Professor Walter Low, PhD, was recently named Director of the University of Minnesota’s Stem Cell Institute (SCI). He takes over for outgoing Director Brenda Ogle, PhD, who was SCI Director for the past five years. In 1999, the Institute became the first interdisciplinary organization in the U.S. dedicated to stem cell research. Serving as a hub for education, collaborative research and stem cell information, the Institute’s work focuses mainly on five diseases: heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, inherited disorders and musculoskeletal diseases. Dr. Low most recently served as Director of the Research Laboratories in the UMN Department of Neurosurgery, as well as a tenured Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery. His research career has centered on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, strokes, brain tumors, and traumatic brain injury, among others. SCI is a Consortium Member Center.