Biomedical Informatics and
Computational Biology (BICB)
Briefing to RHEDC
September 21, 2007
Program Overview
• Establish a UM center for biomedical informatics and
quantitative and computational studies in the life
sciences in Rochester at UMR
– collaboration with UMN (UMR, UMTC, Hormel Institute),
IBM, and Mayo Clinic
– provide important economic growth for the region/state
– healthcare, health science, genomics, bioscience, technology
• Research focus on quantitative biomedical research
• Academic focus initially on a graduate program in
computational biology and biomedical informatics in life
and health sciences
UM Planning Team
• 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, McKnight Professor, HHMI
Professor and Head, Department of Ecology, Evolution
and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
– Dick Westerlund, Interim Vice Chancellor of Academic
Affairs, UMR
– Jim Clausen, Program Management Consultant for
Bioscience, UMR
– Michael Olesen, Program Director for Bioscience, UMR
 Joint assignment with Digital Technology Center
Planning Stages
• Training Program
– Started Fall 2007
• Graduate Program
– Proposal development ongoing
– Proposal submission: December 3, 2007
• Research Program
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Collaborations among IBM, Mayo Clinic, UMN
Symposia 3/8/07 and 5/21/07
Seed Grants: Awarded July 2007
Symposium Proposal to OVPR: August 2007
Planning Stages-Training Program
– Graduate cohort started Fall 2007, will complete program in Spring 2009
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9 PhD and 1MS trainees funded on 2-year UMR traineeships: 9 UMTC graduate students and
1 Mayo graduate student
Co-advised across organizations (UMN/IBM-5 Teams, UMN/Mayo Clinic-5 Teams)
– Focus on biomedical informatics and computational biology
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Statistical methods for mining of large-scale biomedical data
Data mining methods for finding patterns in large biomedical data sets
Computational methods to identify drug targets
Computational methods to model chemical reactions
Computational synthesis of biochemical networks
– Kick-off meeting in August with presentations by all teams
– Weekly UMTC/UMR/Mayo/IBM Seminar
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ITV: simultaneously delivered at UMR and UMTC
Attended by trainees and trainers
– Graduate students take a total of 12 credits in this area
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Course list is developing and includes UMN and Mayo Clinic courses
Planning Stages-Graduate Degree Programs
• Academic Planning Committee formed to develop
plan for new graduate program in biomedical
informatics and computational biology
– IBM, Mayo Clinic, & UMN represented on committee
– Courses to be offered in Twin Cities and Rochester
– Target UM Grad School support for Fall 2008 start
• Discussions with Mayo Graduate School for Joint
Degree Program
Academic Planning Committee
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22 members from UMN, Mayo Clinic, and IBM
Monthly meetings
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Curriculum development
Degree requirements
Recruitment of graduate faculty
Submission of pre-proposal to UMN Graduate School to form an
interdisciplinary, All-University graduate program (June 1, 2007)
Plan: MS, Ph.D., Minor, part-time MS degrees
Training focuses on development and applications of computational methods,
to work in interdisciplinary teams, and on business leadership and technology
management
New paradigm to deliver interdisciplinary, multi-institutional education to
students from diverse backgrounds
– Flexible infrastructure
– Long-distance education
– Modular course work
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Proposal due at UMN Graduate School on Dec 3rd for Fall 2008 start date
Planning Stages-Research Center
• UMR Research Seed Grant Program
– Five one-year, $100K grants (renewable for 2nd year)
– Personalized medicine: data mining for clinical and
laboratory data
• Team 1: 7 collaborators from Mayo Clinic, IBM, and UMN
• Team 2: 11 collaborators from Mayo Clinic and UMN
• Team 3: 6 collaborators from IBM and UMN
– Drug development: computational methods for
rational drug design
• Team 4: 4 collaborators from IBM and UMN
• Team 5 : 3 collaborators from IBM, Mayo Clinic, and UMN
Planning Stages-Research Center
• Proposal for Minnesota Futures Grant Program
(pending)
– Submitted to the Office of the Vice President for
Research at UMTC on August 1
– Focus on seed grant themes
• Personalized medicine: data mining for clinical and laboratory
data
• Drug development: computational methods for rational drug
design
– Goal
• Developing synergies among funded teams
• Broadening participation
• Positioning ourselves for extramural funding to establish
research center at UMR
Symposia Planning Committee
• IBM: Drew Flaada and Mike Good
• Mayo Clinic: Dr. Karla Ballman and Dr.
Christopher Chute
• UM Hormel Institute: Dr. Zigang Dong and Dr.
Ann Bode
• UMTC: Dr. Claudia Neuhauser and Dr. Vipin
Kumar
• UMR: Jim Clausen, Michael Olesen and Dick
Westerlund
Key Dates
• BICB Symposia – 3/8/07 and 5/21/07
• Academic Planning Committee
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4/25/07, 5/24/07, 7/10/07, 10/1/07, 10/31/07
Due date for applications – 6/15/07
Extend offers – 6/29/07
Trainee orientation – 8/27/07
Start – 9/4/07
• Seed Grants
- Due date for submission of proposals – 6/15/07
- Selection of research projects – 6/29/07
- Funding start – 9/4/07
• New Degree Programs
- Submit proposal to UM Grad School – 12/3/07
• BICB Website Updates – 9/25/07
- www.r.umn.edu/bicb