Cutting Edge Research Discovers Hemoglobin Ancestor
April 7, 2005

Researchers around the world are learning about the latest discoveries from the University of Hawaii at Manoa team guided by microbiologist Maqsudul Alam and assisted by Maui High Performance Computing Center computational chemist, James Newhouse.

The National Science Foundation announcement that Alam’s discovery of two oxygen-laden proteins in microbes that are the earliest known ancestors to hemoglobin will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (NSF). “We are all quite excited about this recognition for our team,” Alam said. “NSF has supported our work with a half-million dollar grant over four years. We have been able to put together a wonderful working relationship with the Maui High Performance Computing Center that allows us to greatly accelerate our research. And we are especially pleased that the work has involved science students from Hawai`i from the very beginning.”

In addition to bringing scientists closer to identifying the earliest life forms to use oxygen, Alam says that the research may also aid in the search for blood substitutes as more is learned about how the subject proteins, called protoglobins, evolved to carry and release oxygen.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor, Peter Englert, cites Alam’s work as a prime example of the growing reputation of Manoa as the research campus for the University of Hawaii system. “From the beginning of my time here, I have stressed that we need to maximize our research expertise and capabilities. Our strategic plan notes that ‘the essence of Manoa is research,’ and Professor Alam’s continuing excellent work is an outstanding example of why that is so.”

The discovery has already received attention in prominent Europe and Asia-based journals and Web distribution services, and a paper announcing the research is to be posted on the main page of National Science Foundation’s Web site.

James Newhouse is the computational chemist and liaison at the Maui High Performance Computing Center. The research has also involved scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.