Regenerative medicine at Mayo Clinic has successfully focused on driving innovation to help the body's organs and tissues renew or replace cells. Harnessing the full potential of regenerative therapies makes it possible to repair diseased, injured or congenitally defective tissues and organs.

Now, Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine is expanding to innovate patient care by launching a formal Biomanufacturing Strategy to guide the strategic growth and prioritization of biotherapeutic manufacturing. The goal is to develop regenerative biotherapies that are ready for clinical application, mitigating dependencies on external supply chains. Another goal is to bring early biotherapeutic therapies to Mayo's patients.

These expanded capabilities herald the future of innovation in research for the treatment of rare and complex disease, joining science, engineering and manufacturing for direct clinical applications.

The Center for Regenerative Medicine will lead this effort in close collaboration with Research, Practice and Education leaders and key stakeholders, including the Cancer Center, Center for Individualized Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Ventures, Mayo Clinic Platform, Center for Digital Health and Mayo Clinic International. The execution of the Biomanufacturing Strategy will be supported over the next five years with significant investment in research space, equipment and infrastructure across Arizona, Florida and Rochester.

On Aug. 9, Mayo Clinic will welcome Julie Allickson, Ph.D., as the Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Otto Bremer Trust Director of Biomanufacturing and Product Development in the Center for Regenerative Medicine.

Dr. Allickson comes to Mayo from the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina, where she is the chief manufacturing development center officer. She will lead the Center for Regenerative Medicine in creating what she terms a "supply chain of innovative regenerative therapeutics."

"This is a huge opportunity to commercialize new discoveries made at Mayo Clinic," Dr. Allickson says. "More importantly, it is a new opportunity to address the unmet needs of patients, particularly those who need top-of-the-pyramid, complex care."

"This renewed focus for the Center for Regenerative Medicine to drive the strategic execution of Mayo’s enhanced capabilities in the manufacture of biotherapeutics will significantly impact the advancement of Mayo Clinic's Bold. Forward. strategic plan," says Gregory Gores, M.D., Kinney Executive Dean for Research. "We are excited to have Dr. Allickson join our leadership team and look forward to working closely with her to help drive patient-focused innovation.”

Enhancing biomanufacturing capabilities is a cornerstone of Mayo's efforts to differentiate itself as a category of one in delivering next-generation curative biotherapeutics that address unmet needs for patients around the world.

Dr. Allickson will succeed Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., who has provided outstanding leadership and made extraordinary contributions to the Center for Regeneration Medicine for nearly 10 years. Dr. Terzic was instrumental in advancing the field of regenerative medicine at Mayo Clinic through scientific discovery, academic advancement and clinical innovation, and shifting the paradigm from treating disease to restoring and improving health.

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