HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.30            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

HONORING AND COMMENDING DR. RYUZO YANAGIMACHI, DR. JOHN I.
   STILES, DR. GREGORY M.L. PATTERSON, AND DR. RICHARD E. MOORE
   FOR THEIR NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN SCIENCE AND RESEARCH AT
   THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AND FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING
   CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE.



 1       WHEREAS, visionary minds, steadfast commitment, and unique
 2   talents, combined with hours of long and arduous work, led four
 3   researchers from the University of Hawaii to the road of
 4   scientific discovery and achievement; and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, the State is proud to be home to DR. RYUZO
 7   YANAGIMACHI, DR. JOHN I. STILES, DR. GREGORY M.L. PATTERSON,
 8   AND DR. RICHARD E. MOORE for their brilliant scientific
 9   contributions; and
10   
11       WHEREAS, in recognition of their achievements in research,
12   the Legislature is honored to recognize the following
13   individuals:
14   
15       (1)  DR. RYUZO YANAGIMACHI, Professor of Anatomy and
16            Reproductive Biology at the University of Hawaii at
17            Manoa's John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department
18            of  Anatomy and Reproductive Biology.  In the past 30
19            years, DR. YANAGIMACHI's studies and those of the
20            research teams under his direction have resulted in
21            numerous discoveries of major importance to the
22            understanding of fertilization and embryonic
23            development.  He is recognized for formulating a
24            method for achieving in vitro activation of sperm so
25            that fertilization can occur.  This method was
26            reported in the journal, Nature, in 1963, and is
27            recognized as the fundamental contribution that led to
28            the first successful in vitro fertilization of a human
29            egg, as well as in vitro fertilization of cattle,
30            sheep, and goat eggs.  He has been distinguished as
31            the "Islander of the Year" who has brought worldwide
32            recognition to Hawaii for his research, particularly
33            his discovery of mammal cloning;

 
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 1       (2)  DR. JOHN I. STILES, Associate Plant Molecular
 2            Physiologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's
 3            Department of Plant Molecular Physiology, College of
 4            Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, has been on
 5            leave from the University of Hawaii since 1997, and
 6            currently serves as Director of Research of American
 7            Tropical Plants and Director of Integrated Coffee
 8            Technologies.  DR. STILES is recognized for several
 9            biotechnology products resulting from his research:
10   
11            (a)  Controlled-ripening papaya, a genetically-
12                 engineered papaya that will ripen more slowly or
13                 even allow control of ripening, thus extending
14                 the shelf life of papaya and resulting in a
15                 better quality fruit; and
16   
17            (b)  Controlled-ripening coffee, a genetically-
18                 engineered coffee plant that will allow uniform
19                 ripening, thus greatly increasing the efficiency
20                 of mechanical harvesting; and
21   
22            (c)  Caffeine-free coffee, engineered to be caffeine-
23                 free and are now entering field trials.  Research
24                 on this product is being done in collaboration
25                 with Dr. Stefan Moisyadi and Dr. Kabi Neupane;
26   
27       (3)  DR. GREGORY M.L. PATTERSON, Researcher at the
28            University of Hawaii at Manoa's Department of
29            Chemistry, and Director of the Natural Products
30            Program at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii.  DR.
31            PATTERSON is known for his research on algae,
32            particularly on the discovery of new potentially-
33            useful products from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).
34            DR. PATTERSON has found that one class of metabolites
35            called cryptophycins is showing enough promise for
36            controlling human cancer to warrant clinical trials,
37            which are now in progress.  His work has yielded ten
38            U.S. patents and numerous foreign patents for useful
39            products from cyanobacteria and the processes for
40            making the products;
41   
42       and
43   
44       (4)  DR. RICHARD E. MOORE, Professor of Chemistry at the
45            University of Hawaii at Manoa's Department of
46            Chemistry.  DR. MOORE is recognized for identification
47            of the potent inflammatory agents and tumor-promoting

 
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 1            factors in Lyngbya majuscule, the seaweed that is
 2            responsible for outbreaks of seaweed dermatitis on the
 3            windward side of Oahu.  DR. MOORE has also conducted
 4            pioneering studies on new natural products from
 5            laboratory-cultured blue-green algae.  He has over 100
 6            patents issued or pending that relate to his research
 7            specializations of structure, synthesis, and
 8            biosynthesis of natural products from microalgae and
 9            marine organisms;
10   
11   and
12   
13       WHEREAS, each of these distinguished individuals and their
14   outstanding accomplishments have brought worldwide recognition
15   to our Fiftieth State for their science and research advances;
16   now, therefore,
17   
18       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
19   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
20   of 1999, that this body honors and commends DR. RYUZO
21   YANAGIMACHI, DR. JOHN I. STILES, DR. GREGORY M.L. PATTERSON,
22   AND DR. RICHARD E. MOORE for their notable achievements in
23   science and research at the University of Hawaii and for their
24   outstanding contributions to the State.
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27                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________