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University of Hawai'i Cancer Center

The University of Hawai'i Cancer Center (UH Cancer Center) was established in 1971 and received its first NCI designation 1974-1986, and continuous since 1996. The center’s mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through research, education, patient care, and community outreach, focusing on and embracing the unique and diverse ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region.


Under the leadership of the UH Cancer Center, the Hawai'i Cancer Consortium (defined by NCI as an affiliation) was established to support the center’s mission. Members include the major health systems and health care providers in the state, including Adventist Health Castle, Hawai'i Medical Service Association, Hawai'i Pacific Health, Kuakini Medical Center, The Queen's Health Systems, and the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine. They support the cancer center in its mission to make substantive advances in the areas of cancer research, education, and community outreach.


Tripler Army Medical Center and private practice community oncologists also support the UH Cancer Center as members of a broader clinical trials network. The UH Cancer Center also has a 17-year cancer research partnership with the University of Guam and directs the Hawai'i Minority/Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program.

University of Hawai‘i

Clinical
Naoto T. Ueno, MD, PhD
Director
701 Ilalo St
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-586-3010

Senior Leaders

Senior Leader Title
Clifford Martin, MBA Associate Director for Administration
Gertraud Maskarinec, MD, PhD Associate Director for Research Education
John Shepherd, PhD Chief Scientific Officer
Kevin Cassel, DrPH, MPH Associate Director for Community Outreach and Education
Lynne Wilkens, DrPH, MS Associate Director for Shared Resources
Naoto Uneo, MD, PhD Director and Principal Investigator, Interim Co-Program Leader, Cancer Biology
Pallav Pokhrel, PhD, MPH Co-Program Leader, Population Sciences in the Pacific
S Park, PhD, MPH Co-Program Leader, Population Sciences in the Pacific
Xin Chen, PhD Co- Program Leader, Cancer Biology

Research Programs

Research Program Program Leaders
Cancer Biology Xin Chen, PhD
Population Sciences in the Pacific Sungshim Park, PhD; Pallav Pokhrel, PhD

Shared Resources

Category Resource Directors
Cat 1: Laboratory Science Analytical Biochemistry Adrian Franke, PhD
Cat 1: Laboratory Science Genomics and Bionformatics Maarit Tiirikainen, PhD, MS; Youping Deng, PhD
Cat 1: Laboratory Science Metabolomics Adrian Franke, PhD
Cat 3: Epidemiology, Cancer Control Nutrition Support Song-Yi Park, PhD
Cat 6: Biostatistics Biostatistics Lynne Wilkens, DrPH, MS
Last Updated
December 17, 2025