Diabetes Research Center Affiliate Members
Our research focuses on body composition at birth and potential implications for the development of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome later on in life.
Sheree Kuo, MD, Assistant Professor
Attending Neonatologist, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
Department of Pediatrics
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
1319 Punahou Street, Room 738, Honolulu, HI 96826
Office Phone: 808-983-8760
I examine ethnic disparity in undernutrition, obesity and related chronic disease, at global, regional, national and individual levels, with a current focus on environmental and behavioral interventions for change; as well as ethnicity, culture, diet and physical activity on body size and composition. I have experience as a Professor, Graduate Chair, Dept. Chair and Interim Dean at the University of Hawaii, and as Director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research Hawaii. I currently serve on the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and as Associate Editor for Nutrition Reviews Journal. I have garnered more than $30 million in federal funding as Principal Investigator, including of the $25 million USDA-funded Children’s Healthy Living (CHL) Program and the current $2.1 million CHL Center of Excellence.
Rachel Novotny, PhD RDN LD, Professor
Graduate Chair, MS Nutritional Sciences & Intercollege PhD Program in Nutrition
Director, Children’s Healthy Living Center of Excellence (CHL Center)
Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii
1955 East-West Road, Agricultural Sciences 302-i, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2231
Office Phone: 808-956-3848
My current research interests include establishing a link between insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction and its progression to type 2 diabetes in adolescents and adults in the Pacific Islander/Asian Pacific population.
Alan A. Parsa, MD FACE, Associate Clinical Professor
Department of Medicine
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
1329 Lusitana Street, Suite 807, Honolulu, HI 96813
Office Phone: 808-526-0303
Our research is focused on radiomic biomarker discovery using AI and deep learning, 3D optical shape and appearance modeling, and reducing the burden of disease by translating biomarkers from expensive invasive to accessible technologies and measures.
John Shepherd, PhD, Professor
Director, UHCC Artificial Intelligence Precision Health Institute
Population Sciences in the Pacific Program (Cancer Epidemiology)
University of Hawaii Cancer Center
701 Ilalo Street, Suite 522, Honolulu, HI 96813
Office Phone: 808-440-5230
My research interest is in infant body composition and how it is affected by maternal health conditions such as diabetes and postnatal nutrition. We are also interested in exploring different techniques for accurately measuring infant body composition in a safe, quick, and non-invasive manner.
Kara Wong Ramsey, MD, Assistant Professor
Neonatologist, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
Department of Pediatrics
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
1319 Punahou Street, Honolulu, HI 96826
Office Phone: 808-983-6000