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Hawaiʻi Center for AIDS scientist Brooks Mitchell earns Koenig Foundation Award in Medicine

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Three photos of Mitchell

UHMed Now Photos of Brooks Mitchell by Deborah Manog

“HIV…it’s been around for decades. But there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Brooks Mitchell, JABSOM HIV/AIDS Researcher.

By Tina Shelton , JABSOM Communications Director

People with HIV are living longer with antiretroviral treatment. Yet they experience more chronic complications as they age. A University of Hawai’i scientist trying to understand why has been awarded the 2018 Koenig Foundation Award in Medicine by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Honolulu Chapter.


Brooks Mitchell at the ARCS Presentation

Mitchell, a PhD Candidate at the University of Hawai’i (UH) John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), received the award, which includes a $5,000 prize, on May 7, 2018 during the annual ARCS Foundation Honolulu awards banquet.

“This recognition of the work that our group is doing at the Hawai’i Center for AIDS is an honor,” said Mitchell. He added, with a chuckle, “It definitely gets me through those late nights in the lab.”

From Hawaiʻi Island
Mitchell, 34, grew up on Hawaiʻi Island, attending Kohala Elementary and Waimea Elementary and Intermediate School. At Waimea, Mitchell’s eighth-grade history teacher, Casey Boyett (now retired), noticed Mitchell’s potential. Boyett, a former NCAA and NFL football player, motivated Brooks to achieve — and also suggested to Mitchell’s mother that Mitchell take the entrance exam for Kamehameha Schools. Mitchell graduated from Kamehameha in 2002. He earned his microbiology degree at UH Mānoa (UHM), and his Master’s in Tropical Medicine at the UHM John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). He hopes to graduate with his PhD in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases in Spring 2019.

See the UH Med Video:

 

Mitchell’s Research
At JABSOM, Mitchell is part of a team examining why those with HIV suffer earlier from diseases related to aging than those who are not infected with HIV.

“One of the projects that I’ve been working on is looking at lymph node fibrosis. We excised the lymph nodes from ten volunteers and conducted various immunoassays to understand the immunological mechanisms that may be driving fibrosis within these tissues,” said Mitchell.

Fibrosis is not normal and interferes with the functionality of the tissue, according to Mitchell.

“Lymph nodes are important in the immune response, so when you have a lot of collagen deposits- which is the definition of fibrosis – occurring within these tissues it interferes with normal immune processes, which may result in persistent inflammation and may be a reason why we see a lot of chronic complications within our patients,” Mitchell explained.

Mitchell can’t wait to find out. Because every day counts.

“Until we cure HIV, they (HIV patients) have to live with it,” said the HIV/AIDS Researcher.

About the ARCS Foundation
The ARCS Foundation advances science and technology in the United States by rewarding academically outstanding U.S. citizens pursuing research in STEM and health fields. ARCS Scholar Awards are unrestricted and may be used by the recipients for any purpose that advances their education or research. The 2018 ARCS Honolulu Scholar Award in Medicine is the Koenig Foundation Award in Medicine.

Video Transcript.


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