survivorship of native host plants grown in captivity for the restoration of degraded areas.

“Hawaiʻi in general is considered the ‘endangered species capital of the world’ yet we have a minimal understanding of the mycorrhizal fungal communities of the islands, which likely face similar threats to their survival as endangered macroorganisms such as plants, birds and insects,” said Hynson. “Furthermore, the successful restoration of threatened ecosystems such as native Hawaiian dryland forests is likely contingent upon preserving and restoring mycorrhizal fungal communities that are adapted to, and have coevolved with native and endemic host plants.”

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Can humans become infected with the rat lungworm parasite from snail slime, if an infected snail or slug leaves slime on a lettuce leaf? That is the question University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers set out to answer in a study published in .

Randi Rollins, Matthew Medeiros and Robert Cowie of ����Ӱҵ ��ā�ԴDz�’s , found that rat lungworm larvae (the third larval stage worms, which are the only ones that are infectious to humans and other animals) are present in snail slime when the snails are exposed to stress. The findings indicated that 13% of stressed snails released larvae, compared to none in a non-stressed control group.

Rat lungworm is a parasite with a development that cycles between snails and rats. Humans can become infected when they ingest (accidentally or intentionally) a raw or undercooked snail. However, alternative transmission pathways have also been considered, such as larvae present in slime trails left on produce, or slime on a child’s hand after playing with a snail.

“Although the number of larvae you would have to ingest to cause illness is unknown, the numbers present in slime may be sufficient, as snails release tens, hundreds or thousands (we found >4,000 in the slime of one snail) of larvae,” said Rollins. “However, the larvae cannot survive desiccation (removal of moisture), so snail slime will not be a risk after it dries.”

Exercise caution

The study’s implications for public health are important, especially in Hawaiʻi, where rat lungworm is present across the islands. Although reported cases of rat lungworm disease are relatively rare, it can cause devastating effects on patients and their families. The researchers highlighted the importance of exercising caution when handling snails and slugs, inspecting and washing produce, and being cautious with store-bought salads that may be contaminated with snail slime or even the snails or slugs themselves.

“The study has important implications for public health, especially as the increasing frequency and intensity of environmental stressors are features of anthropogenic global change,” said Cowie. “It also aligns with the holistic concept of One Health, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.”

How does stress impact snails?

Researchers hypothesized that host stress influences the release of rat lungworm larvae from snails, and tested this prediction by subjecting wild-caught, naturally infected snails (the semi-slug Parmarion martensi) to a variety of stressors, including heat, snail/slug bait (a pesticide) and physical disturbance, as well as including a non-stressed “control” group of snails for comparison.

“This study underscores the role of host stress in the transmission of zoonotic disease, which is particularly pertinent given that approximately 60% of infectious diseases that emerged between 1940 and 2004 have been attributed to transmission from animals to humans,” said Rollins. “Moreover, such zoonoses, as animal-to-human-transmitted diseases are known, are predicted to increase with continued exploitation of wildlife, unsustainable farming practices and land use, and climate change, which will reshuffle environments and alter host stressor regimes.”

Researchers were surprised at the association between stress and larval release, emphasizing the need for further research to understand different stress types and their effects on snail physiology and immunology. This association with stress has broader implications for the transmission of other zoonotic diseases, as the world becomes an increasingly stressful place.

Washing produce, to dislodge and remove any snails or snail slime, is recommended to prevent possible infection. Larvae cannot withstand extreme temperatures, so cooking or freezing produce will also prevent infection. Do not handle snails or slugs with bare hands. Use gloves, or any other material/tool to keep a barrier between your skin and the snail/slime.

This work was supported by George F. Straub Trust of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation () and by a ����Ӱҵ Graduate Student Organization research grant.

Approximately 24 University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� undergraduate students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct research over the next three summers. The students who apply and are accepted for the all-expenses-paid project will spend a summer at one of the richest locations for ecological research in the world outside of Hawaiʻi—the Galápagos Islands.

The program encompasses a unique blend of Indigenous and Western science and culture, with a core focus on the field of island invasion biology in the Pacific.

Research areas are:

• Creating the moʻolelo (story) of the huakaʻi (journey) to and from the Galápagos Islands through a Native Hawaiian cosmological and cultural perspective
• Understanding mechanisms of invasion by problematic introduced terrestrial plant and animal species
• Assessing the extent and impact of non-Indigenous species on marine ecosystems of the Galápagos Marine Reserve
• Evaluating techniques to reduce the impacts of the invasive Avian Vampire Fly, Philornis downsi, on Darwin’s finches and other small land birds

Applicants for the summer 2024 eight-week program must be a ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� undergraduate student with a graduation date no earlier than December 2024. Students from all academic backgrounds and degree programs are encouraged to apply, and at least eight students will be selected. The program covers travel, accommodations and a summer stipend. In addition, students will take a required spring course and will be able to register for summer directed research credits that can be used as elective credits towards degree program requirements.

“UROP () is very excited to help bring this opportunity to our campus for ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� undergraduate students to get real-world, applied research experience in one of the most iconic and intensely studied island chains in the world,” said UROP Director Creighton Litton. “The parallels between Hawaiʻi and Galápagos are remarkable, both in terms of their biology and geology, but also the threats that native species and ecosystems face today such as the introduction and spread of invasive species. As such, participating students will be able to bring and apply the knowledge and experiences gained in Galápagos back home to Hawaiʻi.”

This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� and the , and is funded by the National Science Foundation—International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($50,000). The funds will make the program available to ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� undergraduate students for three years.

