Kaunana The Research Publication of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Each year, the Chancellor recognizes the leadership and service of UH Mānoa faculty, staff, and students committed to enhancing the University’s mission of excellence. The 2014 UH Manoa Awards ceremony will be held on April 30 in Orvis Auditorium at 2:30 p.m.
Chino Cabalteja (Master’s Level)
Chino Cabalteja is a Master’s Level student researcher in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). His research involves the bioengineering of conotoxins, bioactive peptides from the venom of Conus sea snails. Specifically, he studies the influence of hydroxyprolines in the generation of peptide isomers of α-conotoxin Vi1.1. These new isomers can exhibit different degrees of bioactivity, which may be utilized to design peptide drugs with specific pharmacological properties. His work on conotoxins earned him the 2012 CTAHR Student Research Symposium Award for Best Master of Science Poster Presentation. His work has also led to the publication of three co-authored papers and participation in several distinguished graduate student conferences. He intends to pursue a PhD and continue research on the structure and chemistry of peptides and peptidomimetics for pharmaceutical design.
Jabran Zahid (Doctoral Level)
Jabran Zahid is a Doctoral Level student researcher at the Institute for Astronomy, focuses on understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies. All elements heavier than hydrogen and helium are produced in massive stars and distributed throughout the Universe by supernovae explosions. His primary contributions have been to measure the chemical evolution of the Universe from observations of the heavy element content of galaxies across cosmic time. He has also aided in the understanding of galaxy formation and evolution by theoretically modeling the chemical evolution of the Universe. At the IfA, he has published nine first-author papers and has been contributing author on several additional studies. His ability to publish results quickly places him at a level usually reserved for top junior faculty members. He will continue his career as the Clay Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
For more information on the 2014 UH Manoa Awards, visit: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/chancellor/awards/
