As Hampton University’s global summer of discovery unfolds, Dr. Mengistu Shukare is advancing cancer research in Japan while building world-ready leaders of character and consequence in the lab.
(Hampton, VA) – If there were a World Cup for research, Hampton University would have a team competing on the international stage.
This summer, Hampton faculty are taking their scholarship across continents, building partnerships that expand the University’s global footprint while creating new opportunities for students and scientific discovery. Among them is Dr. Mengistu Shukare, assistant professor of biochemistry in Hampton University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, whose research has taken him to Kyoto, Japan—one of the world’s leading hubs for stem cell science.
His journey is part of Hampton University’s growing international research enterprise, demonstrating how faculty expertise developed on campus is contributing to scientific discoveries with global implications.
Shukare was awarded a prestigious Invitational Research Fellowship through the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), one of Japan’s premier organizations dedicated to advancing international scientific collaboration. The fellowship supports leading researchers from around the world as they partner with Japan’s top research institutions to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.
At Kyoto University’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Shukare is conducting research in the laboratory of internationally recognized stem cell scientist Dr. Kenji Osafune, deputy director of the center. CiRA is renowned for pioneering work involving induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, which have transformed the possibilities of regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
Together, they are exploring one of medicine’s most difficult questions: how pancreatic cancer begins.
Using advanced stem cell technologies, Shukare is studying how induced pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into pancreatic progenitor cells to recreate the earliest stages of pancreatic cancer development. Understanding those initial cellular changes could help scientists identify new pathways for earlier detection and more effective treatments.
“This opportunity allows me to better understand the earliest stages of pancreatic cancer using novel technologies and innovative research models,” said Shukare. “Our laboratory studies how cancer cells obtain and use energy, with the goal of identifying their metabolic weaknesses. To defeat an opponent, it is often more effective to target its weakness than its strength. That is the approach my laboratory is taking as we work toward developing more effective strategies to combat this devastating disease.”
The work in Kyoto builds directly upon research already underway at Hampton University and the Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute, where Shukare’s laboratory investigates cancer metabolism, proton therapy and the complex communication between tumors and surrounding tissues.
His team’s long-term objective is to uncover the metabolic vulnerabilities that fuel cancer growth while identifying approaches that improve therapeutic response and address cancer-related metabolic complications.
Earlier this year, Shukare and his research team presented preliminary findings on fatty-acid metabolism in cancer during the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026, further highlighting Hampton University’s growing contributions to biomedical research.
For the School of Science, the fellowship represents more than an international appointment—it reflects Hampton University’s expanding influence within the global scientific community.
“Dr. Shukare’s selection for this prestigious fellowship is a testament to the caliber of scholarship taking place within Hampton University’s School of Science,” said Dr. Taviare Hawkins, dean of the School of Science. “His work exemplifies our commitment to conducting research that addresses significant global health challenges while creating meaningful learning opportunities for our students. The knowledge, partnerships and innovative techniques he brings back to Hampton will strengthen our research enterprise and further prepare our students to become leaders in biomedical science.”
Beyond advancing cancer research, the fellowship establishes a lasting bridge between Hampton University and one of the world’s leading research institutions. The collaboration opens new possibilities for scientific exchange, future partnerships and expanded research opportunities for Hampton students.
Upon returning to campus, Shukare plans to integrate the advanced stem cell methodologies and laboratory techniques he learned in Japan into both his research program and student training.
By combining stem cell-derived cancer models with metabolic research and radiation science, he hopes to develop more clinically relevant systems for studying cancer progression and therapeutic response while exposing Hampton students to emerging technologies shaping the future of biomedical science.
As Hampton University’s faculty continue building partnerships around the globe, every international collaboration reinforces the University’s mission to prepare students for leadership while advancing knowledge that benefits communities far beyond campus.
This summer, the Hampton Cup stretches from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to the laboratories of Kyoto.
And wherever Hampton scholars go, they carry out the University’s commitment to building world-ready leaders of character and consequence with them.
About Hampton University
Founded in 1868, Hampton University is one of the nation’s strongest Historically Black Colleges and Universities and a prestigious Carnegie R2-designated research institution. For more than 150 years, Hampton has prepared world-ready leaders of character and consequence through a distinctive educational experience grounded in academic excellence, leadership, innovation, and service.
Home to students from 44 states and 32 countries and territories, the University is nationally recognized for groundbreaking research in atmospheric science, cancer research, cybersecurity, marine and environmental science, and other disciplines that address society’s most pressing challenges. With an annual economic impact of $530 million across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Hampton continues to advance discovery, strengthen communities, and prepare graduates to lead with purpose in an increasingly interconnected world. Learn more at www.hamptonu.edu.
