After Efforts From Klobuchar, Franken, and Walz, $142 Million National Institutes of Health Grant Awarded to the Mayo Clinic's Biobank

Press Release

After efforts from U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, along with Representative Tim Walz, today the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $142 million grant to the Mayo Clinic's Biobank. The NIH chose the Mayo Clinic's Biobank in Rochester to be the one centralized biobank in the U.S. tasked with holding biospecimens of all patients participating in the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort Program. The grant will help fuel the development of new disease treatments and spur innovation to create more precise preventative care, which could improve health outcomes and drive down costs over the course of care. In March, Klobuchar led a letter with the entire Minnesota Congressional Delegation to NIH Director Collins in support of the Mayo Clinic's applications for the PMI Cohort Program. Last fall, Klobuchar hosted Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Burwell at Mayo and they toured the Biobank.

"The Mayo Clinic's Biobank is a world-class medical facility and a leader in health care innovation," said Klobuchar. "This important grant will further the strides of the Mayo Clinic's Biobank in precision medicine, which tailors health care to a person's genes, environment, and lifestyle in order to better treat and prevent diseases. Investment in the vital medical research happening in Minnesota and across the country can reduce suffering, save lives, and create good jobs."

"The Mayo Clinic is one of the finest medical treatment and research centers in the world," said Franken. "And Mayo's Biobank is a global leader in innovation and cutting-edge research. This grant will allow the Biobank to advance research in precision medicine, which will support the development of life-saving medicines and create more precise preventive care methods that will improve the health of people across the world. This is great news for Mayo Clinic, Southeast Minnesota, and for public health."

"Mayo Clinic continues to lead in world class research and innovation," said Walz. "This grant will go a long way to ensuring Mayo's Biobank can conduct cutting-edge research that will save lives and improve quality of life for so many. Minnesota is immensely proud of the incredible, pioneering research happening in our state."

Klobuchar has long prioritized investing in medical research and the work of the NIH. She is a cosponsor of the American Cures Act, a bill that would authorize an additional investment of five percent per year at the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other research institutes. In October, Klobuchar and Burwell highlighted the cutting-edge medical research underway in Minnesota during visits to the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.

A member of the Senate Health Committee, Franken has fought hard since coming to the Senate to keep Minnesota a hub for medical innovation and research. During last year's budget negotiations, he pressed his Senate colleagues to maintain a strong commitment to funding the NIH and the Precision Medicine Initiative. More recently he's championed scientific and medical research by supporting the Medical Innovation Act, which would help ensure that the U.S. continues to produce life-saving discoveries and maintains its standing as a global leader in research.

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