Research

In 1998 a non-profit research organization was formed between Sanford Health and the University of South Dakota. In 2007, a transformational gift of $400 million by Denny Sanford has allowed for an expansion of current research goals and will enable Sanford/USD Research to become one of the premiere research institutions in the United States and the world.

Over the years, Sanford Research/USD has made significant contributions to the research areas of cardiovascular health, women’s health, cancer biology, disparities, pediatrics, metabolism/nutrition and genomics. Sanford/USD Research has strong collaboration with such leaders as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Battelle Institute and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

The Sanford Project, which was announced in June, 2008, will focus on finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes through beta cell regeneration. This goal has an aggressive timeline: to find the cure during Mr. Sanford’s lifetime!

For researchers, Sanford/USD offers exciting challenges both in well-established research projects and ever expanding research opportunities. For those people we serve in our four-state region, we offer opportunities to participate in clinical trials and to be a part of the changing face of medicine. Our newly established Research Park offers opportunities for research partners and other businesses to become part of a well-planned, futuristic research park in a vibrant, growing community that has been named one of the best places to live in the United States.