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Vlog官方 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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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 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (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 Beno卯t Fontaine of the Mus茅um 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 惭腻苍辞补 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 糖心Vlog官方 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 鈥檚 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鈥檚 energy and repairing damaged lipid cell walls. Santiago鈥檚 passion for the field comes from watching her grandmother live with diabetes and other metabolic diseases. This inspiration aligns perfectly with Santiago鈥檚 research, where imbalances of antioxidants in the body is a major factor in metabolic illnesses.

Santiago鈥檚 research is conducted with associate professor Lucia Seale at the , which is part of the . She is on track to finish her master鈥檚 project and graduate in May 2026. While she loves research, she鈥檚 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 惭腻苍辞补, 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鈥檚 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 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 (SOEST).

Seale, co-lead Ashley Yamanaka, assistant director and assistant researcher at the (CHL Center) based in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 (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鈥檚 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 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 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 惭腻苍辞补. 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 惭腻苍辞补 and Japan鈥檚 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, 糖心Vlog官方 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鈥檚 cultural context.

The collaboration was formalized in April 2023 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (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.”

糖心Vlog官方 certificate program offered to Fukuoka students

In June 2024, 糖心Vlog官方 signed a second MOU with Japan鈥檚 Tsuzuki Education Group to expand its , enabling pharmacy students in Japan to participate through a blend of virtual and in-person learning. Created by 糖心Vlog官方 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鈥檚 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, 糖心Vlog官方 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 惭腻苍辞补 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腻颈苍补 (land/sea), k膩naka (people) communities and m膩lama ʻ腻颈苍补 (stewardship of places and people).

Creighton Litton, professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 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 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 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 Gal谩pagos and four conducted research in Hawaiʻi.

Students developed research proposals in spring 2024 with mentors from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 Gal谩pagos.

“You couldn鈥檛 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鈥檙e 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 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 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 and CDF and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Provost鈥檚 Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($80,000). The funds will make the program available to 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 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 糖心Vlog官方 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糖心Vlog官方 member
• Teresa Medeiros, fiscal manager, 糖心Vlog官方 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 糖心Vlog官方 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鈥檚 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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