Member Centers

The Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio) aims to “stop biological time” and radically extend the ability to bank and transport cells, aquatic embryos, tissue, skin, whole organs, microphysiological systems (“organs-on-a-chip”), and even whole organisms through a team approach to build advanced biopreservation technologies.

John Bischof, PhD
Director and Principal Investigator, ATP-Bio
Director, Institute for Engineering in Medicine
Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Medtronic-Bakken Endowed Chair for Engineering in Medicine

Mehmet Toner, PhD
Deputy Director, ATP-Bio
Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Helen Andrus Benedict Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Harvard Medical School
Founding Co-Director, The Institute for Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Director, BioMEMS Center, Mass General

The BioTechnology Institute (BTI) provides advanced research, training, and university-industry interaction in biological process technology, a major area of biotechnology research. The Institute is the central University of Minnesota vehicle for coordinated research in the biological, chemical, and engineering aspects of biotechnology and home to the President's Initiative on Biocatalysis.

Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, PhD
Director, BioTechnology Institute
Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics

The Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) joins with local, national, and international stakeholders to respond to emerging animal health, public health, and food safety issues.

Andres Perez, DVM, PhD
Director, Center for Animal Health and Food Safety
Endowed Chair of Global Animal Health and Food Safety
Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine 

The Center for Bioethics' mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge concerning ethical issues in health care, biomedicine, and the life sciences. It conducts original interdisciplinary research, offers educational programs and courses, fosters public discussion and debate through community outreach activities, and assists in the formulation of public policy.

Debra DeBruin, PhD
Director, Center for Bioethics
Director of Graduate Studies, Center for Bioethics
Associate Professor, College of Liberal Arts Department of Philosophy

Cognitive neuropharmacology is the study of how drugs interact with the brain and affect thinking and behavior, such as speech and language. Researchers at the Center for Clinical and Cognitive Neuropharmacology collaborate with investigators from such disciplines as neuroscience, neuroimaging, linguistics, natural language, and speech processing, psychometrics, pharmacogenomics, pharmacometrics, and informatics to study how drugs can affect an individual’s cognitive functioning.

Angela Birnbaum, PhD
Director and Co-founder, Center for Clinical and Cognitive Neuropharmacology
Professor, Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology 
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology

Susan Marino, PhD
Professor Emerita, Center for Clinical and Cognitive Neuropharmacology

Center for Cognitive Sciences members represent 14 University departments and 6 colleges and the Center provides them with opportunities to share their insights on recent advances and develop interdisciplinary research collaborations. Its primary mission is the facilitation of interdisciplinary research and teaching in cognitive science.

Victoria Interrante, PhD
Director, Center for Cognitive Sciences
Professor, Computer Science and Engineering
Professor, Graduate Program in Human Factors and Ergonomics

CIDRAP focuses on three priorities: 1) improving the readiness of public health, infectious disease medical practice, and the health care system to respond to catastrophic events such as bioterrorism; 2) developing strategies for enhancing the ability of the farm-to-table food system to prevent, detect, and respond to deliberate contamination of food and agricultural products with infectious or toxic agents; 3) promoting the implementation of routine food irradiation to reduce the incidence of foodborne disease.

Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH
Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)
Regents Professor
McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health
Distinguished Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences
Professor, Technological Leadership Institute
Adjunct Professor, Medical School

CSTEP is part of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and focuses on issues arising at the intersection of science, technology, environment, and society that shape economic development, environmental sustainability, human health, and well-being.

Gabriel Chan, PhD
Co-Director, Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
Associate Professor, Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (CSTEP)

Bonnie Keeler, PhD
Co-Director, Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
Associate Professor, Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (CSTEP)

With nearly two decades of experience in healthcare innovation, the Center for Spirituality and Healing has played a pivotal role in improving the health and wellbeing of people, organizations and communities at the local, national, and international levels. Our remarkable faculty, experts drawn from the University and the community, are committed to innovation, service, and social change.

Aligned with the University's mission of education, research and service, the Center is a pioneer in forging new paths for interprofessional education and research - breaking down silos and disciplinary boundaries. Our diverse and multidisciplinary faculty strive to advance health and wellbeing around the world.

Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN
Founder and Director, Center for Spirituality & Healing
Professor, Population Health and Systems Cooperative

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) supports all stages of the research process, providing research and regulatory support, specialized facilities, and analytical services. It also offers educational and training opportunities for new investigators and study coordinators.  CTSI is part of a National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium created to accelerate laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients.

