UI College of Pharmacy graduate student Moana Hala'ufia grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and wasn’t ready for the cold Iowa winters. But she warmed to her new home base and eventually grew to like the different seasons. “Iowa City is a nice place. The people are nice,” she said.
Hala'ufia’s kind personality meshed well with that Iowa nice. Though she is finishing and plans to graduate in May, her leadership and scientific accomplishments have left a lasting impression on the college.
It was the small-town feel that attracted her to Iowa City, a contrast from the big city. “It was quieter so I felt I could focus on graduate studies,” said Hala'ufia. And the size of the college’s Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry (now Drug Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics or DDET) matched it. “I liked that the program was smaller, so students had more one-on-one time with professors,” she said.
Finding Her Niche
The oldest of five, Hala'ufia’s work ethic developed early. She grew up competing in sports and went on to play two years of college basketball at Arizona Christian University in Phoenix and Tucson’s Pima Community College before finishing her bachelor’s in physiology at the University of Arizona. During her junior year, she engaged in research with a medicinal chemistry program. “I really enjoyed it and decided to study drug development,” said Hala'ufia.
Hala'ufia’s research focuses on triple negative breast cancer – the most aggressive type of breast cancer for women – as a disease state, specifically identifying novel chemical structures that can be used for the development of new drugs, thereby providing more treatment options.
“Moving away from harmful chemotherapy regimens and revolutionizing the types of treatments we can offer patients is key for improving quality care,” said Hala'ufia. “Additionally, this work can be applied to other hard to treat cancers.”
Dave Roman, professor and associate dean for Research and Graduate Education, is Hala'ufia advisor and principal investigator.
"I am incredibly fortunate to have Moana in my research group as she is a skilled experimentalist and an insightful scientist,” noted Roman. “She has accomplished taking a research program from an idea and brought it to fruition.”
Hala'ufia’s efforts led to her selection by the UI Office of the Vice President for Research to the 2024 Dare to Discover campaign which showcases UI researchers, scholars, and creators.
Leadership Roles
That drive extends beyond conducting research. Hala'ufia served on the planning committee for a regional medicinal chemistry meeting (MIKIW) and on the college's Graduate Research and Education Committee. Roman added she has been an excellent mentor in the lab, working with new graduate students, a high school summer student, and a visiting faculty member.
Second-year graduate student Kailey Said affirmed Hala'ufia is someone students can rely on.
“Moana is one of the first people I would approach if I had a question about anything related to classes, the DDET program, or any lab equipment with which I wasn't familiar,” explained Said. “She really made me feel at home when I was a new student and is always happy to help with anything.”
Now that’s nice.