Arne Carlson: Invest in U biosciences for the good of the state

12/20/2005

Minnesota aims to be among the top three public research universities. To do so, it’ll need more backing than it gets now.

Arne Carlson
Star Tribune
Last update: December 19, 2005 at 5:01 PM

Traditionally, we as Minnesotans have been proud of our high quality of life and do point with pride to our continued ranking that places us among the nation’s healthiest states (Star Tribune Dec. 12). However, there are some signals that we should pay attention to. Recent news that the University of Minnesota’s research rankings are slipping (Star Tribune, Dec. 10) is a strong call to action that we must get creative now if we are to stay healthy—both physically and financially.

It is hard to overstate the role the university plays in ensuring the health of our state by preparing the next generation of physicians, nurse leaders, pharmacists and dentists, and through the discovery of new treatments and cures. New advances in medicine and biology provide exciting opportunities for a healthier population—and a healthier economy. But to take full advantage of these opportunities, the university must stay competitive and gain ground in its conduct of research. And that requires significant investment.

Minnesota has a strong tradition in biosciences, particularly in medical devices. Since Earl Bakken’s 1958 development of the world’s first pacemaker at the university, Minnesota is second only to California in the medical device industry, employing more than 23,000 people. These are strong professional jobs that provide a strong tax base for investment in important infrastructure for Minnesota. These are the people who buy houses, raise families, purchase cars and appliances—and all of this is the result of a great discovery at the University of Minnesota.

But we can no longer rest on the laurels of our prior investments, which led to these achievements. Just as we need to exercise and eat right to remain physically healthy, we also must continue to invest in the university’s medical bioscience initiatives to stay on top of this extremely competitive field.

President Robert Bruininks has set his sights on the University of Minnesota becoming one of the top three public research universities. Unfortunately, current resources are inadequate to meet this vision. To support this goal, which will yield benefits to Minnesotans in terms of better health and well-being, the state will need to make significant investments, something other states have already started to do. California is investing heavily in facilities and research, and Virginia has earmarked millions of dollars for bioscience initiatives and research buildings.

The university has the expertise needed to drive innovation and discovery. However, top-notch facilities also are required to support the research enterprise. New and renovated space is necessary to support existing faculty and research programs, and to recruit the new faculty and research programs that are necessary to stay competitive and to grow in a way that keeps the state of Minnesota positioned for success.

To be competitive with the top three public research universities in the field of biomedical research, the university will need to significantly increase its research faculty over the next five to 10 years. Meeting this goal will also require a significant capital commitment designed to support this additional biomedical research.

This can be achieved, but we must get creative to determine how to approach capital projects in a different manner. Currently, funding high-cost projects such as new research facilities can take several budget cycles. We need to act more quickly if we are to compete and achieve success in the fast-paced environment of biomedical research.

This state has been a model in so many arenas—in education, in outreach, and in health care. To ensure that our children reap the benefits of a healthier Minnesota, physically and financially, we need to find bold, new ways of investing in our future. Frankly, this means a significant commitment from the governor and the Legislature.

Arne Carlson, Forest Lake, was governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999.