The overall objectives of the proposed MBRS (SCORE) grant at the University of Hawaii at Hilo are to: (1) increase the scope and quality of biomedical research conducted at the institution, while enhancing its capability to support; and (2) provide training opportunities for minority undergraduate students in conjunction with a concurrent grant proposal to the MBRS RISE Program. The current proposal is broad in scope, containing nine subprojects from five different departments and two colleges at the university. Project #1 proposes to study the effects of psychosocial stressors such as job strain and lifestyle incongruity on blood pressure and stress hormone levels in Filipino-American immigrants to the United States. Project #2 proposes to examine the effects of menstrual cycle phase on variation on IgA, IgM and health symptoms of females, and the effect of sexual activity on the immune systems of both men and women. Project #3 proposes to continue research on the effects of specific air pollutants on the respiratory physiology and immune system activity in two animal models: an amphibian and a reptile species. Project #4 proposes to continue research on the behavioral genetics of two Drosophila species through the use of quantitative trait loci analysis focusing on courtship and aggressive behaviors that differ between the two species. Project #5 proposes to characterize cucumber mosaic virus isolates, determine their RNA nucleotide sequence using reverse transcriptase/PCR technology, and identify nucleotides that are important in determining viral phenotypes. Project #6 proposes to use X-ray diffraction, Raman and ESR techniques to synthesize and determine the geometric and electronic structures of various cobalt/dioxygen complexes which act as models for active sites in hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules. Project #7 proposes to study the effects of identify formation and career development on mental health in adolescents from an ethnically diverse population in Hawaii.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 23 publications
