Summer Research Internship

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The Summer Research Internship is a 8-week program designed for undergraduate college students interested in a career in medicine and research. This program is offered by The Queen’s Medical Center, Office of Research & Development in collaboration with the University of Hawaii – John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Native Hawaiian Health.

The SRI program consists of five main components:

Didactics - Learn many of the necessary skills for conducting research. Weekly seminars and lectures on topics such as Introduction to Research, Study Design, and Statistical Methods.
Mentored Research Project - Participate on a research project under the guidance of a Queen’s Principal Investigator resulting in a final report and presentation at a reception held at the conclusion of the program.
Clinical Observation - Shadow physicians in the hospital and/or outpatient clinics. Clinical units may include, but are not limited to: Internal Medicine, Surgery, OB/GYN, Gastroenterology, Intensive Care, and Cardiology.
Tours - Tour the UH medical school and various hospital facilities.
Cultural Experiences - Engage in cultural and community activities relevant to Native Hawaiian health.

If interested, please review the Summer Research Internship Program Description and Application.

For more information, email SRI@queens.org or call (808) 691-4121.

Katherine Gong

School: Dickinson College
Project: The impact of metformin on age-related complications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Mentor: Louie Mar Gangcuangco, MD

Josiah Morita

School: The George Washington University
Project: Facilitators and barriers to implementation of a pilot methamphetamine treatment program at a Level I trauma center
Mentor: Joshua Ng-Kamstra, MD

Tyler Shimabukuro

School: Lewis and Clark College
Project: Giant Cell Tumor of Bone Cell Line Therapy
Mentor: Sean Kelly, MD

Michael Tong

School: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Project: Fn14 ameliorates cell death in cisplatin induced acute kidney injury (AKI)
Mentor: Michael A. Ortega, PhD

Alex Ueoka

School: Columbia University
Project: Perceptions of genomic medicine and technology among Native Hawaiian patients enrolled in a longitudinal healthcare engagement program
Mentor: Stacy Brown, MD

Joshua Grube

School: Illinois Institute of Technology
Project: Facilitators and barriers to implementation of a pilot methamphetamine treatment program at a Level I trauma center
Mentor: Joshua Ng, MD

Koryn Isa

School: University of Notre Dame
Project: Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiac Myocyte Proliferation
Mentor: Yiqiang Zhang, PhD

Erica Ma

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Challenges Faced by Rural Primary Care Providers Caring for Parkinson’s Disease Patients in Neighbor Islands of Hawai’i
Mentor: Michiko Bruno, MD

Kara Ushijima

School: University of Southern California
Project: A comparative analysis of breast and colon/rectum cancer screening pre-pandemic and during the pandemic: an opportunity for outreach?
Mentor: Danny Takanishi, MD

Nikki Wong

School: Brown University
Project: Fn14 ameliorates cell death in cisplatin induced acute kidney injury (AKI)
Mentor: Michael Ortega, PhD

Jan Aurelio

School: Brown University
Project: Using the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay to optimize dual antiplatelet therapy for patients with acute stroke and transient ischemic attack: association of P2Y12 reaction units to CYP2C19 polymorphisms
Mentor: Stacy Brown, MD

Celyna Becerra

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: A comparative analysis between breast and colon cancer screening rates pre-pandemic and during the pandemic: an opportunity for outreach?
Mentor: Danny Takanishi, MD

Michaela Kop

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Clinicopathologic features of human papillomavirus (HPV) dependent and independent squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva
Mentor: Koah Vierkoetter, MD

Liana Owen

School: Harvard University
Project: Developing a novel approach to identify COVID-19 antiviral drugs
Mentor: Brandon Johnson, MD

Katelyn Stenger

School: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Project: Patient understanding of radiology reports: Is access to electronic medical records helpful?
Mentor: Jared Acoba, MD

Sofi Vandor

School: Kapiolani Community College
Project: Improving race/ethnicity data collection to allow for disaggregation
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Justin Abe

School: University of Southern California
Project: Evaluating Telehealth Visits for Oncology Patients: Satisfaction and Feasibility during COVID-19 Pandemic
Mentor: Jared Acoba, MD

Hannah Collins-Doijode

School: Johns Hopkins University
Project: Expanded Access to Contraception – A study of the Availability of Pharmacist Prescription of Contraceptives
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Evan Liu

