Dr. John Noseworthy

Whether it’s the RIGHT Protocol, the BEAUTY breast cancer trial, or the PROMOTE prostate cancer study, the Center for Individualized Medicine is actively engaged in biomedical research. In fact, improving patient care by turning genomic research into real-world personalized medicine applications, particularly new and better genomics-based diagnostic tests, is one of the fundamental goals here.  At the Center for Individualized Medicine, we have active research studies going in our five translational programs: biomarker discovery, clinomics, epigenomics, microbiome and pharmacogenomics.

So it was with great pleasure to learn that Mayo Clinic has been honored by Research!America, the national advocacy organization for medical research. On behalf of Mayo Clinic, CEO and President John Noseworthy, M.D., will receive the Geoffrey Beene Builders of Science Award as part of the organization’s Advocacy Awards Program, initiated to honor individuals and organizations that have effectively advanced the nation’s commitment to research.

Mayo Clinic’s commitment to research runs through its many departments and programs.  We’ve highlighted just a small part of it here on the center’s blog, even when it didn’t directly involve the Center for Individualized Medicine.  Sometimes it’s just appropriate to acknowledge the great work being done by our peers.

The announcement from Research!America states that Dr. Noseworthy, a neurologist who has been active in research on multiple sclerosis, “has focused his career on advancing research to meet the needs of individual patients and has enhanced Mayo Clinic’s ability to conduct research and provide evidence-based care.”

Dr. William Worrall Mayo

Mayo Clinic’s research origins trace back to 1866 when Dr. William Worrall Mayo wrote in his patient notes that he was planning on doing more research for an individual case.

It's a tradition that has only continued to grow at Mayo Clinic over the decades. Dr. Noseworthy makes the point that Mayo’s direct support of research has increased dramatically. “Investment of our own funds in research has tripled over the last ten years. Our self-funding of research through revenues, royalties and philanthropy has increased from $100 million to $300 million.”

With government grants Mayo’s total research budget in 2015 was nearly $700 million. Dr. Noseworthy will accept the award on behalf of Mayo’s researchers and scientists during ceremonies in Washington, D.C.

Some other facts about the scope of Mayo’s research during 2015:

• Mayo was conducting over 11,000 active clinical studies
• It launched 2,723 new human studies
• It had 4,685 research grants and contracts
• Mayo had 1,000 medical scientists and researchers and a total of 3,392 full time research personnel
• Mayo had over 356,000 square feet of research laboratory space
• Not including investigator or clinical labs, Mayo has 29 extensive core laboratories
• Roughly 80 percent of Mayo’s physicians are involved in some type of research

Nearly every medicine, medical device, surgical procedure and therapy we have today has depended on an active and vigorous biomedical research program.  It’s one of the first steps in medical discovery. Mayo Clinic and we here at the Center for Individualized Medicine will continue our pursuit of improving lives through research and translating it into better direct patient care.  It’s who we are. It’s what we do!

Tags: beauty project, Biomedical research, breast cancer, center for individualized medicine, Dr. Charles Mayo, Dr. William Mayo, Dr. William Worrall Mayo, mayo clinic, Mayo Clinic research, PROMOTE, Prostate Cancer, Research!America, RIGHT Protocol, Uncategorized