In response to a regional resurgence of infectious diseases and consistent with a high-priority institutional initiative to establish the Asia-Pacific Institute for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, this application proposes to develop the Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. By drawing on the complementary strengths and expertise within the John A. Burns School of Medicine, the Pacific Biomedical Research Center, and the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i, as well as the State of Hawai'i Department of Health, the new Center will be anchored by the tenets of trans-disciplinary research. Projects will be linked by a unifying research focus on the molecular epidemiology and pathogenesis of infectious diseases, which are of local and regional relevance and which disproportionately affect under-served ethnic minority communities in Hawai'i and the Asia-Pacific region. Specifically, studies will be conducted on the natural history of human papillomavirus infection in heterosexual men, the immunopathogenesis of dengue fever, and the molecular epidemiology and adhesion properties on group A streptococci in relation to high-incidence acute rheumatic fever in Hawai'i. Newfound knowledge from these research projects will provide improved strategies for prevention and control of these regionally important infectious diseases. The overall objectives of the proposed Center will be achieved by the following specific aims: 1. Build institutional capacity by mentoring a cadre of promising young faculty to conduct research on infectious diseases of medical importance to the Asia-Pacific region. 2. Improve research competitiveness by enhancing the capacity for mentoring and expanding the capability of the technical support infrastructure. 3. Diversify the research breadth and trans-disciplinary scope of the Center through targeted recruitment and retention of funded faculty with complementary expertise and through centralization of laboratory space and research-support operations.
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