Minnesota Partnership Announces New Project Awards

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics is awarding nearly $6 million in state-funded research support to seven research teams. This new round of scientific exploration will provide initial support for research on heart disease, mesothelioma, infection prevention and epilepsy. Other projects include nanotech medical sensors and human-safe pesticides designed for Minnesota.

"These new awards reflect the Partnership's continuing focus on major diseases affecting Minnesotans, and break new ground with innovative biotech ideas that can have a major impact on a range of health issues," says Mark Paller, M.D., Partnership program director at the University of Minnesota.

"We're beginning to explore ways to use biotechnology and nanotechnology to do analysis and to make Minnesota's environment healthier by avoiding toxic chemicals in pest control," explains Eric Wieben, Ph.D., Partnership program director at Mayo Clinic.

Applications for the projects were requested last fall from University and Mayo researchers. Each research proposal has a principal investigator from each institution and must be a project that could not be completed by either organization on its own. The field was narrowed and then final selection was made with input from an outside panel of national experts. Consideration was given to the potential commercialization of the research. The funding will be for two years, with the goal of developing intellectual property or attracting additional research support from federal or private sources.

The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics is a collaboration among the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic and the State of Minnesota. To learn more about the Partnership, go to http://www.minnesotapartnership.info.

The Minnesota Partnership 2008 research projects and teams include:

High Resolution Spatio-temporal Functional Neuroimaging in Epilepsy
Bin He, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Gregory Worrell, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$1 million

This team of neurologists and engineers will focus on developing a new technology to deliver detailed scans to help surgeons better pinpoint areas of the brain as they prepare to treat epilepsy patients. The project will begin with technology development and testing, with the goal of a clinical trial involving 40 patients.

Virotherapy for Mesothelioma
Robert Krattzke, M.D., University of Minnesota; and Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$867,114

This project will attempt to employ the adapted measles virus developed at Mayo as a means to target treatment for malignant mesothelioma, a deadly lung disease that has very poor survival rates. Recent data show this disease is a substantial risk for some groups in northeastern Minnesota.

Selective and Irreversible Inhibitors of Aphid Acetylcholinesterase as Human-Safe Pesticides for Controlling Soybean and Green Peach Aphids in Minnesota
David Ragsdale, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Yuan-Ping Pang, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$788,712

Researchers will use genomic technology to develop a molecular-based inhibitor that would permanently disable aphids that destroy soybean and potato crops in Minnesota. The inhibitor would eliminate the insects without harming humans.

Identification and Optimization of Small Molecular Inhibitors of Histone Acetyltransfease Rtt109: A novel approach to prevent fungal infection
Judith Berman, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Zhiguo Zhang, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$1.4 million

This team will use high-throughput genomic screening to identify and use molecules to inhibit fungal infections, which can be fatal, especially in patients whose immune system is already weakened by another disease or condition.

Correction of Cardiomyopathy by Sleeping Beauty Mediated Transposition and In Vivo Selection
R. Scott McIvor, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$671,987

These investigators want to develop a gene-delivery system for treating cardiomyopathy, or diseases of the muscle tissue of the heart.

Quantitative Vibro-Acoustography: A Novel Approach to Viscoelastic Tissue Characterization
Bojan Guizina, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Mostafa Fatemi, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$559,362

These ultrasound researchers want to combine two existing technologies to create an innovative way to diagnose breast cancer lesions earlier and save lives.

Development of New Carbon Nanotube Wireless Sensors for Respiratory Gas Exchange Analysis in Humans
Rajesh Rajamani, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; and Bruce Johnson, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
$526,980

This team of biomedical engineers seeks to develop an extremely small sensor that can be used to monitor and analyze a patient's respiration level without the bulk and expense of current monitors, while adding the flexibility of wireless technology.

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