The summit's participants included (from left to right) Eric Wieben, Ph.D., associate dean for research collaborations, Mayo Clinic; Jan Andersson, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Karolinska Institute; Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, M.D., Ph.D., president, Karolinska Institute; John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO, Mayo Clinic; and Robert Rizza, M.D., executive dean for research, Mayo Clinic.

It was a major, but quiet event: the summit of two global medical research centers behind closed doors.

Mayo Clinic and the Karolinska Institute had collaborated for years, with investigators winging back and forth between Rochester, Minn., and Stockholm. But the time had come to make this relationship formal and official. So in April the president and vice president of Karolinska met with Mayo's president and CEO, and executive dean of research, and they all listened to a wide range of presentations in the old physicians' reading room atop the Plummer Building, while the formal portraits of the Mayo brothers looked on.

The visitors heard about current programs in individualized and regenerative medicine, metabolism, Alzheimer's disease, infectious diseases, and the science of health care delivery. In turn, they presented an overview of their institution. And, as they say in those news reports about summits, the conversations were constructive. It comes as no surprise that a meeting is planned for later this year in Sweden when the outcome of the talks will be announced.