About
HGI
Every family eventually encounters uncertainty.
Sometimes it begins with an unexpected ultrasound.
Sometimes with a diagnosis.
Sometimes with a family story that has lingered for generations…
Our Story
In those moments, people are not simply looking for answers. They are looking for understanding. For guidance. For someone willing to walk beside them…
Hoʻoilina Genomics Institute was founded not simply to provide clinical genetics services, but to help build the future of genomic medicine in Hawaiʻi.
We believe every individual and family deserves timely access to thoughtful, expert genomic care. But caring for patients today is only part of our responsibility. Through clinical care, education, research, collaboration, and workforce development, we are working to strengthen Hawaiʻi's capacity in genetics and genomics for generations to come.
Because today's work becomes tomorrow's inheritance.
Our Philosophy
We exist to help people move through uncertainty.
We believe the practice of genomic medicine is not simply about identifying genetic changes or interpreting laboratory results. It is about caring for people during moments of profound uncertainty.
Every conversation should bring greater clarity.
Every recommendation should reflect thoughtful stewardship.
Every relationship should be grounded in trust.
Science guides our decisions.
Compassion shapes our care.
Humility reminds us that every person carries a story far greater than any diagnosis.
These beliefs are reflected in Nā Hōkū—the guiding principles that shape how we care for patients, work with colleagues, and build an institution worthy of future generations.
Our values guide every decision we make.
Nā Hōkū
Eight guiding principles shape every decision we make.
How We Carry Ourselves
Kāohi
Haʻahaʻa
Why We Exist
Hoʻoilina
Kuleana
How We Walk with Others
Pilina
Hoʻokele
How We Leave the World Better
Kahiau
Pono
How We Work
Relationships before transactions
We begin with listening.
Expertise with humility
Knowledge is most powerful when shared with compassion.
Access matters
Timely care changes lives.
Built to last
Todayʻs work becomes tomorrowʻs inheritance.
Rooted in Hawaiʻi
Hoʻoilina Genomics Institute was founded in Hawaiʻi, the ancestral homeland of the Kānaka Maoli.
Our work is rooted in a relationship with ʻāina—a relationship that reminds us that health is never experienced in isolation. It is shaped by family, genealogy, community, culture, and place.
The principles that guide HGI were shaped not only by genomic medicine, but also by Hawaiʻi's enduring traditions of mālama, pilina, kuleana, and aloha ʻāina. These values influence how we care for patients, steward knowledge, build partnerships, and imagine the future of healthcare in our islands.
As genomic medicine continues to advance, we believe scientific excellence and cultural humility are not competing ideals. They strengthen one another.
Our aspiration is not simply to bring the future of genomic medicine to Hawaiʻi, but to help shape that future in a way that reflects the people, values, and places that make Hawaiʻi home.
ʻĀina reminds us that stewardship is measured not only by what we build, but by what we leave behind for those who follow.
About the Founder
Leah K. Dowsett, MD, FAAP, FACMG
Dr. Dowsett is a board-certified medical geneticist and board-certified pediatrician who has dedicated more than a decade to advancing genetics and genomics across Hawaiʻi. She is the first Native Hawaiian physician to become board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). Throughout her career, she has provided clinical leadership focused on expanding access to genomic medicine, building sustainable programs, and developing the genetics workforce. Through Hoʻoilina Genomics Institute, her vision is to create a trusted statewide home for compassionate, culturally grounded, and world-class genetics care—for today's families and for generations yet to come.
Meet Dr. Dowsett
Medicine has always been about people.
Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of walking alongside individuals and families during some of life's most uncertain moments. Genetics often begins with questions—questions about a child, a pregnancy, a diagnosis, or a family history. Behind every question is a person seeking understanding, guidance, and hope.
I am honored to serve as the first Native Hawaiian physician to become board certified in Medical Genetics and Genomics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics. I am also a board-certified pediatrician, though my professional work over the past decade has focused almost entirely on clinical genetics.
Hoʻoilina Genomics Institute grew from a simple belief: Hawaiʻi deserves a genetics program built specifically for our communities, our families, and our future. My vision has never been simply to create a medical practice. It is to build an institution that expands access to genomic medicine, develops the next generation of leaders, and serves our islands for decades to come.
Whether you are a patient, a family member, a referring provider, or someone interested in joining our team, mahalo for taking the time to learn about HGI. I hope the work we do earns your trust, and I look forward to building the future together.
— Leah Keʻalaʻaumoe Dowsett, MD, FAAP, FACMG
Founder & Medical Director
The Future is Built Together.
Building a stronger future for genomic medicine requires patients, families, clinicians, researchers, educators, and communities working together. We invite you to join us in building something that will serve Hawai’i for generations to come.