Mayo Clinic and Indian science leaders formalize collaborations

Mayo Clinic and the top science and technology organization in India have signed an agreement to collaborate on research. Leaders from Mayo and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India today signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on such topics as drug, device and biomarker studies relating to heart disease, chemical biology and applied genomics, and innovations in metabolomics (the study of how the body metabolizes chemicals).

"We look forward to working with our colleagues in India to advance health care for everyone,'' says Robert Rizza, M.D., Mayo executive dean for research and the Earl and Annette R. McDonough Professor.

"We welcome this new relationship with Mayo Clinic, with which we share many strong interests in medical and technology research as well as health care delivery at affordable cost," says Samir Brahmachari, Ph.D., director general of CSIR.

Dr. Rizza signed the documents for Mayo and Rajesh Gokhale, Ph.D, director of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, signed for CSIR. The ceremony took place in Mayo's historic Plummer Library and was the highlight of a three-day visit by CSIR officials and researchers. Many already collaborate with Mayo investigators.

"We are engaging the best minds to help our research teams improve our fundamental understanding of disease and develop new, more effective therapies for our patients," says Eric Wieben, Ph.D., Mayo's associate dean for external collaborations. "Strategic international research collaborations, such as this with the CSIR, India will help us achieve those goals."

Provided by Mayo Clinic