Donate to the Endowment in Infectious Diseases

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatically destructive effect on the social, economic, and physical health of our state, nation, and global population.  It is an alarming reminder of today's infectious diseases' potential speed and scope – whether caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

Scientists have successfully eradicated or controlled many of these diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB) and Hepatitis
A and B; however, viruses such as HIV/AIDS remain a major global health concern.  New threats like COVID-19, caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, will continue to emerge, presenting an ongoing healthcare challenge.

With a tradition of excellence in medical research, experience treating diverse populations, and unparalleled clinical care expertise, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) is ideally suited to meet this challenge.

The Endowment in Infectious Diseases was established to recruit and support postdoctoral and physician scientist researchers working to understand infectious diseases better and find safe and effective therapies to mitigate the diseases' impact.  We help advance their careers, supporting them on the path to becoming Principal Investigators on their own projects to improve health outcomes for patients in our community and worldwide.

Jason Baker, MD, MS, oversees research in infectious diseases at HHRI.
He is also a member of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s National Institutes of Health’s COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Baker leads HHRI’s participation in six COVID-clinical trials, participating with a consortium of federal and industry partners dedicated to fast-tracking research protocols, and is Principal Investigator for an international trial of antibody treatment for
early COVID-19 illness.

The Endowment in Infectious Diseases is one of the most impactful ways to support medical research by fostering the careers of top postdoctoral researchers in translational research.  It also provides a sustainable and flexible source of funding to quickly allocate resources to critical research areas when an infectious outbreak occurs.

The question is not if, but when. The research scientists we train today will be on the frontline of tomorrow’s next global pandemic.

Ajay Israni, MD, MS
President, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute

The Endowment in Infectious Diseases provides financial support for a postdoctoral or physician scientist researcher.  The researcher will have an opportunity to learn and work on projects that are already underway at the Institute under the direction and mentorship of senior HHRI faculty.  The long-range goal of this program is to help researchers make the transition to independence as Principal Investigators on their own projects, and bridge support as they develop and grow a program through external funding. Support and career advancement include:

• Direct salary and benefit support
• Conference attendance, publication and related research costs
• Opportunities in their field of study and grant support for their own projects
• Funding for pilot research projects to determine feasibility and generate preliminary data for
  larger studies