Minnesota Partnership Attracts New Scientists to State

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Two nationally regarded researchers are on their way to Minnesota, thanks to the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics. The first pair of faculty members with complementary specializations recruited by the Partnership will soon increase research strengths at the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic.

Barry Finzel, Ph.D., currently with Pfizer, Inc., will join the University of Minnesota's Department of Medicinal Chemistry in September. Yuichi Machida, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia, will join Mayo Clinic's Division of Oncology Research in May.

The two researchers were recruited under a competitive Partnership program that focuses on attracting accomplished scientists whose research interests complement each other and who will fill an established research need. The coordination and pairing of candidates is part of the ongoing efforts by the Partnership to add value and direction to Minnesota's scientific potential. The recruiting program emphasizes specialties aligned with Partnership research areas; however, each scientist recruited is employed by one or the other partnering institutions.

"This is another way the Minnesota Partnership is actively improving Minnesota's position as a national leader," says Eric Wieben, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic program director for the Minnesota Partnership.

"These noted investigators will not only enhance the scientific talent in the state, but their collaborative interactions will be valuable as well," says Mark Paller, M.D., Minnesota Partnership program director at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Finzel is recognized as one of the premier scientists in the area of X-ray crystallography of small molecule-protein complexes. His more than 20 years of experience in modeling and analysis of crystal complexes has led to medical therapies for such diverse problems as immune-based diseases, cancer, bacterial and viral diseases, and conditions of the cardiovascular system. He received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Machida is assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at the University of Virginia, where he investigates regulation of DNA replication in normal and cancer cells using genetics and genomics. His work has focused on ways to prevent unrestrained growth and genomic instability of cancer cells. Dr. Machida received his Ph.D. degree at Nagoya University in Japan.

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 www.minnesotapartnership.info.

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