# Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge, and Opportunities (PIKO)

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · 2023 · $3,000,000

## Abstract

The Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge, and Opportunities (PIKO) will build a statewide clinical and
translational research (CTR) infrastructure to improve the health of Indigenous Pacific People (IPP) – defined as
Native Hawaiians, Other Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos. IPP comprise 40% of Hawaii’s population and have
disproportionately high rates of physical and mental health conditions compared to Whites and Asians. They
also make up a majority of Hawaii’s other medically underserved and vulnerable populations. PIKO represents
a partnership between the University of Hawaii (lead), Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University of
Honolulu, and a statewide network of practice-based organizations (PBO) and community-based organizations
(CBO). PIKO emphasizes the T3 (efficacy studies) to T5 (adoption and institutionalization) domains of CTR
where the social determinants of health are strongly operative. PIKO takes a team-science approach to transform
current CTR paradigms and to accelerate CTR advances to improve IPP health. PIKO comprises seven Cores:
Administrative; Professional Development; Pilot Projects Program; Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research
Design; Community Engagement and Outreach; Clinical Research and Regulatory Support; and Tracking and
Evaluation. The University of Hawaii committed $2 million over 5 years to PIKO. The Overall Specific Aims are:
 Specific Aim 1: Build a robust CTR infrastructure by establishing and implementing CTR activities within
and across PIKO partnering institutions; by leveraging resources and expertise of other research infrastructure
programs; by creating CTR registries of academic mentors, community leaders, junior investigators, and study
participants; and by implementing efficient and effective administrative operations and communication strategies.
 Specific Aim 2: Strengthen and diversify the CTR workforce by identifying IPP and non-IPP investigators
for CTR careers; by enhancing the mentoring and professional development of CTR investigators and community
leaders; by supporting culturally responsive and scientifically meritorious CTR pilot projects; and by engaging
PBO/CBO to actively participate on all aspects of CTR.
 Specific Aim 3: Disseminate and implement CTR findings by providing strategic investments in
PBO/CBO to strengthen trust-based relationships; by strengthening a statewide network of PBO/CBO to serve
as dissemination and implementation partners; by convening an annual conference that brings together CTR
investigators and PBO/CBO stakeholders to share best practices, discoveries, and dissemination and
implementation strategies; and by leveraging data science strategies to disseminate data and findings that are
user-friendly, easy to understand, and accessible.
 By the end of this 5-year project, PIKO will have promoted high-impact transformative CTR to improve the
health of IPP and other marginalized communities in Hawaii.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10685388
- **Project number:** 5U54GM138062-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $3,000,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10685388

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10685388, Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge, and Opportunities (PIKO) (5U54GM138062-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10685388. Licensed CC0.

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