Bruce Blazar, MD
Director and PI, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
Director, Center for Translational Medicine

David Ingbar, MD
Co-Director, CTSI Education, Training and Career Development
Assistant Dean, Faculty Development and Mentoring for the Office of Faculty Affairs
Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep

The Food Protection and Defense Institute (FPDI), formerly known as the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, was officially launched as a Homeland Security Center of Excellence in July 2004 at the University of Minnesota. Developed as a multidisciplinary and action-oriented research consortium, FPDI addresses the vulnerability of the nation's food system. FPDI takes a comprehensive, farm-to-table view of the food system, encompassing all aspects from primary production through transportation and food processing to retail and food service.

Katey Pelican, DVM, PhD
Director, Food Protection and Defense Institute
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative
Co-Lead, UMN Sustainable Development Goals Initiative

The mission of the Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute is to increase and sustain the University's impact in the interdisciplinary arena of food, agriculture, and health. The priority focus areas are food safety, prevention of obesity and chronic disease, and food policy.

Mindy S. Kurzer, PhD
Director, Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute
Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition
 

IonE discovers solutions to Earth’s most pressing environmental problems by conducting transformative research, developing the next generation of global leaders, and building world-changing partnerships.

Jessica Hellmann, PhD
Executive Director, IonE
Professor, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior

Melissa Kenney, PhD
Director of Research and Knowledge Initiatives, IonE
Principal Research Scholar in Environmental Decision Support
Affiliate Faculty, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs

International Science & Technology Practice & Policy (InSTePP) brings together a community of scholars at the University of Minnesota and elsewhere to engage in economic research on science and technology practice and policy, emphasizing the international implications.

Philip G. Pardey, PhD
Co-Director, International Science & Technology Practice & Policy
Professor, Science and Technology Policy, Department of Applied Economics
Director of Global Research Strategy, College of Food Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Alison Joglekar, PhD
Co-Director, International Science & Technology Practice & Policy
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Economics



 

Yuan Chai, PhD
Co-Director, International Science & Technology Practice & Policy
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Economics

The University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center serves as the focal point for cancer research at the University. As a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, Masonic Cancer Center's 500 members apply their expertise to the broad problem of cancer with research on cancer causes, prevention, treatment, outcomes, and survivorship. 

Aaron Schliz, MPA
Executive Director, Masonic Cancer Center
Associate Director of Administration, Masonic Cancer Center

Douglas Yee, MD
Director, Masonic Cancer Center
John H. Kersey Chair in Cancer Research
Professor, Medicine and Pharmacology (Joint Appointment)

The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) brings together University of Minnesota experts in pediatric medicine and research to diagnose, prevent, and treat neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood and adolescence.

Michael K. Georgieff, MD
Co-Director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB)
Executive Chair & Martin Lenz Harrison Land Grant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Faculty Member, Institute of Child Development
Faculty Member, Division of Neonatology

Damien Fair, PA-C, PhD
Co-Director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB)
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Professor, Institute of Child Development
 

Members of the Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute (MPGI) are faculty who are interested in the successful development and application of genomics and the resulting societal and environmental impact. The mission of MPGI is to promote advances in microbial and plant genomics, genomics-enabled science, and molecular genetics for the benefit of society.

Brett Barney, PhD
Director, MPGI
Associate Professor, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering

The Stem Cell Institute (SCI) uses stem cell biology to change the practice of medicine through discovery, education, and translation. The researchers and faculty of the SCI explore the science of stem cell biology with the purposes of responding to the medical needs of today and educating the researchers of tomorrow.

Walter Low, PhD
Director, Stem Cell Institute
Professor, Department of Neurosurgery

Susan A. Keirstead, PhD
Administrative Co-Director, Stem Cell Institute
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology 

The Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative (SPARC) engages researchers and practitioners across disciplines in the US and globally to establish new large-scale programs that catalyze collaboration, innovate for new discoveries, and deliver practical new solutions that address critical challenges.

Katey Pelican, DVM, PhD
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative
Director, Food Protection and Defense Institute
Co-Lead, UMN Sustainable Development Goals Initiative

The University of Minnesota Genomics Center (UMGC) provides genomics research services committed to advancing genomics in Minnesota. The UMGC maintains and acquires state-of-the-art instrumentation and offers an array of services including sequencing, expression, genotyping, nucleic acid extraction, and related support. We strive to keep pace with the ever-broadening world of “omics” technologies (genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics), and to expand our role at the University and the wider biotech community.

Kenneth Beckman, PhD
Executive Director, University of Minnesota Genomics Center
Associate Professor, Genetics, Cell Biology & Development Biology

The Water Resources Center provides leadership in freshwater management through cutting-edge research, educational opportunities for students and professionals, and community outreach.

Jeffrey Peterson, PhD
Director, Water Resources Center
Professor, Department of Applied Economics

Joel Larson, MPP
Associate Director, Water Resources Center
Extension Program Leader, Water Resources Center