The study of life is important to us. Our heritage of engagement with the land and with natural process expresses itself in the research and development that goes on at the University of Minnesota's Saint Paul ag campus and many other institutions of higher learning, as well as at agribusiness giants like Cargill. The flourishing biotech industry in the the Twin Cities had rather humble, even grim, beginnings--artificial limb companies that catered to sawmill workers missing an arm or leg. It was a long way from wooden legs to Medtronic and the other companies that have put our towns on the biomed map; the distinguished University of Minnesota medical school and life sciences departments and, of course, the proximity of the Mayo Clinic, helped the evolution along even as these institutions made their own discoveries and advances.
Dan Haugen
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Most medical spaces and procedures aren't designed with the patient in mind. But that's beginning to change as health-care designers pay more attention to making the patient's experience pleasant and even fun. Here are four local examples of "human-centric" med-design.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Here's an update on 4Front, the ambitious project initiated by local adman/marketer John Foley to make the Twin Cities a world-class innovation hub by calling international attention to our achievements and persuading top creative talent from around the world to come here to work and live. The means? Annual awards in four major areas of innovation, and a world's-fair-like showcase. Foley and a stellar board of directors are working on funding, planning a fall kickoff event, and mulling a new way to connect prizewinners with the community.
Meleah Maynard
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
We love our pets, and we're coming to realize that over-processed foods are no better for them than they are for us. Hence the natural-pet-food movement, and new businesses like Enrique and Michelle Palma's Woody's Pet Food Deli, where "human-grade" pet food is for sale. For the Palmas and their customers, feeding pets better isn't sentiment or anthropomorphism--it's good science and good sense.
Chris Steller
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Like it or not, the Twin Cities are competing with major metropolises around the world--we're talking Amsterdam, London, Tokyo, and the like--to attract creative, innovative, entrepreneurial people who can live anywhere. That's the message of adman John Foley, whose brand-new nonprofit, 4Front, aims to raise awareness of this high-stakes situation by creating a yearly festival that's part competition, part showcase of Twin Cities innovation. The goal: to lure the best and brightest worldwide to our towns.
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