Preclinical Core Research Facility
(including Chemical Biology Core)
Enhanced Drug-Development Guidance and Evaluation (EDGE) Preclinical Core
Overview
The EDGE Preclinical Core at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center serves as a vital bridge between laboratory discoveries and real-world patient care. By partnering with academic investigators, clinicians, and industry collaborators, our Core supports early-stage research that transforms innovative ideas into new cancer therapies.
Our mission is to advance promising treatments through preclinical research—especially those targeting aggressive or hard-to-treat cancers—while ensuring that these therapies are developed with our island communities in mind.
From evaluating new drug compounds to exploring natural products from Hawaiʻi’s unique biodiversity and testing immunotherapies in cancer models that reflect our local populations, we are dedicated to moving the most promising treatments toward clinical trials—and, ultimately, to the patients who need them.
Looking ahead, our vision is to generate intellectual property that will have a positive economic impact on the State of Hawaiʻi. At the same time, we aim to support clinical trials led by our investigators. Together, these efforts will not only benefit cancer patients but also foster a new and sustainable area of industry growth for Hawaiʻi.
We aim to generate robust, translatable data that lays the foundation for patent applications, industry collaborations, and early-phase trials.
Why It Matters
Cancers such as advanced liver cancer—which has a markedly higher incidence and mortality in Hawaiʻi—disproportionately affect patients here and often lack effective treatments. Hawaiʻi also sees elevated rates of stomach cancer, particularly among Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and certain Asian populations. In addition, triple-negative breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, and lung cancer tend to behave more aggressively in our islands.
Our Core plays a critical role in tailoring therapeutic strategies to the genetic and environmental characteristics of our communities—including Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian populations. By focusing on the translational gap—the space between discovery and the clinic—we are uniquely positioned to reduce cancer disparities and bring precision medicine closer to home.
Work With Us
We welcome new collaborations with UH Cancer Center investigators and external partners. If you’re developing a novel therapy, biomarker, or preclinical strategy, the EDGE Preclinical Core is here to support your next step.
Track Record of Success
- 30+ funded preclinical projects completed through the Preclinical Core platform
- Multiple active partnerships with pharmaceutical companies
- 3 ongoing grant-funded drug development projects (as of 2025)
- 2 early-phase clinical trials launched (NCT01434303 and NCT00921336) based on our preclinical research
- Patent submission: Antibodies targeting CD44 variant 9
