Unit: Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, & Pharmacology
Program: Biomedical Sciences: Tropical Medicine (PhD)
Degree: Doctorate
Date: Mon Nov 29, 2010 - 4:22:31 pm

1) Below are the program student learning outcomes submitted last year. Please add/delete/modify as needed.

PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Tropical Medicine)

  1. Demonstrate a knowledge base in the various disciplines of Tropical Medicine.

  2. Demonstrate a mastery of technical and experimental research methodologies.

  3. Demonstrate the ability to plan, execute, interpret, and evaluate experimental studies.

  4. Demonstrate skills required for instruction, assessment and mentoring of undergraduate and MS students.

  5. Demonstrate proficiency in written and verbal communication skills in various teaching formats and in professional presentations.

  6. Demonstrate sufficient mastery and scientific maturity to assess the work of peers in related fields.

  7. Demonstrate skills for instruction, assessment and mentoring of PhD students.

  8. Demonstrate written communication skills as required in various professional duties including manuscripts for publication, grant applications, and course development.

  9. Develop administrative skills to manage a research laboratory, supervise technical and professional staff, and provide leadership as a faculty member.

2) As of last year, your program's SLOs were published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL: http://apitmid.hawaii.edu/graduate_studies.html
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: NA
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online:
Other:
Other:

3) Below is the link to your program's curriculum map (if submitted in 2009). If it has changed or if we do not have your program's curriculum map, please upload it as a PDF.

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2010:

4) The percentage of courses in 2009 that had course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is indicated below. Please update as needed.

0%
1-50%
51-80%
81-99%
100%

5) State the assessment question(s) and/or goals of the assessment activity. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.

This year's assessment activities involved implementation of the assessment decisions from the previous year, thus no additional assessment goals were targeted this year.

6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered.

Not applicable.

7) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected?

Course instructor(s)
Faculty committee
Ad hoc faculty group
Department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Faculty advisor
Advisors (in student support services)
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean/Director
Other:

8) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence?

Used a rubric or scoring guide
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
Compiled survey results
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam)
Other:

9) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated.
If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

Not applicable.

10) Summarize the actual results.

Not applicable.

11) How did your program use the results? --or-- Explain planned use of results.
Please be specific.

Not applicable.

12) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, program aspects and so on.

Not applicable.

13) Other important information:

In the upcoming year our curriculum committee will be reviewing the format, content, and organization of our qualifying examination.  In this context, we will also review all of our courses to determine how each fits into our desired learning outcomes, specifically as measured in the qualifying examination.

Graduate Student Publications, Presentations & Awards – 2009-2010

(Graduate student contributor in bold)

Publications:

Garcia, AF et al. An insert in the covS gene distinguishes a pharyngeal and a blood isolate of Streptococcus pyogenes in the same individual.  Microbiology. 2010; 156:3085-3095.

Hsieh SC., Tsai WY. and Wang WK. 2010. The length and non-hydrophobic residues in transmembrane domain of dengue virus envelope protein critical for its retention and assembly in endoplasmic reticulum. J. Virol. 84:4782-4797.

Collier AC, Miyagi SJ, Yamauchi Y, Ward MA.  Assisted reproduction technologies impair placental steroid metabolism.  J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2009 Aug;116(1-2):21-8. Epub 2009 May 3.PMID: 19406239

Miyagi SJ, Brown IW, Chock JM, Collier AC. Developmental changes in hepatic antioxidant capacity are age-and sex-dependent. J Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Dec;111(4):440-5.PMID:  0019448

Verma S, Lo Y, Chapagain M, Lum S, Kumar M, Gurjav U, Luo H, Nakatsuka A, and Nerurkar VR.  West Nile virus infection modulates human brain microvascular endothelial cells tight junction proteins and cell adhesion molecules: Transmigration across the in vitro blood-brain barrier. Virology 2009;385:425-433. PMID: 19135695.

Verma S, Kumar M, Gurjav U, Lum S and Nerurkar VR. Reversal of West Nile virus-induced blood-brain barrier disruption and tight junction proteins degradation by matrix metalloproteinases inhibitor. Virology 2010;397:130-138. PMID: 19922973.

