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Basic Laboratory Science Research
Director of Research Training: Alan F. Lau, Ph.D.
Overview
Basic laboratory science research at the Cancer Center is performed by independent investigators, who employ cellular and molecular biological approaches to study the mechanisms regulating cellular neoplastic transformation, cell growth, gene regulation, and apoptosis. Collaborative efforts are also underway to identify novel modulators of oncogene proteins and cytoskeletal elements from blue-green algae and higher plant natural products. Participating investigators are members of the Epidemiology or Natural Products and Cancer Biology Program of the Cancer Center. The research is performed in modern, well-equipped laboratories, which are located on the third floor of the Cancer Research Center. The close proximity of the laboratories and their staff provide generous opportunities for the interaction of personnel and the interchange of concepts and information.
Research training opportunities are provided by these laboratories for advanced high school, undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows yearlong and during the summer months. Undergraduate students in MARC, or MBRS(Haumana) training programs at the University of Hawaii's Manoa campus or Chaminade University perform directed research projects. Graduate students from departments in the Medical School and the newly established Cell and Molecular Biology graduate program engage in laboratory rotations or Ph.D. dissertation research under these laboratory investigators. Numerous postdoctoral fellows from national and international origins obtain advanced laboratory training in the Center's facilities. Support of graduate or postdoctoral students working in a laboratory is provided by the laboratory head. The basic science faculty have joint appointments in the Departments of Genetics and Molecular Biology or Biochemistry and Biophysics at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. The research training experience of students at the Cancer Center is enriched by formal coursework offered by various undergraduate and graduate departments on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus, seminar series organized by the Center and University, as well as several individual journal clubs offered by various basic science faculty.
Scientific instrumentation at the Cancer Center is maintained and serviced by an in-house technician operating from the Shared Instrumentation Resource. The Center's laboratory research activities are supported by the Molecular Biology Facility on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus, which provides automated DNA and protein sequencing, oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis, amino acid composition analysis, and molecular modeling services. The main research library (Hamilton) is also located on the Manoa campus, which is easily accessed in approximately 20 minutes from the Center by a newly established CityExpress! bus route. Pertinent research journals subscribed to by Hamilton library or the Cancer Center can be accessed through the Internet by a state of the art, fiber optic computer network, which services all laboratories in the Center. The Hawaii Medical Library and the Queen's Medical Center, the main tertiary care facility in Hawaii, are adjacent to the Cancer Center and offer additional basic science and clinical journals and sponsor clinically-oriented seminars.
Faculty