Why clinical partnerships?

Clinical partnerships and collaborations are key to the growth of Biodesign. Our increasing involvement with external researchers and organizations — such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mayo Clinic, Banner Health, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Barrow Neurological Institute — provides access to critical medical samples, connections to diverse sets of expertise and resources, and opportunities to expand the societal impact of our research.

Local collaborators

Although Biodesign takes national and international perspectives, we’ve also given priority to building productive research collaborations with Arizona-based organizations. Included among these are the following supporting and collaborative organizations:

The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Personalized Medicine Initiative

Piper Trust has invested in building regional distinction in biosciences, particularly personalized medicine. The initiative includes support for the Biodesign Pathfinder Center and the Biodesign Virginia G. Piper Center for Personal Diagnostics. The centers use these funds to pursue discoveries that will improve health outcomes at lower costs by sustaining health through the prevention and early detection of disease.

Mayo Clinic

Biodesign, as well as the entire university, has an active and extensive partnership with Mayo Clinic Arizona, a recognized world leader in patient care, education and research. By bringing the brightest minds together, we’re accelerating cutting-edge research discoveries, as with our collaborations to develop new cancer biomarkers and diagnostics. Through this partnership, we’re also improving patient care through health care innovation and transforming medical education to enhance individual, community and national health outcomes.

BIO5 at the University of Arizona

The institute has partnered with BIO5 on projects that include diabetes biomarkers, asthma, Valley Fever and the rational design of molecular therapeutics. While the state of Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) allocation shortfalls have affected these projects, helpful working collaborations are in place.

Advancing ASU’s biomedical research

At ASU, clinical partnerships — which tie together researchers, healthcare practitioners and the community — lie at the intersection of social embeddedness and use-inspired research.

The university does not rely on a medical school to conduct biomedical research. Rather, ASU has created a network with area hospitals and healthcare organizations to provide inspiration, to test innovations and practical student training, and to bring research back to its community. Learn more about the ASU Office of Clinical Partnerships.