Research integrates Indigenous knowledge, place-based science

Accepted students will be required to take a four-credit Island Invasion Biology course in spring 2024 taught by ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� faculty. The immersive lab and lecture course will be rooted in place-based science and is designed to equip students with a solid understanding of the impacts of invasive species in island ecosystems, and the options for managing them. But it’s not just about western scientific knowledge and practice; it’s also about fostering an appreciation for Hawaiian culture, Indigenous resource management and human connections to land- and seascapes through aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� activities.

“By embracing the values of moʻokuauhau (ancestral connections), kaikuaʻana and kaikaina (mentoring relationships), kuleana (responsibility), mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (environmental stewardship), and hānai and hoʻomalu (care and protection) and weaving together Indigenous wisdom with contemporary understanding, our program will provide a transformative experience that encourages students to explore innovative approaches to problem-solving,” said ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Assistant Professor Kiana Frank. “Our intentional approach will expand students’ thinking beyond convention and equip them to address future ecological challenges in the Galápagos, Hawaiʻi, and other island systems with creativity and adaptability, mirroring the wisdom of our kūpuna (ancestors).”

Throughout the spring, selected students will design research proposals for the summer in Galápagos, collaborate on group projects in Hawaiʻi, and form pilina (connections/relationships) with place, as well as each other and mentors from ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� and the Charles Darwin Foundation.

“There are many parallels between these two Pacific archipelagos and lessons to be learned from each,” said Rakan Zahawi, Charles Darwin Foundation executive director and chief executive officer, and former director of ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz�’s Lyon Arboretum. “Since moving here from Hawaiʻi, I have been amazed at how much similarity there is between them. So, we anticipate that this immersive experience for ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� students will transform how they view and care for these incredibly fragile insular systems and make them better stewards and ambassadors for their conservation.”

UROP is hosting an informational session about the program on October 17, 3:30–4:30 p.m. on Zoom. For more information and to apply, .

Some people become scientists. For Assistant Professor Kiana Frank of the (PBRC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, it was evident early on in her childhood that she was born a scientist.

As an inquisitive 6-year-old growing up in Kailua, Frank listened to her great grandmother’s story about the lepo ʻai ʻia (edible mud) in the nearby Kawainui Marsh. According to the legend, the mud was eaten by King Kamehameha the Great’s warriors after the fierce Battle of Nuʻuanu, and Frank was told it to be similar in taste to her favorite food, paʻiʻai (pounded taro). However, there was a catch—to gather the mud, one had to maintain absolute silence.

While conducting her first silent expedition—eagerly tasting all the different colors and textures of mud in the marsh (that were not delicious)—she refined her kilo (observational skills), and developed a deep sense of ecological inquiry. While she did not find the magical mud, Frank discovered something more. Her calling as a scientist, and one who would later become one of Hawaiʻi’s leading experts in environmental microbes and their role in sustaining healthy ecosystems.

“I did not become a scientist, I was born a scientist because my kūpuna (ancestors) before me were natural scientists,” Frank said. “For me, science is how I connect to and better understand the places I love. Science is my tool to mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (protect, care for the land).”

One of these areas is Kawainui. Frank vividly recalls an old painting in her grandmother’s house that portrayed Kawainui not as the invasive marsh she was familiar with but as a loko iʻa (fishpond) that had once provided an abundance of food for all of Kailua. It was at that point, she began to ponder the impact of human activity on places like this. Frank delved into the foundational moʻolelo (stories) and mele (songs) of Kailua to gain insights into a healthy Kawainui ecosystem and its historical functioning.

“Our kupuna laid the groundwork with their scientific discoveries and passed on their knowledge to us in their moʻolelo,” said Frank. “It is our responsibility to learn from their observations and to continue to tell their stories.”

Discovering the world of microbes

As a freshman at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, Frank discovered microorganisms. Microbes form the foundation of the food web, influencing the availability of nutrients and carbon for other organisms like algae, zooplankton and fish. Frank believed that understanding the role of microbes in the ecosystem was crucial to restoring the productivity back to loʻi (taro patch) and loko iʻa, as well as the key to finding the lepo ʻai in Kawainui.

She began to collect samples of microbes across Koʻolaupoko, investigating how land management influenced the diversity and distribution of microorganisms across ahupuaʻa (traditional unit of land management that runs from mountain to sea). She eventually developed a novel technique for DNA extraction from small volumes of water so she did not have to hike up and down mountains with gallons of water.

For her ingenuity and innovative work, she earned first place and best-in-category in environmental sciences at the 2004 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Portland, Oregon. After graduating, Frank earned a full merit scholarship to the University of Rochester where she studied molecular genetics and earned her bachelor of science degree magna cum laude in 2008. She continued on to Cambridge, Massachusetts to pursue research at the intersection of microbial ecology and biogeochemistry—earning her master of arts and PhD in molecular cell biology at Harvard University in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

When she returned home to the islands, her childhood dream of becoming a professor at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� was realized. Today, Frank uses modern techniques in microbiology, molecular biology and geochemistry to complement and expand upon the observations of her kūpuna. With a unique blend of storytelling and scientific rigor, she brings to light the intricate workings of the world. From the tiniest microorganisms to the vastness of nature, Frank unravels mysteries of the unseen to deepen humankind’s understanding of and relationship to place.

“The deep held pilina (relationship) between ʻ�徱�Բ� (the land), akua (natural elements, spiritual deities) and kānaka (the people) provided the foundation for ancient Hawaiʻi’s thriving abundance. Microbes are the physiological representations of this pilina,” said Frank. “Microbes are our akua, they are the unseen mediators of geochemical processes and ecosystem services that shape productivity ma uka i kai (from the mountain to the sea).”

For more about Frank’s work at PBRC, .

Noelo is ����Ӱҵ’s research magazine from the .

• Related ����Ӱҵ News story: Next generation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander scientists shine, August 5, 2022