The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics (MNP) has announced the recipients of its 2024 research grants. MNP, funded by the State of Minnesota, supports research conducted by teams from the University of Minnesota (UMN) and Mayo Clinic.
This year, a total of $3 million has been allocated to support projects on cognitive aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and pulmonary hypertension.
Dr. Alessandro Bartolomucci from UMN and Dr. Darren J. Baker from Mayo Clinic will explore how blocking C3aR1 could reduce obesity-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. This study aims to identify a potential new drug target for Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Esther Lutgens from Mayo Clinic and Dr. Jop van Berlo from UMN are investigating inflammation in cardiovascular disease. Their project focuses on identifying macrophage subtypes that contribute to atherosclerosis and heart failure progression. The team hopes their findings could lead to new drug targets for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Vaiva Vezys from UMN and Dr. Laura M. Rogers from Mayo Clinic are examining immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used in cancer treatments. Their research seeks to understand T cell subtypes contributing to side effects caused by ICIs, aiming to predict and reduce these side effects for better cancer treatment outcomes.
Dr. Aleksandra Babicheva from UMN and Dr. Christina Pabelick from Mayo Clinic are studying pulmonary hypertension (PH), specifically Group 3 PH linked to low oxygen levels (hypoxia). The study will evaluate how hypoxia affects vascular remodeling processes in PH patients, potentially leading to new treatments.
Mayo Clinic continues its commitment to innovation in clinical practice, education, research, and providing care for those in need.
