The Department has a rich tradition in Comparative Medicine. Core strengths in Comparative Medicine include oncology, inflammatory and chronic diseases, and animal models of genetic and metabolic disease (neurobiology, musculoskeletal disease, endocrine, nutrition, and urology). The Comparative Medicine program emphasizes interdisciplinary and collaborative research with investigators across all three academic departments in the College and the College's centers; other units in the Academic Health Center; the College of Biological Sciences and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences on the St. Paul campus; and several other University centers and institutes. Comparative Medicine is a core program in the University’s NIH Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). The college has a vigorous basic and translational research program with several active clinical trials and a Clinical Investigation Center infrastructure that provides technical support and assistance with clinical research opportunities. The college also has a Canine Genetics Laboratory that performs research on and genetic testing for hereditary neurologic and neuromuscular disorders and welcomes new collaborations.
The College’s Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) is conveniently located in the College of Veterinary Medicine on the St. Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota and serves a vibrant metro area of more than three million people. The VMC has a reputation for excellence in clinical service to the region, with more than 50 specialists in 15 specialties, and sees more than 35,000 cases annually, making it one of the busiest teaching hospitals in the nation. The large diverse caseload makes the VMC an ideal location for clinical research trials, providing its patients with cutting-edge breakthroughs in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Clinical strengths in imaging include traditional imaging paradigms as well as state of the art 3-Tesla MRI, 128-slice CT, and linear accelerator (6 MeV photon/electron) capabilities and on-campus access to state-of-the-art PET/CT imaging, as well as C-arm intraoperative fluoroscopy. Excellent surgical suites have been recently upgraded and includes a Zeiss NC31 neurosurgical microscope and computer-guided brain biopsy will be available soon.
Electrodiagnostics performed with a Cadwell Sierra Wave are also available. Opportunities exist for collaboration with faculty across the other five units of the Academic Health Center (Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Public Health, Nursing, and Dentistry) and the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research.
The Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis offer urban living at its best, with a blend of big-city sophistication and small-town security and comfort. Several of the adjacent suburbs have recently been ranked among the nation’s most livable cities by Money Magazine. Easy access to the cities provides a plethora of options for shopping, arts, and nightlife. For those who love the outdoors, Minnesota’s 10,000+ lakes, the Mississippi River, Lake Superior, and a number of state and national parks provide a broad range of activities across four distinct seasons.