Minnesota’s Regenerative Medicine Collaborative

Collaboration is helping to expand the field of regenerative medicine in Minnesota. On June 14^th, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota held its first annual Idea Exchange and Celebrations. Researchers, entrepreneurs, and government officials met in Minneapolis to discuss regenerative medicine’s growth in the state, to present on current research, and to celebrate new grant recipients.

Regenerative Medicine Minnesota is a state-wide initiative to improve the health of Minnesotans by advancing regenerative medicine research, education, industry, and care delivery to patients. Led by researchers from Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota, the collaboration includes representatives from the private industry sector and others with expertise in the field. Annually, $4.35 million is used to fund research, education, patient care, and business development initiatives that increase access to regenerative medicine across the state.

“Regenerative medicine allows us to think about the care and the delivery, and even the tools that we use, to treat people in a different way,” says Atta Behfar, M.D., Ph.D., researcher at Mayo Clinic and speaker at the event. “The regenerative medicine initiative in Minnesota coalesces the state for us to be able to provide that type of initiative for our entire state. It allows us to not only partner with the University of Minnesota, but it allows us to reach out to different small business entities.”

The event opened with presentations on the regenerative medicine model of care, education efforts, and future planning for the field. Grant recipients from the first year were given the opportunity to present their findings. Harvey Chen, M.D., represented the team from Mayo Clinic studying liver regeneration. Elizabeth Bradley, M.D., researcher from Mayo Clinic, presented her research on finding ways for human cartilage to repair itself. The event concluded with awards for the 2016-2017 grant recipients. Those receiving grants from Mayo Clinic include, John Burnett, Jr., M.D., Kimberly Holst, M.D., Nathan Staff, M.D., Ph.D., Amanda Golden, Katherine Campbell, Ph.D., and Saranya Wyles.

-Katie Cottam, June 20, 2016