Pacific Center for Genome Research
UPON LEARNING THAT HE HAS AN INCREASED RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE from having two copies of the APOE4 gene risk variant, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth decided to switch to a preventative mode by altering his daily health regimens to emphasize the mind and body. Tomb Raider actress Angelina Jolie took a more drastic route of undergoing a prophylactic double mastectomy when she discovered she carries the mutations of BRCA1 gene, which significantly increases the odds of developing breast or ovarian cancer. These are examples of how genomics have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases.
A genome is an organism’s complete set of genetic material (DNA) inherited from both parents. Each genome contains the comprehensive information needed to build and maintain that organism, including defining physical and psychological features. Today, researchers can identify mutations that can cause or increase a person’s susceptibility to certain diseases by sequencing entire genomes, allowing preventative measures taken by stars like Hemsworth and Jolie before the condition actually manifests itself.
Unfortunately, for Native Hawaiians, Asian Americans, and other racially and ethnically diverse groups, not enough is understood from the genomic standpoint to make such determinations, treatments or preventative care, as most of the available information in databases were based primarily on studies of European populations. While cancer and other diseases universally touch all walks of life, there are specific diseases that disproportionately affect certain racial and ethnic groups, especially those in Hawai‘i’s underserved population of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The most common diseases afflicting these populations are cancer, stroke, diabetes, heart, liver and respiratory illnesses.
To help close the existing gap in genomic medicine, a group of researchers from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UH Mānoa) have formed the Pacific Center for Genome Research (PCGR). Bolstered by a $10.9 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the PCGR will seek to better understand the correlation between certain diseases and their prevalence among Hawai‘i’s Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander populations.
Leading the PCGR is University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center (UH Cancer Center) Associate Professor Lang Wu, a genetic and molecular epidemiologist, who recognized that UH Mānoa had both the ability and expertise to make a significant impact in the field and aggressively pursued the grant.
“The state’s ethnic diversity and its underserved populations made it an ideal location for a genome research center,” said Wu, the PCGR’s founding director and contact principal investigator. “Since it is known that genomics can contribute to the burden of many of these diseases, the PCGR will be able to provide new findings that will benefit the diverse ethnic groups in Hawai‘i and the Pacific.”
The PCGR is one of three diversity centers for genome research funded by the NIH and is a part of nationwide effort to support cutting-edge genomics projects, expand research capabilities and to create a more diverse genomics workforce. The center at UH Mānoa is a collaborative effort involving the UH Cancer Center, John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR).
“This collaboration between the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, JABSOM and CTAHR exemplifies the power of cross-disciplinary partnerships in tackling crucial health challenges,” said UH Cancer Center Director Naoto T. Ueno. “By combining our expertise and resources, we are better positioned to develop innovative solutions that can significantly impact public health in Hawai‘i and beyond.”
The PCGR’s primary research core comprises of two projects, with Wu spearheading efforts into better understanding the etiology or cause of certain cancer and heart disorders in multi-ethnic populations through the study of genetic and non-genetic data, including methylation, gene, protein, and metabolite markers. The second project, led by JABSOM Professor Youping Deng, the PCGR’s founding co-director, will analyze genomic and epigenomic data to help characterize the risk factors associated with lung cancer in the Native Hawaiian population, who not only carry the greatest risk for the disease, but also suffer the lowest survival outcomes.
“Through our projects, we will be able to better understand the genomic makeup of these understudied populations to identify the potential causes and risk factors associated with these diseases,” said Deng, who also serves as director of the Bioinformatics Core Facility at JABSOM. “Genomics is continually evolving and will only become more important in the future. With the PCGR, UH Mānoa has seized the opportunity to become a leader in cutting-edge research aimed at reducing health disparities in our community.”
Deng also emphasized that another key goal of the PCGR is to substantially increase the pool of genomic researchers to establish a robust, integrated training pipeline at UH Mānoa to meet the current and anticipated future growth in the genomics and bioinformatics field. In addition to increasing research capacity, the initiative will also focus on developing a more diverse genomics and bioinformatics research workforce. This effort will be led by CTAHR Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering Associate Professor Jon-Paul Bingham, who is a skilled recruiter, and UH Cancer Center Associate Professor Maarit Tiirikainen.
“Through the generous support of our national and community partners, the PCGR will enable UH researchers to conduct advanced genomic research projects aimed at establishing health equity among the state’s diverse population,” said University of Hawai‘i Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “Our new center will not only substantially increase genomic research capacity in the state, but will provide cutting-edge resources, education and training to establish a new genomic workforce in Hawai‘i.”
Finally, to ensure equity and ethics in its operation, a community advisory board comprised of physicians, content experts and community stakeholders will be formed to oversee the PCGR’s research projects and to promote and educate the public about its findings. This team, led by UH Cancer Center Associate Professor Kevin Cassel and JABSOM Professor Alika Maunakea, will have the important task of disseminating the PCGR’s findings to the community and identifying strategies to implement them at the clinical/community level.