U of M Professor Named to Institute of Medicine

Ugurbil earns high honor for pioneering magnetic resonance imaging

ST. PAUL/ MINNEAPOLIS (October 8, 2007) – A University of Minnesota professor has been selected to become a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine.

Kamil Ugurbil, Ph.D., a professor in the departments of neurosciences, radiology, and medicine, and director of the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota Medical School, was one of 65 new members inducted today, raising the total active membership of the IOM to 1,538.

“It’s just a great honor to be recognized by your peers,” Ugurbil said. “This is very important for a scientist. It’s one of the most important rewards. It’s an elite group.” Ugurbil holds the McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair of Radiology at the University of Minnesota. Perhaps his most significant achievement was pioneering ultrahigh magnetic fields for magnetic resonance imaging studies of the brain and developing the ability to map functional activity in the brain non-invasively. This allows researchers to better understand Alzheimer’s disease and mental illness. The majority of his research is conducted at the CMRR, which he directs and founded.

CMRR started the work on high magnetic fields with one of the three 4 Tesla systems in the world capable of accommodating humans. Most commercial MRIs are 1.5 – 3 Tesla. In 1993, CMRR housed a first of its kind 9.4 Tesla system for animal research, then in 1999 its first 7 Tesla human system and now it possesses one of the world’s three 9.4 Tesla human systems.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome these distinguished and influential individuals to the Institute of Medicine,” said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg. “Members are elected through a highly selective process that recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health.”

Current active members elect new members from among candidates nominated for their professional achievement and commitment to service. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies is unique for its structure as both an honorific membership organization and an advisory organization.

Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on human health issues. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time as members of IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues.

Ugurbil was educated at Columbia University, New York City, where he received A.B. and Ph.D. degrees in physics, and chemical physics, respectively. He worked at AT&T Bell Laboratories after receiving his Ph.D. in 1977, and subsequently returned to Columbia University in 1979 as an assistant professor. In 1982, he came to the University of Minnesota where he started the in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy research effort, which ultimately led to the creation of the CMMR.

Contact: Nick Hanson, Academic Health Center, (612) 624-2449
Molly Portz, Academic Health Center, (612) 625-2640

The Academic Health Center is home to the University of Minnesota’s six health professional schools and colleges as well as several health-related centers and institutes. Founded in 1851, the University is one of the oldest and largest land grant institutions in the country. The AHC prepares the new health professionals who improve the health of communities, discover and deliver new treatments and cures, and strengthen the health economy.