Research

Read about the latest research findings:

• Minnesota Partnership researchers publish Alzheimer's findings
• Minnesota Partnership Researchers Discover Disease 'Fingerprint'

General Background and Information

The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics is a state-sponsored, joint research collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota. Over the next two years several initial collaborative research projects will be developed. At the same time, plans for the future of this extensive research partnership will be developed. The success of the initial research projects described here is critical to securing additional state, federal, and private sources to sustain the Partnership.

There was overwhelming faculty interest in the program. 34 collaborative research proposals were received from 128 investigators from 12 colleges at the University of Minnesota and 121 investigators from Mayo Clinic, for a total of $21.8 million in requested funds. From these, nine finalists were selected and four projects were ultimately funded.

Partnership Research Updates

Two New University-Mayo Research Advances

Collaborators James Levine, M.D., Mayo Clinic, and Catherine Kotz, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, published a research paper on their obesity studies that appeared in the American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism. This publication stems from work prior to their being named Partnership researchers, but is yet another illustration of their national recognition and the effectiveness of their collaboration.

Similarly, based on their previous work together, University of Minnesota researcher Michael Garwood, Ph.D. and Mayo investigators Joseph Poduslo, Ph.D., and Clifford Jack, M.D., have submitted a research grant application to a national foundation and have begun the patent application process related to their research on Alzheimer's Disease.

Additional results to date have exceeded all expectations since we unveiled the Partnership in early 2003. Four University of Minnesota-Mayo Clinic teams are working on important research involving prostate cancer, Alzheimer's disease, obesity and heart disease -- issues affecting thousands of Minnesotans. In the past year alone our researchers have made enormous progress:

• Our research teams have submitted five papers for publication in prestigious medical journals.
• Partnership teams have received two grants--an equipment grant award from the VA Medical Center Research Services, and an equipment grant award from the Minnesota Medical Foundation.
• Research teams have submitted two federal grant applications, including a competitive renewal of a National Institutes of Health Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant, and a National Science Foundation grant.
• A Partnership team is preparing to submit an application for an NIH Program Project Grant--titled "Physical activity and obesity: from molecule to community." The goals of this project complement and expand upon the Minnesota Partnership project, and include the current Partnership project participants in addition to several other University and Mayo Clinic faculty.
• One patent application has already been filed.