Chang, S.P., Kayatani, A.K.K, Terrientes, Z.I., Herrera, S., Leke, R., and Taylor, D.W. 2010.  Shift in Epitope Dominance of IgM and IgG Responses to P. falciparum MSP1 Block 4.  Malaria Journal 9:14.

Chapagain ML, Nerurkar VR.  Human polyomavirus JC (JCV) infection of human B lymphocytes: a possible mechanism for JCV transmigration across the blood-brain barrier. J Infect Dis. 2010 Jul 15;202(2):184-91.PMID: 20550458

Kumar M, Verma S, Nerurkar VR.  Pro-inflammatory cytokines derived from West Nile virus (WNV)-infected SK-N-SH cells mediate neuroinflammatory markers and neuronal death. J Neuroinflammation. 2010 Oct 31;7(1):73.

Presentations and Published Abstracts at Professional Meetings and Conferences:

AF  Garcia, KM Yamaga, EK Tam, LA Shafer, J Ward, MW Cunningham, and DK Kurahara.  Evidence of Immunodominant Epitopes, Epitope Spreading, and the Role of IgM Autoantibodies in Acute Rheumatic Fever in Children.  Pediatric Rheumatology European Society, Sept. 9-12, 2010, Valencia, Spain.

Tsai WY. and Wang WK. Interaction between precursor membrane and envelope proteins of dengue virus. Apr. 13, 2010. Honolulu, Hawaii. Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa (Poster).

Hsieh SC., Tsai WY. and Wang WK. Critical elements in the transmembrane domains of precursor membrane and envelope proteins of dengue virus for their retention and assembly in endoplasmic reticulum. Apr. 13, 2010. Honolulu, Hawaii. Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa.  

Hsieh SC., Tsai WY. and Wang WK. Critical elements in the transmembrane domains of precursor membrane and envelope proteins of dengue virus for their retention and assembly in endoplasmic reticulum. Jul. 17–21, 2010. Bozeman, Montana. 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology.

Wang WK., Hsieh SC., Tsai WY. and Ko WC. The length and hydrophilic residues at the transmembrane region of envelope protein of dengue virus are critical for retention in endoplasmic reticulum. Apr. 14, 2009. Honolulu, Hawaii. Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa.   

Wang WK., Hsieh SC. and Tsai WY. The length and non-hydrophobic residues in the transmembrane domain of dengue virus envelope protein critical for retention and assembly in endoplasmic reticulum. Nov. 18–22, 2009. Washington, D.C. 58th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Hsieh SC., Tsai WY. and Wang WK. The C-terminus of the stem of dengue virus PrM protein is critical for the production of virus-like particles. Dec. 8–11, 2009. Singapore. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2009 and Fourth Asian Regional Dengue Research Network Meeting.

Wang WK., Lai CY. and Lin HE. Antibody responses to envelope protein of dengue virus during the natural course of infection. Apr. 14, 2009. Honolulu, Hawaii. Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Wang WK., Lai CY. and Lin HE. Antibody responses to envelope protein of dengue virus during the natural course of infection. June 4–7, 2009. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California. Sixth Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative Research Network Meeting.

Lin HE., Wu YC., Lai CY., Wu HC. and Wang WK. Epitope study of Mabs against the envelope protein of dengue virus. Dec. 8–11, 2009. Singapore. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2009 and Fourth Asian Regional Dengue Research Network Meeting.

Lai CY., Tsai WY., Hsieh SC. Imrie A. and Wang WK. Type-specific neutralizing antibodies against envelope protein after primary dengue virus infection can be blocked by homologous antigens but not by heterologous or non-dengue antigens. Apr. 13, 2010. Honolulu, Hawaii. Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa.  

Lin HE., Wu YC., Lai CY, Wu HC. and Wang WK. Study of epitopes on dengue viral envelope protein recognized by Mabs and sera. June 3–6, 2010. Santa Monica, California. Seventh Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative Research Network Meeting.