School: Duke University
Project: The Role of Monocyte Dysfunction in Cardiovascular Disease among People Living with HIV on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy
Mentor: Dominic Chow, MD, PhD, MPH

Julia Oehlers

School: University of Oklahoma
Project: Expanded Access to Contraception – A study of the Availability of Pharmacist Prescription of Contraceptives
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Justin Wong

School: Washington and Lee University
Project: Preventing Falls in the Elderly: A Multidisciplinary Intervention Study
Mentor: Danny Takanishi, MD

Nina Krupa

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Development of a scFv Antibody for Detecting Bacterial Induced Infection using ImmunoPET Imaging.
Mentor: Aaron J. Cullen, PhD and Clay Wakano, PhD

Katriel Wong

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Effect of Optimized Alarm Parameters on Frequency of Alarm Signals, Clinically Significant Events, Cardiac Arrests, and Mortality
Mentor: Julius C. Pham, MD, PhD

Eduardo Manzano

School: Hawaii Pacific University
Project: Evaluation of the Chemotherapy Toxicity Risk Score in a Community Cancer Center
Mentor: Jared Acoba, MD

Makoa Mau

School: University of Puget Sound
Project: Role of Monocyte/Macrophage in HIV-related Cardiovascular Risk
Mentor: Dominic Chow, MD, PhD, MPH

Erin Evangelista

School: Trinity College
Project: Liver Cancer High-Dimensional Dataset Analysis
Mentor: Sandi Kwee, MD, PhD

Matthew Alexander

School: Brown University
Project: Fatty Liver Disease in HIV Infected Individuals
Mentor: Andy Stenger, PhD

Kelsie Fukuda

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Effect of Enhanced Alarm Settings on Frequency of Alarm Signals, Non-Actionable Signals (False-Alarms), and Patient Complications
Mentor: Julius C. Pham, MD, PhD

Ji Hae Lee

School: Harvard University
Project: Novel Approach for Early Detection of Life-Threatening Neurological Complications of Preeclampsia with Severe Features
Mentor: Kazuma Nakagawa, MD and Scott Harvey, MD

Baoxin Liang

School: University of Rochester
Project: Role of Ferumoxytol-Enhanced Neuroimaging in HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder
Mentor: Dominic Chow, MD, PhD, MPH and Beau Nakamoto, MD, PhD, MS, MBA

Danielle Sato

School: Lehigh University
Project: Establishing Pain Scales for Gynecologic Procedures Using a Novel VAS App
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Amity Tran

School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project: Development of a Novel PET Tracer for Detecting Early Stage Neuroinflammation
Mentor: Aaron J. Cullen, PhD

Au, Lauren

School: Scripps College
Project: Establishing pain scales for gynecologic procedures using a novel VAS app
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Gozun, Melissa

School: University of Notre Dame
Project: Synergistic regulation of calcium signaling by the goliaths of cell communication: TRPM7 and CRAC
Mentor: Andrea Fleig, PhD, MBA

Kwock, Jason

School: Johns Hopkins University
Project: Pelvic hemorrhage control interventions should be based on pelvis fracture pattern
Mentor: Walter Biffl, MD

Nishioka, Scott

School: Occidental College
Project: Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of liver cancer
Mentor: Sandi Kwee, MD

Saiki, Katelyn

School: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Project: Association of monocyte function and subset with markers of cardiovascular injury
Mentor: Dominic Chow, MD

Yap, Lauren

School: Georgetown University
Project: Traffic-related crash injuries in Hawaii’s older adult population
Mentor: Cora Speck, MS, MBA

Chin, Kristen

School: University of California, Davis
Project: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine Medical Students’ Attitudes Towards Obese Patients
Mentor: Bliss Kaneshiro, MD

Lacar, Laurence Lea

School: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Project: Liver transplant for acute liver failure due to dietary supplements
Mentor: Linda Wong, MD

Ching, Mc Millan

School: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Project: Neural Correlates of Working Memory Training in HIV Patients
Mentor: Linda Chang, MD

Fernandez, Mayumi

School: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Project: Impact of Statewide Trauma-focused Ultrasound Education
Mentor: Susan Steinemann, MD

Simon, Nicholas

School: Boston College
Project: Analysis of gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma among a multiethnic population
Mentor: Jared Acoba, M.D.

Akana, Reid

School: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Project: Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)
Mentor: Scott Kuwada, M.D.