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HHRI News & Press Releases

HHRI News & Press Releases

September 22, 2026 -- A transition is underway in the management of the nation's transplant data infrastructure. Publicis Sapient, a global digital business transformation company, is in the process of taking over fundamental elements of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) contract, from the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI). The transition is currently in progress. The IT infrastructure transition is expected to be fully completed by December 1, 2026, with other contract element timelines yet to be determined.

SRTR is a vital national resource that supports the transplant community through comprehensive data analysis, with a core mission of improving patient outcomes and experience. It operates under a contract from the Division of Transplantation (DoT), Health Systems Bureau (HSB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The registry provides program-specific reports on transplant programs and organ procurement organizations, offering wide-ranging information to clinicians, researchers, and patients.

HHRI has been a cornerstone of medical research since 1952, supporting and overseeing research conducted at HCMC, the flagship acute care and teaching hospital of the Hennepin Healthcare System in downtown Minneapolis. As one of the largest medical research nonprofits in Minnesota, HHRI often ranks in the top ten percent nationally of institutions receiving research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The organization, through its Chronic Disease Research Group (CDRG), has operated SRTR for over 15 years with a steadfast commitment to its mission of transforming health and health care for all through ethical research and meaningful community partnerships.

The transition from HHRI to Publicis Sapient is being conducted collaboratively to ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and the continued integrity of SRTR's operations. Both organizations are dedicated to ensuring that the registry continues to provide reliable, data-driven insights that are essential for the transplant community and the patients they serve.

Further updates will be provided as the transition progresses.

More HHRI Research Highlights

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As Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) advances its mission of improving patient care and the health of our community through research and education, adding more professionals of color to its staff and boosting diversity in research will benefit all communities, reduce biases and disparities, improve patient care and build trust.…

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HHRI researchers are here, there, and everywhere

December 10, 2024

Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) investigators and staff connected with the community and shared their expertise at events and as guests on radio programs and podcasts throughout 2024. Here’s a compilation of some of those activities and interviews. Dr. Rachel Nygaard was interviewed on the Tiny Matters podcast December 11,…

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Nephrology investigator Dr. Casey Dorr interviewed for the FDA’s OMHHE Health Equity Lecture Series for National Native American Heritage Month

December 4, 2024

Federal Food &  Drug Administration (FDA) Associate Commissioner for Minority Health and Director for the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) Cheryl Anne Boyce, PhD, interviewed Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) Investigator Casey Dorr, PhD, MS, for the FDA’s OMHHE Health Equity Lecture Series for National Native American…

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Lung Cancer Awareness Month: One Woman’s Story of Advocacy and Hope

November 20, 2024

In the United States, 20,000 to 40,000 people who have never smoked are diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) employee Renee Marrero’s journey with lung cancer has transformed her from a concerned family member to a passionate advocate working…

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Ramping Up Diversity in Research; Enriching Hennepin Healthcare’s Representation

November 12, 2024

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) continue to be important elements of Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute’s (HHRI) and are values the organization is prioritizing with its research and in its staff. HHRI is heightening its emphasis on DEI by fostering a movement to include more communities of color in its mission…

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HHRI investigators highlighted by CTSI as UMN Mothers Leading Science

November 1, 2024

Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) investigator Kerry Sheets, MD, Geriatrician, was featured in the University of Minnesota’s Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) news welcoming the sixth cohort of researcher-moms into Mothers Leading Science. This cohort is part of a yearlong leadership development program for research-intensive faculty in the health sciences…

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Research study looks at improving treatments for trauma patients

October 22, 2024

Hennepin Healthcare is conducting a research study that will look at whether calcium, vasopressin, or both early in the course of treatment would help severely injured patients that lose a lot of blood survive their injuries. The CAlcium and VAsopressin following Injury Early Resuscitation (CAVALIER) trial will include approximately 1,050…

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How systemic barriers and social drivers significantly impact health more than other factors

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The Health, Homelessness, & Criminal Justice (HHCJ) Lab is nestled within one of the largest medical research nonprofits in Minnesota, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI), which is connected to the Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS). HHCJ’s vision is “Thriving communities without health inequities driven by homelessness or criminal justice involvement.” This…

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Cause of Death After Prison Release Differs from General Population

August 21, 2024

from Yale School of Medicine/Internal Medicine Reentry into the community can be an extraordinarily difficult process for the over 1 million adults incarcerated in U.S. prisons. These individuals face substantial barriers and strained social and familial relationships when returning to life outside of jail or prison that contribute to an…

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June 13, 2024

Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) investigators shared their expertise as guests on radio programs and podcasts in recent months. Here are a few of those interviews.   All Things Brains May 26, 2024 Vascular neurologist Behnam Sabayan, MD, MSc, PhD, FAHA, was featured on Hennepin Healthcare’s Healthy Matters – with Dr.…

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May 14, 2024

After nearly three years of collaboration and enduring five rounds of peer review from the first submission, Casey Dorr, PhD, a nephrology investigator and descendant of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe,  has achieved a monumental milestone. His name now graces a coveted co-author credit in the prestigious scholarly journal,…

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Dr. David Darrow talks the future of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research

May 13, 2024

A study that makes you smarter? That is what Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) Principal Investigator David Darrow, MD, MPH, is working towards in the StiMulating After Recovery from Traumatic brain injury (SMART) study. The SMART study, which aims to develop noninvasive therapies to improve cognitive abilities and decision-making after…

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Dr. Kristina Burrack completes year-long STEMM leadership program, Homeward Bound

May 10, 2024

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April 5, 2024

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CDRG Re-Awarded United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Federal Contract

March 14, 2024

Minneapolis – The Chronic Disease Research Group (CDRG) of the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) has been selected to continue administering the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) federal contract. The USRDS is a national registry that collects, analyzes, and distributes information about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. This…

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March 11, 2024

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Implementing community-engaged pharmacogenomics in Indigenous communities

March 7, 2024

Casey Dorr, PhD, is a nephrology investigator at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) and first-generation descendant of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. He’s passionate about using innovative research in pharmacogenomics (PGx), the efficacy of medication based on genetic variations; to create inclusive precision medicine for Indigenous communities to reduce…

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Reentry and Health Experts Release Roadmap for Evaluating Medicaid Waivers to Promote Safe and Health Reentry from Incarceration to Communities

February 1, 2024

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Dr. Kate Diaz Vickery named HHRI’s first Vice President of Engagement

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HHRI is pleased to announce that Dr. Kate Diaz Vickery has been selected to serve as Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute’s (HHRI’s) first Vice President of Engagement.  Dr. Vickery is a previous Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS) research scholar and HHRI investigator and Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota.  She is…

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