Munsaka S, Feger U, Ernst T, Nerurkar V, Volper E, Nakama H, and Chang L, Marijuana use worsens cognitive function but does not change CSF immune markers in subjects without HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), 16th annual meeting of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology in Manhattan Beach, California, April 14-17, 2010, J Neuroimmune Pharmacol (2010) 5 (Suppl 1):S3–S59

Andres M.A, Feger U, Nakama H, Munsaka S, Chang L, Lower CSF ApoE in HIV-infected individuals without ApoE4 allele 16th annual meeting of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology in Manhattan Beach, California, April 14-17, 2010, J Neuroimmune Pharmacol (2010) 5 (Suppl 1):S3–S59

EM Volper, H Olekszak, B Cropp, J Meeks, AJ Johnson, A Imrie, DJ Gubler, VR Nerurkar: “Validation of A Multiplex Microsphere-Based Immunoassay For Measurement of Anti-Dengue Virus Immunoglobulin Antibodies”. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 58th annual Conference, November 18-22, 2009, Washington D.C, USA.

EM Volper, H Olekszak, B Cropp, J Meeks, AJ Johnson, A Imrie, DJ Gubler, VR Nerurkar: “Validation of A Multiplex Microsphere-Based Immunoassay For Measurement of Anti-Dengue Virus Immunoglobulin Antibodies”  4th Asian Dengue Research Network Meeting, December 8-11, 2009, Duke-NUS, Singapore.

EM Volper, H Olekszak, B Cropp, J Meeks, AJ Johnson, A Imrie, DJ Gubler, VR Nerurkar: “Validation of A Multiplex Microsphere-Based Immunoassay For Measurement of Anti-Dengue Virus Immunoglobulin Antibodies”. JABSOM Biomedical Sciences Symposium, April 13, 2010, Honolulu, HI.

Feger U, Ernst T, Nerurkar VR, Volper EM, Nakama H, Buchthal S, Chang, “Association of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in CSF with MRS Glial Markers Differs with HIV Status and Cognitive Function.” 16th SNIP Conference, April 13-17, 2010.

EM Volper, H Olekszak, B Cropp, J Meeks, AJ Johnson, A Imrie, DJ Gubler, VR Nerurkar: “Validation of A Multiplex Microsphere-Based Immunoassay For Measurement of Anti-Dengue Virus Immunoglobulin Antibodies”. American Society of Microbiology, April 17, 2010, Honolulu, HI.

Nerurkar PV, Nishioka, A, Eck PO, Johns LM, Volper EM, Nerurkar VR. “Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) Inhibits Hepatic Gluconeogenesis Via Increased Phosphorylation of Forkhead Transcription Factor (FOXO1)”. 12th Research Centers in Minority Institutions International Symposium on Health Disparities, Nashville, TN December 6, 2010.

Kelly JF, Kaufusi PH, Volper EM, Nerurkar VR. “Dengue Virus NS4B Modulates Expression of  Adhesion Molecules”. 12th Research Centers in Minority Institutions International Symposium on Health Disparities, Nashville, TN December 6, 2010.

Volper EM, Gubler DJ, Ooi EE, Chow A, Nerurkar VR. “Early Detection of Dengue Virus Infection Using Microsphere Bead Assay”. 12th Research Centers in Minority Institutions International Symposium on Health Disparities, Nashville, TN December 6, 2010.

Feger U, Ernst T, Nerurkar VR, Volper EM, Nakama H, Buchthal S, Chang, “Association of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in CSF with MRS Glial Markers Differs with HIV Status and Cognitive Function.” J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 5 (Suppl 1):S3–S59.

Gurary, A. “Dengue virus-specific T cell responses more than 60 years after infection.” American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 59th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, Nov 5, 2010.

Kelley, JF; Kaufusi, P; Nerurkar, VR; “Dengue Virus Nonstructural Proteins Induce Interleukin-8,” (Poster Presentation), 2009 Biomedical Sciences Symposium: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Kakaako Campus, March 2009.

Kelley, JF; Kaufusi, P; Nerurkar, VR; “Dengue Virus Nonstructural Proteins and the Induction of Interleukin-8,” (Oral Presentation). American Society of Microbiology, Hawaii Branch, Spring Meeting, Honolulu, April 2009.

Kelley, JF; Kaufusi, P; Nerurkar, VR; “The Role of Dengue Virus Nonstructural Proteins on Interleukin-8 Induction,” (Poster Presentation), American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, November 2009.

