Graduate Students

Brian Andrews-Shigaki, M.S.

Brian is a Graduate Student in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at UHM.  His thesis focuses on the development of optical and adaptive motion-tracking techniques for MRI.  His advisor is Dr. Thomas Ernst.

Email: bas@hawaii.edu

Coty Gonzales, M.A.

Coty is a Graduate Student in the Psychology Department at UHM.  He is also working as a Graduate Assistant in the Neuroscience Research Program with Dr. Helenna Nakama and Dr. Andy Stenger.  His research project involves using functional MRI to studying the brain network involved in risk taking behavior in methamphetamine users.

E-mail: coty@hawaii.edu

Jikun Li, B.S.

Jikun is a Graduate Student in the Electrical Engineering Department at UHM.  He is working with Dr. Thomas Ernst on his Master’s thesis that involves image analyses of MRI scans.

E-mail: jikun@hawaii.edu

Eric Baxter, B.S.

Eric is a Graduate Student in the Electrical Engineering Department at UHM.  He is working with Dr. Andy Stenger and Dr. Linda Chang on his Master’s thesis that involves image analyses of T2 images of brains of patients with and without HIV, as well as learning to develop new MR sequences.

E-mail: ekbaxter@hawaii.edu

Jennifer Gima, B.A.

Jennifer is a Graduate Student in the Physiology Department at UHM.  She is working with Dr. Linda Chang on her Master’s thesis to evaluate the relationship between hypertension and brain inflammation in individuals infected with HIV.

E-mail:

Chelsi Urabe, B.S.

Chelsi is a Graduate Student in the Department of Public Health at JABSOM.  She is working as a research assistant for Dr. Angel Yanagihara and Dr. Linda Chang, and performs HPLC measurements on CSF samples.

E-mail:

Xiaosha Pang, M.S.

Xiaosha is a Graduate Student in the Department of Cell Molecular Biology at JABSOM.  She is working as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Jun Panee and Dr. Linda Chang, and is evaluating the interactive effects between HIV and methamphetamine abuse on brain oxidative stress markers. 

E-mail:

Emily Robinson, M.S.

Emily is a Graduate Student in the Department of Medicine at JABSOM.  She is working with Dr. Thomas Ernst to develop adaptive motion-tracking methods for MRI.

E-mail:

Sody Munsaka, M.S.

Sody Munsaka is a graduate student in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology at UHM working with Dr. Linda Chang and Dr. Ute Feger. His dissertation project focuses on patho-immunological mechanisms in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and drugs of abuse.

E-mail: sody@hawaii.edu                 More details...

Medical Students

Alan Kuramoto, B.A. (MS III)

Alan is a third year medical student at JABSOM.  His advisors include Dr. Linda Chang and Dr. Helenna Nakama.  He is working on case reports and other neuroimaging projects.

Email:

Amelia Fong, B.A. (MS I)

Amelia is a first year medical student at JABSOM.  Her advisors include Dr. George King and Dr. Linda Chang.  She is working with Dr. King to study brain function in cannabis users using TMS and MR techniques.

Email:

Kara Luersen, B.A. (MS I)

Kara is a first year medical student at JABSOM.  She is working with Dr. Linda Chang to study brain development in children with prenatal drug exposure using MR techniques.

Email:

Summer Students

Our research program offers opportunities for talented and motivated students from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and other local or mainland Universities to participate in the ongoing research projects. Students will gain valuable research experience working with an inter-disciplinary team of investigators (including physicians from many different specialties, physicists, computer scientists, psychologists, etc.).  They will gain hands-on experience by participating in subject recruitments, neuropsychiatric evaluations, and data or image processing and analyses. 

Here is one comment from a recent student who participated in our research program:

“I had the good fortune to work at the MR Research Lab during my fourth year of medical school at JABSOM. This enriching experience allowed me to build upon my clinical knowledge, develop my general research skills, and learn more advanced research techniques specific to MR research. As a future neurologist, I appreciated the opportunity to observe detailed neurological exams that frequently yielded abnormal findings as well as assist with lumbar punctures. The diversity of the many ongoing research projects in the lab allowed me the freedom to develop my own research experience based on my interests. Through self-learning and interaction with the research physicians and scientists in the lab, I learned about neuropsychogical testing, the human immunodeficiency virus, diffusion tensor imaging techniques, and the statistical analysis of experimental data. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience working with the many talented and dedicated people in the MR Research Lab.” - Victoria

If you are interested in becoming a summer intern or part-time student researcher during the school year, contact one of our research administrators (808-545-8968) or research  Investigators (click on ‘Investigators’ link).

Summer Students 2008

Summer Students 2007

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Neuroscience and MR Research Program, Department of Medicine—JABSOM, University of Hawaii, 1356 Lusitana Street, 7th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813

Carol Kosaki: 808-545-8968; Linda Cunningham: 808-545-8973; Fax: 808-545-8970; Email: nmr@hawaii.edu

Last update:  November 2008.
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