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Regenerative Medicine Minnesota (RMM) has awarded funding to 10 high-impact projects aimed at accelerating the development of breakthrough therapies that restore, replace or regenerate damaged cells, tissues and organs.
Co-led by the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota brings together the state's leading research institutions to advance regenerative medicine and improve patient care.
The 2026 awards are advancing innovative therapeutic approaches alongside critical tools and technologies that improve how these therapies are discovered, developed and delivered to patients. These projects build on Minnesota's strengths in regenerative medicine while targeting key challenges that must be overcome to bring transformative therapies to patients faster.
To learn more about these projects, see here.
The projects receiving funding this year are:
- Gene Therapy to Treat Neurofibromatosis using a Foamy Viral Vector — David Deyle, M.D., Mayo Clinic.
- OPROTAC Degraders of C/EBPα to Promote AT2 Regeneration and Lung Repair — Douglas Brownfield, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
- Molecular Therapies for Alport Syndrome and Chronic Kidney Disease — Michael Barry, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
- Harnessing the Regenerative Microenvironment of the Liver Surface: A Perihepatic Niche for Stem Cell Integration and Survival — Melanie Graham, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, and Quinn Peterson, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic.
- Engineering Human Heart Models to Advance Minnesota-Grown Therapeutics and Prevent Radiotherapy-Induced Cardiac Degeneration — Andrew Khalil, Ph.D.; Brenda Ogle, Ph.D.; and Anna Kellner, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
- Bispecific T-cell Engager for Immune Reset in Systemic Sclerosis — Andres Crane, Ph.D., Luminary Therapeutics.
- Physically Optimized Immune Cell Therapy for Fibrotic Disease — Paolo Provenzano, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
- Phenotypic Biosensors for Testing Cellular Fitness and Disease Risk using Tissue- Specific iPSC Organoids — Jonathan Sachs, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
- Manufacturing and Testing of Tissue-Engineered Pre-Aligned Muscle Fibers for Regenerative Therapies — Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
- Cryopreservation of Human 3D-engineered Heart Tissue (3D-EHT) for Myocardial Regenerative Therapy — Bhairab Singh, Ph.D.; John Bischof, Ph.D.; and Brenda Ogle, Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
Together, these projects advance Regenerative Medicine Minnesota's goal to accelerate the availability of safe, effective and accessible regenerative therapies to patients in Minnesota and beyond while also strengthening Minnesota's leadership in a field poised to redefine the future of medicine.
About Regenerative Medicine Minnesota
Regenerative Medicine Minnesota was established in 2014 by the Minnesota State Legislature to improve the health of Minnesotans by advancing regenerative medicine. This statewide initiative opens new economic opportunities through commercialization of technologies and leverages the strengths of Minnesota institutions to position the state at the forefront of regenerative medicine. The initiative distributes approximately $4 million in funding statewide every year for research, commercialization and clinical translation initiatives that improve or increase access to scientifically proven regenerative medicine throughout the state. Learn more at www.regenmedmn.org.