Kelley, JF; Kaufusi, P; Volper, E; Nerurkar, VR; “Chemokines and Cytokines Induced by Monocytes Exprssing Dengue Virus Nonstructural Proteins NS4B or NS5 Stimulate Microvascular Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecules,” (Poster Presentation), 2010 Biomedical Sciences Symposium: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Kakaako Campus, March 2010.

Kelley, JF; Kaufusi, P; Volper, E; Nerurkar, VR; “Dengue Virus Proteins Induce Immunomediators Associated with Severe Dengue Disease,” (Oral Presentation).American Society of Microbiology, Hawaii Branch, Spring Meeting, Honolulu, April 2010.

Kumar M, Verma S, Nerurkar VR.  Pro-inflammatory cytokines derived from West Nile virus-infected neurons mediate neuroinflammation and neuronal death. American Society for Virology – 29th Annual Meeting, July 17-21, 2010, Bozeman, Montana.

Miyagi, SJ.  May 2009 - 19th European ISSX Regional Meeting (Poster)

Miyagi, SJ.  April 2010 - JABSOM Biomedical Symposium (Poster)

Miyagi, SJ.  April 2010 - ARCS Awards Meeting (Poster / Oral)

Lo, YY, Avril, M, Leke ,RF Smith, JD, Taylor, DW.  Longitudinal analysis of the antibody response against five VAR2CSA domains and multiple strain variants in Cameroonian pregnant women living in a high malaria transmission area, American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 59th Annual Meeting, Nov. 5, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia.

Awards:

Garcia, AF.  Tropical Medicine Achievement Award, Fall 2009

Kelley, JF.  Tropical Medicine Achievement Award, Spring 2009

Kelley, JF.  Tropical Medicine Achievement Award, Spring 2010

Volper, EM. Tropical Medicine Achievement Award, Spring 2010

Garcia, AF.  Joseph E. Alicata Award in Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, Spring, 2010

Kayatani, AA.  Joseph E. Alicata Award in Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, Spring, 2010

Munsaka, S.  Travel Award 1st position, 16th annual meeting of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology in Manhattan Beach, CA, April 14-17, 2010

Munsaka, S.  Outstanding Oral Presentation, Third Place,  Ph.D. Division.  American Society for Microbiology, Hawaii Chapter Spring Meeting, April 25th, 2009, Honolulu, Hawaii.

 Volper, E.  American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Travel Award.  American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 58th annual Conference, November 18-22, 2009, Washington, D.C.

 Kelley, JF.  Best Graduate Poster Award: 2009 and 2010 Biomedical Sciences Symposium, John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii (March, 2009 and April, 2010).

 Kelley, JF.  Travel Award: Graduate Student Organization Grants and Awards Program, to present at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygeine 58th Annual Meeting (Nov, 2009).

 Kelley, JF.  First Place Oral Presentation for PhD Division: American Society of Microbiology Hawaii Branch, cash and travel awards to present findings at a national conference in 2010 (April, 2010).

 Miyagi, SJ.  May 2009 - Finalist for Graduate Abstract Poster Competition, 19th European International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX) Regional Meeting

 Miyagi, SJ.  May 2009 - ISSX Travel Award Grant

 Miyagi, SJ.  May 2009 - GSO Travel Award Grant for ISSX Meeting

 Miyagi, SJ.  November 2009 - Invited to attend Simcyp 'Concepts and Applications of Predicting ADME, Pharmacokinetics and Population Variability' workshop (tuition waiver included)

 Miyagi, SJ.  November 2009 - GSO Travel Award Grant for travel to Simcyp workshop

 Miyagi, SJ.  April 2010 - ARCS Ellen M. Koenig Award in Medicine

 Miyagi, SJ.  April 2010 - ARCS Scholar of the Year Award

 Miyagi, SJ.  May 2010 - University Research Council Doctoral Research Achievement Award

 Kumar, M.  WAGS Outstanding Thesis Award Finalist, 2010-2011.

 Lo, Y.   ASTMH Young Investigator Award, 2010.

 Lo, Y.  GSO Travel Award Grant for travel to the annual ASTMH meeting, 2010.