Marla J. Berry PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyJohn A. Burns School of Medicine – University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Work Email: mberry@hawaii.edu
Research Interests
Selenoproteins and selenium metabolism. Roles in neurological disease and metabolic syndrome.
Recent Publications
- Pitts MW, Kremer PM, Hashimoto AC, Torres DJ, Byrns CN, Williams CS, Berry MJ. Competition between the Brain and Testes under Selenium Compromised Conditions: Insight into Sex Differences in Selenium Metabolism and Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disease. J Neuroscience, 2015, 35:15326-38.
- Byrns CN, Pitts MW, Gilman CA, Hashimoto AC, Berry MJ. Mice Lacking Selenoprotein P and Selenocysteine Lyase Exhibit Severe Neurological Dysfunction, Neurodegeneration, and Audiogenic Seizures. J Biol Chem. 2014, 289:9662-74.
- Seale LA, Hashimoto AC, Kurokawa S, Gilman CL, Seyedali A, Bellinger FP, Raman AV, Berry MJ. Disruption of the selenocysteine lyase-mediated selenium recycling pathway leads to metabolic syndrome in mice. Mol Cell Biol. 2012, 32:4141-54.
Recent Grants
- R01 DK47320-20, NIH/NIDDK (Berry MJ, PI) 4/11 – 3/17, Mechanism of selenoprotein synthesis in eukaryotes.
- G12 RR003061-30, NIH/NCRR (Berry MJ, PI) 9/11 – 7/17, Research Centers at Minority Institutions.
Current Graduate Students (Chair)
- Penny Kremer (PhD student) Sex-specific differences in metabolic and neurological phenotype in mice with disrupted selenium metabolism and effects of testosterone replacement.
- Ashley Ogawa (PhD student) Selenocysteine Decomposition Dependent Pancreatic Insulin Secretion and the Role of Testosterone.
- Ting Gong (PhD student) Role of SelM in ER stress, leptin signaling and cytosolic Ca2+ regulation in immortalized AgRP/NPY hypothalamic cells.
- Herena Ha (MS student) Effects of Sepp1/Scly KO on Hypothalamic Function and Selenoprotein Expression.
May Okihiro MD
Department of Pediatric HICORE Director, NPCA Healthcare Task-force ChairJohn A. Burns School of Medicine- University of Hawaii at Manoa
Work Email: okihirom@hawaii.edu
Research Interests
Childhood obesity and early metabolic risk among children in Hawaii, development of obesity and ways to address the issue from clinical and community perspectives.
Recent Publications
- Okihiro, M., Pillen, M., Ancog, C., Inda, C., & Sehgal, V. (2013). Implementing the obesity care model at a community health center in Hawaii to address childhood obesity. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 24(2), 1-11.
