A University of Hawaii cancer researcher has received two grants totaling $4.5 million to study breast cancer, acute leukemia and preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder.
UH Cancer Center assistant professor Lana Garmire won the grants from the National Institutes of Health.
She will use “big data” computer studies to look for biological markers for breast cancer and preeclampsia, which has no cure and is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Garmire will also research why certain ethnic groups such as Asians have a higher risk of preeclampsia and look for molecular links that explain why mothers with preeclampsia and their children have lower risks of breast cancers.
She and her collaborators will also research more personalized treatments for cancers.
“Hawaii is a fertile ground to do big data research,” she said in a release last week. “The state has a diversified population for genomics research, and state of the art high performance computing facilities for large-scale computation. Both projects can make huge impacts on understanding the fundamentals of diseases to help cancer patients.”
Garmire’s co-investigators are at the University of California, San Diego, Yale and UH.
Time shift draws mainland one hour closer
Hawaii residents are an hour closer to the mainland today after the end of daylight saving time. Mainland time, except in Arizona, was pushed back an hour at 2 a.m.
Most of the U.S. will remain on standard time until clocks are advanced an hour again on March 12. The time difference with the West Coast is now two hours; with the East Coast it’s five.
BIG ISLAND
Park initiates camping fee
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has begun charging for overnight camping as a way to meet national standards for parks with similar amenities.
Backcountry camping fees are $10 per trip, in addition to the park entrance fee.
The eight backcountry campsites that require a permit are Kaaha, Halape, Keauhou, Apua Point, Napau, Pepeiao Cabin, Red Hill Cabin and Mauna Loa Cabin. There is a three-consecutive-night maximum stay at these sites.
Campers can move to another site for the fourth night, but no more than seven consecutive nights per trip will be allowed.
Permits must be obtained no more than 24 hours in advance from the Backcountry Office, open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fees can be paid in person or online at pay.gov. Call 808-985-6178 for more information.
Kulanaokuaiki Campground is a drive-in, front-country site off Hilina Pali Road. It costs $10 a night, with a seven-consecutive-night limit and a maximum of six people per site.
Nine sites have picnic tables and tent pads, available on a first-come basis. Fees are paid at the campground’s self-registration station.
Also at Kulanaokuaiki, campers with Golden Age and Golden Access passes pay $5 a site.
The Namakanipaio Campground off Highway 11 is managed by Hawaii Volcanoes Lodge Co. LLC, and is under its own fee structure.
KAUAI
New deputy fire chief named
Kilipaki Vaughan, who has been with the Kauai Fire Department for 13 years, is the new deputy chief.
During his time with the department, Vaughan has worked in multiple capacities, including fire suppression, rescue, training and prevention. He is a graduate of ‘Iolani School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
“He has a wealth of experience and the passion to serve our community and help our department continue to excel,” Fire Chief Robert Westerman told the Garden Island.
