Michellei Fisher Receives 2014-15 Hokama Award

Mrs. Fisher (mother), Michellei Fisher, and Dean Jerris Hedges.

Mrs. Fisher (mother), Michellei Fisher, and Dean Jerris Hedges.

UH Manoa senior Michellei Fisher is the 2014-15 recipient of the Hokama Award.  Michellei is a biochemistry major who is also pursuing a certificate in mathematical biology.   The award will support Michellei’s honors thesis research project on JC virus pathogenesis under the mentorship of Dr. Vivek Nerurkar, Professor and Chair in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology & Pharmacology.  Michellei is also being guided by Nelson Lazaga, a PhD student in Dr. Nerurkar’s group.

The Hokama Award was established in honor of Dr. Yoshitsugi Hokama, Emeritus Professor of Pathology at John A Burns School of Medicine.  The award is funded by an endowment established by Dr. Hokama’s former students who have gone on to successful careers in medicine, biomedical research, and many other fields.  The endowment honors his research accomplishments as well as his contributions as a teacher and mentor of numerous undergraduate students at the University of Hawaii during his 40-year academic career.

For more photos of the event, visit Flickr.  Photos courtesy of Arnold Kameda.