SOEST hosts symposium on microbiomes and precision nutrition
Presenter and attendees discuss microbiome research at the Joint COBRE Symposium.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa recently held the 2026 Joint COBRE Symposium: Microbiome and Precision Nutrition at the East-West Center. Hosted by the Pacific Biosciences Research Center (PBRC) in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, the event showcased research and education at the intersection of environmental microbiome science, human health, and precision nutrition, drawing together researchers from two National Institutes of Health-funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) at UH Mānoa (ICEMHH and ICPNHH).
The symposium featured a keynote address by Jack Gilbert from University of California – San Diego wherein he emphasized the human microbiome as a dynamic part of our physiology that plays a key role in managing health and individualized responses to diet and medicine.
“Our keynote speaker was very knowledgeable about how microbes living in us can influence our disease, health, and even emotion,” said the symposium organizers. “He highlighted the importance of a healthy diet as something we can all benefit from and depicted a future of microbiome monitoring and engineering to promote our health.”
Research presentations from the day highlighted the broad scientific landscape at UH Mānoa, spanning human health, environmental systems, and community-based innovation. Notable presentations included the “Poi for Māmā” study, which applies indigenous research methods to explore how fermented poi impacts the prenatal microbiome. Another study introduced the Traditional Okinawan Diet Score, demonstrating its association with lower mortality and reduced cancer risk.
Scientific sessions also delved into molecular and environmental health. Researchers presented findings on the protective role of selenium against metabolic disorders, as well as the effect of exposure to microplastics on vaginal epithelial cells. Ecological presentations addressed coral restoration efforts on Maui, the role of marine snow in ocean carbon cycling, and microbial feedbacks in seagrass restoration.
In addition to scientific presentations, the symposium featured a Career Development Roundtable. Panelists shared their “windy” career paths and provided practical advice to graduate students and postdocs on grant writing, broadening collaborations, and viewing failure as a learning experience.
Organizers Briana Shimada and Maggie Yuan, both faculty members in PBRC, emphasized the enthusiasm of the participants, noting the event’s success in expanding the research landscape and fostering connections across campus.