Kutztown University presented its annual Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards on April 16 at a virtual event, including to Takumi Hawes of Albrightsville.

Takumi Hawes is a chemistry and biochemistry major graduating in May from Albrightsville. He is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Copper Medal in the category of successfully completed research project. Hawes completed a biochemistry research project in which he discovered a way to enhance the function of a protein molecule that regulates apoptosis (programmed cell death). Apoptosis is a process in all animals that safely removes unneeded or potentially harmful cells. Mis-regulation of apoptosis occurs in cancer (too little apoptosis) and many neurodegenerative diseases (too much apoptosis). In his research, Hawes discovered that self-associating an IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) into a dimer enhanced its ability to inhibit caspase enzymes, which themselves cause apoptosis. This finding suggests that other caspase inhibitors, including those being developed as therapeutics, could likewise be enhanced by dimerization. Hawes presented his original results at the National American Chemical Society meeting in April 2020 and had his abstract accepted for presentation at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting in February 2021. Hawes has twice been named the Department of Physical Sciences Standout Student.