Population Sciences in the Pacific Research Program

POPULATION SCIENCES IN THE PACIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAM - ABSTRACT The Population Sciences in the Pacific (PSP) Program focuses on population-based research, with an emphasis on cancer epidemiology and cancer prevention. The mission of the PSP Program is to conduct epidemiological, behavioral, and translational research to understand patterns of cancer occurrence across our catchment populations, with the goal of decreasing the overall cancer burden, as well as differences in cancer health outcomes, in our catchment area. The Program has 24 Full Members and 13 Associate Members. The majority of these Members are located at UHCC and several at UH professional schools, with a few from research institutions in the Pacific. Currently, PSP research is supported by $6.2M annually in direct cost, including $3M from the NCI and $2.16M from other NIH institutes. Over the past six years, PSP Members published 778 cancer related research articles; of which 39% were intra-programmatic, 15% were interprogrammatic and 93% were inter-institutional collaborations. To achieve the Program’s mission, PSP Members conduct cancer research under three interconnected aims. Aim 1 is to understand environmental, lifestyle, biological and social determinants of differences in cancer-related health behaviors, cancer risk, and patient survival. Aim 2 is to identify novel biomarkers (e.g. radiomic, epigenomic, metabolic, genetic, and microbiomic) that improve risk classification concerning cancer occurrence and survival. Aim 3 is to develop and test interventions aimed at preventing and controlling cancer, and promoting health in our catchment area and beyond. These Aims seek to alleviate the overall cancer burden in Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI), and to reduce cancer risk and improve outcomes across diverse populations in our catchment area. PSP Members have a strong track record of investigating cancer risks and outcomes in relation to diet, physical activity, obesity, ectopic fat, tobacco smoking, substance use, and other social and behavioral factors. Their research is grounded in large-scale studies that employ innovations in epigenomics, radiomics, biomarker identification, and social and clinical psychology. PSP Members have developed several catchmentarea-specific, culturally responsive interventions that seek to reduce cancer risk, promote cancer control, and improve quality of life among cancer survivors. In the next period of CCSG support, PSP Members will continue to conduct cutting-edge research under the stated three Aims. Through intensive strategic planning, the Program has identified key emerging research areas for Program expansion, including, but not limited to, populomics, severe weather and environmental risk factors, cancer care delivery, and application of data science to cancer prevention and control research. Supported by COE to identify the needs and priorities of the communities that UHCC serves, and by CRTEC to expand our faculty and staff, the Program will continue its exemplary etiologic and translational research towards addressing the goal of eliminating differences in cancer health outcomes in Hawaiʻi and the USAPI.