Signature Research and
Academic Collaborations
Status Report to RHEDC
February 15, 2007
RHEDC Report
Recommendation
Establish a world-class higher education institution that
leverages the U of M research capability, in partnership
with IBM, Mayo Clinic, and other industry leaders, to build
signature academic and research programs that
complement SE Minnesota’s leadership roles in health
sciences, biosciences, engineering, and technology.
Educational programs will provide applications to economic
activities via innovation, translational research, and clinical
experiences. This institution will have a distinct identity and
one governing entity. This institution will be the U of M
Rochester.
External
Accelerators
Industry
Partnerships
• NSF, NIH, Other
Benefactors
• Mayo, IBM, Others
Research
•Technology Transfer
•Intellectual Property
•University Enterprise
Laboratory (UEL)
• Endowed Chairs
• Support Faculty
• Post-Doctoral Fellowships
Reputation
Undergraduat
e Programs
• Top Candidates
• Selective Enrollment
PhD &
Masters
Programs
• Worldwide Top Candidates
UM Workgroup Formed
• Charged with developing proposal that addresses
RHEDC recommendations
– Dr. Vipin Kumar, William Norris Professor and Head, Department
of Computer Science, Institute of Technology
– Dr. Claudia Neuhauser, HHMI Professor and Head, Department
of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, College of Biological
Sciences
– Jim Clausen, Program Management Consultant, Academic
Affairs, UMR
– Dick Westerlund, Director of Academic Affairs, UMR
Workgroup Proposal
• Establish a center for biomedical informatics and
quantitative and computational studies in the life
sciences in Rochester at UMR.
• Research focus on quantitative biomedical research
• Academic focus initially on a graduate program in
computational biology and biomedical informatics in life
and health sciences
• Calls for collaboration in research and academics
– Initially IBM, Mayo Clinic, UM Hormel Institute, UMTC, UMR
– UMR to provide management, administrative and infrastructure
support
Status of Proposal
• Reviewed and endorsed by IBM, Mayo Clinic, UM
Hormel Institute, UMTC, UMR
• All agree to collaborate and proceed with initial
implementation phase
Initial Phase: Research
• Biotech Symposia - Spring 2007
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Purpose: Establish collaborations for research and joint advising
Promote research seed grant program
Promote graduate student participation
Participants from IBM, Mayo Clinic, UM Hormel Institute and UMTC
• Committee representing collaborators formed to plan symposia,
identify research topics and participants, and plan administration of
initial grant programs
– Committee meets February 15
– First symposium targeted for March 8
• Follow-up meetings will be held of smaller groups having similar
research interests to encourage collaboration and submission of
grant requests
Symposia Planning Committee
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Drew Flaada: IBM, Director Mayo Collaboration, Life Sciences, and
BlueGene Software Development
Mike Good: IBM, Manager, BlueGene Software Development
Dr. Karla Ballman: Mayo Clinic, Chair of Division of Biostatistics, Department
of Health Sciences Research
Dr. Christopher Chute: Mayo Clinic, Chair of Division of Biomedical
Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research
Dr. Ann Bode: UM Hormel Institute, Assistant Director
Dr. Zigang Dong: UM Hormel Institute, Executive Director, McKnight
Presidential Professor in Cancer Prevention, Hormel-Knowlton Professor
Dr. Vipin Kumar, William Norris Professor and Head, Department of
Computer Science, Institute of Technology
Dr. Claudia Neuhauser, HHMI Professor and Head, Department of Ecology,
Evolution and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
Jim Clausen, Program Management Consultant, Academic Affairs, UMR
Dick Westerlund, Director of Academic Affairs, UMR
Initial Phase: Graduate Programs
• Two year master’s program starting fall 2007
• Utilize existing UM graduate programs and students
• Recruit first cohort of 10 M.S. graduate students
– Spring 2007
– From Rochester and Twin Cities
– Funded via fellowships
• Co-advised by scientists across participating institutions
• Curriculum to include
– 2-4 common courses
– Weekly meetings to promote interactions
– Joint symposia to bring students and faculty together
Initial Approach Concepts
• Start fast and keep scope narrow
– Graduate cohort starts Fall 2007, graduates Spring 2009
– Focus on biomedical informatics and computational biology
• Select a few research projects that have high
potential
• Let center concept evolve through careful planning,
experience, and management (proof of concept)
• Introduce new graduate degree programs based on
need, faculty expertise, student demand, resources
• Utilize existing infrastructure
Parallel Planning: Spring 2007
• Form graduate program committee to develop plan for
initial new graduate programs in biomedical informatics
and computational biology in Twin Cities and Rochester
for Fall 2008 start
• Form center development committee to recommend
center’s vision, mission, structure, membership,
organization, funding, etc.
• Committees to include founding collaborators – IBM,
Mayo Clinic, and UM
Project Timeline
• Plan 1st symposium – 2/15/07
• Hold 1st symposium – 3/8/07
– Announce request for grant proposals
– Describe initial academic cohort program
• Extend offers to initial class of graduate students – 4/3/07
• Initial meeting of academic planning committee – 4/12/07
• Final date for graduate students to respond to graduate program
offer – 4/16/07
• Hold 2nd symposium – 4/18/07
• Due date for submission of research grant proposals – 5/11/07
• Selection of biotech research projects – 6/6/07
• Start of funding for research projects – 7/2/07
• Submission of proposal for new graduate degrees to UM Graduate
School – Fall 2007