News
Connections, best practices, and knowledge-sharing that transcends borders
Facilitated by Medtronic, the goal of a recent trip by Dutch hospital leaders was to learn firsthand how U.S. health systems and payers are tackling some of the biggest opportunities and challenges in healthcare today. Read more.
UMN names first Chief Semiconductor Officer
The University of Minnesota has named Steven Koester as its first Chief Semiconductor Officer and launched a website devoted to the University’s semiconductor and microelectronics research and education. Koester’s responsibilities will include representing the University within larger efforts to advance Minnesota’s microelectronics industry with local companies, public agencies, and policymakers. Read more.
Research partnership with Cisco advances machine learning
A multi-year, mutually beneficial collaboration between experts in the University of Minnesota's School of Statistics and leaders from Cisco's cybersecurity research division has already launched three research projects, including one focusing on advancing adversarial learning and one on developing efficient and reliable watermarking for generative AI. Read more.
$2.5M Cargill grant supports UMN 'Forever Green' initiative
Cargill has awarded $2.5 million to the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota to support research into two novel oilseed crops—winter camelina and domesticated winter pennycress—that can produce seed-based oil for low-carbon transportation fuels while also protecting soil, improving water quality, and providing new revenue streams for farmers. Read more.
UMN research enterprise strong and getting stronger
At the Board of Regents meeting on December 7, 2023, Vice President for Research and Innovation Shashank Priya highlighted the continued growth of the UMN research enterprise, noting that external sponsored research awards to the University remain over $1 billion and the University has risen year-over-year from 14th to 12th among US public universities in the latest National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development survey rankings. Read more.
Online platform helps companies and researchers connect
For corporations seeking university research expertise through networking and social media sites, Halo stands out as a way to connect corporate R&D teams with research scientists and vice versa. Launched at University of Chicago in 2020, Halo uses networking technologies to match up companies and scientists who have shared interests to accelerate scientific innovation and advance solutions. Read more.
UMN establishes research agreements with Korean peer institutions
A UMN delegation visited Korea's Hanyang University and the Korea Institute for Science and Technology (KIST), where they signed agreements to build research collaborations with these partners. Hanyang University is a leader in battery research and development, and KIST specializes in materials science and device fabrication. Read more.
UMN remains among the 'Billion Dollar Research Club'
For the second year in a row, the University of Minnesota sustained more than $1 billion in competitively earned sponsored research awards. In addition, the University ranks among the nation’s top 15 public universities in research expenditures, according to a report Vice President of Research Shashank Priya gave to the Board of Regents. Read more.
University of Minnesota, DEED launch $34.5M Minnesota Venture Capital Programs
The University of Minnesota is partnering with the State of Minnesota to inject $34.5 million into Minnesota’s early-stage, venture-backed businesses — a key step toward maintaining Minnesota’s position as one of the best states nationally for growing new businesses. Read more.
In partnership with Cisco, UMN computer scientists explore video conferencing inequities
Do video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and WebEx create barriers to participation in online meetings? University of Minnesota computer scientists partnered with Cisco Systems to understand how biases impact participation in online meetings and design ways to mitigate bias and enhance participation equity. Read more.
A strong year for U of M tech transfer
New FY22 statistics show the University’s technology commercialization program continues to grow, thanks to a record number of startups created (22) and patents (241) issued by U.S. and foreign authorities to University inventors. Results reflect the University’s ongoing commitment to the research-related objectives of MPact 2025, the Systemwide Strategic Plan. Read more.
25 years of Visible Heart® Laboratory research and training at the U of M
The Visible Heart® Lab was created in 1997 in collaboration with Medtronic to perform translational systems physiology research ranging from cellular and tissue studies to organ and whole-body investigations. Today, it is Medtronic's longest-standing academic collaboration and a valuable resource in the medical device industry. Read more.
80 years of the Hormel Institute: from food R&D to innovative cancer research
Many are familiar with Hormel Foods, a food processing company most famously known for producing Spam. Lesser known is The Hormel Institute, the nearby state-of-the-art biomedical research facility that recently celebrated 80 years of research. Read more.
The value of having a research school in your midst
A new report of which U.S. universities are best at creating new knowledge through technology transfer ranks the University of Minnesota Twin Cities No. 1 among universities in America's heartland, No. 5 among all U.S. public universities nationally, and No. 10 among all U.S. universities. Read more.
U of M celebrates its 200th startup company
The University of Minnesota announced that it has launched 200 startup companies since 2006, a significant milestone in its work to scale and commercialize ideas and inventions from labs and research facilities on its five campuses. Read more.
U of M named one the best for tech transfer
Heartland Forward recently named the University of Minnesota among the country's best universities for technology transfer, noting that "its Minnesota Innovation Partnerships program provides a low-risk option to license technologies through its Try & Buy contracting program." Read more.
Novel retinal scan for earlier Alzheimer's detection
The work of Center for Drug Design researchers Robert Vince, PhD and Swati More, PhD, led to a noninvasive tool for earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease through the retina, and also to a partnership with medical imaging company RetiSpec. Read more.
A framework for place-based collaboration with industry
Interim Vice President for Research Michael Oakes presented to the University's Board of Regents a framework and rationale for developing place-based collaborations with business and other external partners. Read more.
"Strong, growing, and impactful”: 2021 University research report
Corporations invested $255.5 million in University research during a record year for innovation and technology funding in 2021, the first year that external research funding surpassed $1 billion. Read more.
Stratasys donates 3D printers to Visible Heart Laboratories
Stratasys, a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, is sponsoring the University of Minnesota Visible Heart® Laboratories with a donation of Stratasys J750™ Digital Anatomy™ 3D printers. Read more.
Using analytics to develop better "similarity metrics"
Winfield United, the crop sciences division of Land O’ Lakes, worked with students at the Carlson School of Management Analytics Lab to improve the way the company uses data to advise member farmers. Read more.
University of Minnesota is part of Toyota Research Institute’s new initiative
U of M researchers will use artificial intelligence to better understand drivers’ behavior to increase safe driving. Read more.
Holmes Center and MN Cup gain national recognition
The Holmes Center was a finalist for “Outstanding Contributors to Venture Creation” and was recognized in the State of University Entrepreneurship Centers’ Fall 2020 Report. Read more.
Planting seeds of innovation
The 3M Venture Fellows program helps high-potential 3M employees gain expertise in launching startups, while lending valuable insights to U researchers. Read more.
Thanks in part to U of M research, Catamaran Bio soars with early funding
A biotech startup that includes U of M technology created to bring new cancer therapies to life has attracted high levels of funding during its early-stage investment rounds. Read more.
Collaboration with Cisco explores frontier of data technologies
A new collaboration between University of Minnesota researchers and Cisco Systems seeks to advance cutting-edge technologies that transform the way people access, manage, and protect data. Read more.
U of M launches Center for Medical Device Cybersecurity
The new center will foster university-industry-government collaborations to ensure that medical devices are protected from growing cybersecurity threats. Read more.
‘This is groundbreaking’: UMD partnership transforms medical technology with humanoid robots
Thanks to a partnership between University of Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota-based Monarch Healthcare, humanoid robots will help care for patients in assisted living spaces. Read more.
Center for Retail Design and Innovation Partners with Kohl's
The College of Design’s Center for Retail Design and Innovation (CRDI) has entered into the biggest partnership in its history with omnichannel retailer Kohl’s. Read more.