Aina-Based Engagement and Social Epigenomic Pathways to Metabolic Health for Native Hawaiian Youth
Official title: Aina-Based Engagement and Social Epigenomic Pathways to Metabolic Health in Native Hawaiian Youth
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-11443962 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Native Hawaiian youth program combines Indigenous knowledge with modern science to understand and improve blood sugar health and inflammation through community-led farming and gut microbiome changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $712,197 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MD021856-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11443962 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
NHPI youth aged roughly 12–20 who are engaged with or eligible for the MAʻO Organic Farms YLT program.
✕Less likely to help
Youth not participating in or eligible for the YLT program or without access to the community setting may experience no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project partners with Native Hawaiian communities to study how social and environmental factors influence diabetes risk in youth. It uses a 12-month, mixed-methods design with a 400-participant cohort to examine how an ʻāina-based leadership and farming program affects glycemic control, inflammation, and immune-aging, potentially via the gut microbiome. The study integrates community engagement, education, and biological measurements to connect everyday practices with metabolic health. Results could guide culturally grounded strategies to reduce diabetes risk and promote long-term wellness in NHPI youth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a culturally grounded path to better metabolic health and earlier prevention of diabetes in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth.
How similar studies have gone: Prior community-led, culturally tailored interventions show promise in metabolic health, but this integrative multi-omic approach in NHPI youth is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maunakea, Alika Keolaokalani — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Maunakea, Alika Keolaokalani
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.