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TILKER MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION AWARDS $25,000 TO JOHN A. BURNS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE RESEARCHER

"This grant underlines the important role private donations can have in advancing world-class research being conducted at the John A. Burns School of Medicine."

(Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) — Scientists from around the world competed for an award that the Tilker Medical Research Foundation has granted to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Dr. Richard Allsopp.

Allsopp is an Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Co-Chair at the Institute for Biogenesis Research at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. The $25,000 Junior Investigator grant will fund research Allsopp is conducting that may help develop therapies to fight cancer and address aging, including targeting neuromuscular and degenerative diseases.

Dr. Allsopp has spent a decade studying telomerase, a protein conglomerate that helps maintain the genetic material in cells. It has been implicated in critical areas of medicine including cancer, aging and extending the lifespan of stem cells.

The specific focus of Dr. Allsopp's current research is analyzing HiF1-apha Dependent Regulation of Tert Expression in Murine (mice) Stem Cells. The mission of the Tilker Medical Research Foundation is to accelerate the discovery of new treatments and cures for neurodegenerative diseases by promoting innovative stem cell research and nanotechnologies.

"Telomerase works in stem cells to prevent or slow deterioration of cells, providing them an extended replicative lifespan," said Dr. Allsopp. "The Tilker Foundation funds will help us to better understand how the level of telomerase is regulated in stem cells."

The Tilker Medical Research Foundation Award underscores the importance of private funding support for the world-class medical research being done at U.H, according to John A. Burns School of Medicine Dean, Dr. Jerris Hedges.

"Researchers from around the world had applied for this grant," said Dr. Hedges. "The fact that it was awarded to Dr. Allsopp also indicates the level of quality and excellence of research conducted at the John A. Burns School of Medicine."

The Tilker Medical Research Foundation, of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi and San Francisco, California, is dedicated to finding solutions to a wide range of conditions including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease as well as spinal cord injuries and autoimmune diseases.

"Our Foundation's Board and Advisory Committee are very excited to be in a position to award the "Outstanding Jr. Investigator Grant" to Dr. Allsopp," said Marvin J. Tilker, president and CEO of the Tilker Medical Research Foundation.

"Our foundation grants money globally, but we were especially proud to have the opportunity to support a research program right here in Hawaiʻi at the John A. Burns School of Medicine," said Tilker.

Attending the check presentation are: (left to right) Jeffrie Jones, Director of Development, John A. Burns School of Medicine; Helen Turner, PhD, Chair, Scientific Advisory Board, Tilker Medical Research Foundation; Lynn Tilker, Executive Director, Tilker Medical Research Foundation; Jerris R. Hedges, MD, MS, MMM, Dean, John A. Burns School of Medicine; Richard Allsopp, PhD, John A. Burns School of Medicine; Marcia Tilker; Grace Corpoz; Marvin J. Tilker, President & CEO, Tilker Medical Research Foundation.

The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is an independent, university-related, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise private funds according to priorities determined by the academic leadership of the University of Hawaiʻi and approved by the Board of Regents. Founded in 1955, the Foundation provides a full range of fund raising and alumni relations services for all 10 UH campuses.

The Centennial Campaign is a historic private fundraising initiative to raise $250 million to support the University of Hawaiʻi's commitment to our students, our community and our world. For more information about the Centennial Campaign, please visit www.uhf.hawaii.edu.