2026 HHRI Research Symposium Recap
2026 HHRI Research Symposium Recap
A full house gathered on Friday, April 24, 2026, for the annual Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute’s (HHRI) Research Symposium and Poster Session. This was a hybrid event, held in person and via TEAMS from 1-3 PM CDT. The symposium kicked off with in-person poster presentations and networking. It included a leadership update from Dr. Kirsten Johansen, HHRI President.
The leadership update was followed by presentations from researchers who are focused on data-centered research. Investigators Dr. Justine Mrosak, Dr. Allyson Hart, and Dr. Kristen Johansen spoke on their current and ongoing research.
State of the Institute
Dr. Johansen discussed the ongoing financial issues at Hennepin Healthcare Systems (HHS), the local government's response, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding updates, and the future outlook for Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) through 2026 and 2027.
Key takeaways from Dr. Kirsten Johansen’s presentation:
- The 2026 MN legislative session is scheduled to be completed by May 18, 2026. At that time, they will determine whether the previous Hennepin County ballpark tax will be reallocated to Minnesota healthcare. The ballpark tax was .15%, and there's a push to increase it to 1%. Governor Tim Walz has appointed former Health Commissioner Jan Malcom to lead the efforts to stabilize Minnesota's struggling safety-net and rural hospitals.
- NIH awards are still being issued, but there's been a dramatic reduction from previous years. The previous multi-year funding models may transition to a year-by-year model for future grants.
- HHRI is in a good position and continues to strategically plan for the future with additional outreach efforts.
Investigator Presentations
Research and Evaluation Data Analytics Core (REDAC)
Dr. Justine Mrosak shared how the REDAC team is expanding access to data, analytics, and informatics support across Hennepin Healthcare and HHRI. REDAC serves as a centralized hub for research, evaluation, and Electronic Health Record (EHR)‑based projects, helping staff answer clinical and operational questions, strengthen grant proposals, visualize data, and evaluate program impact. Over the past year, REDAC has supported a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse set of projects, ranging from researchers and clinicians to trainees and operational leaders, reflecting a broader engagement with data-driven improvement across the system.
In 2025, REDAC enhanced its technical capabilities through major data warehouse upgrades (Research Data Warehouse or RDW), expanded data integration, new privacy-forward workflows, the launch of advanced tools such as natural language processing (NLP), and access to the Epic Cosmos national data network. These capabilities supported high-impact collaborations, including studies on early-onset colon cancer, firearm injury prevention, and a flagship EHR-based electronic referral system connecting patients to Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) services. Looking ahead, REDAC plans to further expand access, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and deepen the use of EHR and integrated data to advance research, equity, and system-wide improvement in 2026.
Transplant Research
The HHRI Transplant Research team, led by Dr. Allyson Hart, highlighted how data‑driven research is being used to address one of transplant medicine’s most pressing challenges: the gap between organ supply and patient need. The team’s work centers on the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), using national data, advanced analytics, and simulation models to better understand transplant access, waitlist outcomes, donor quality, and allocation policy across organ systems. Their mission is to equip patients, families, clinicians, and transplant professionals with clear, reliable data to support better decision‑making throughout the transplant journey.
Researchers showcased a range of impactful projects, including studies on kidney and heart transplant waitlist outcomes, organ acceptance tradeoffs, donor quality metrics, and simulations to inform national organ allocation policy. The team also emphasized translating analysis into real‑world impact by developing interactive tools, reports, and patient‑facing resources while incorporating patient and family perspectives to reduce uncertainty and improve transparency. Together, this work demonstrates HHRI’s leadership in using data, equity‑focused research, and human‑centered design to improve transplant systems and outcomes nationwide.
Highlights from the 2025 United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report
At the HHRI Research Symposium, Dr. Kirsten Johansen presented highlights from the 2025 United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Annual Data Report, offering a national snapshot of trends in chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), dialysis, and transplantation. The Chronic Disease Research Group (CDRG) at HHRI administers the USRDS federal contract. The USRDS, a federally mandated registry, plays a critical role in tracking the size and characteristics of the ESRD population and informing policy, research, and clinical care. This year’s report emphasized long‑term trends in ESRD prevalence, which dipped sharply in 2020 due to higher mortality before rebounding slightly as mortality declined.
The presentation also focused on the continued expansion of home dialysis, noting that while overall use has increased and geographic access has broadened, racial and socioeconomic disparities persist and, in some cases, are widening. Analyses of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) value‑based payment models showed mixed results: the End‑Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) model did not significantly improve outcomes, while the Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (CKCC) model demonstrated modest positive effects. Together, these findings underscore both progress and ongoing challenges in improving equity, access, and outcomes for people living with kidney disease.
Thank you to all of our speakers and those who attended. It was a great afternoon celebrating just a few examples of the great work all our researchers are doing on campus to help improve patient care and the health of our community through research and education.
The next investigator-only meeting will be in-person only on September 30, 2026.
Research Symposium Recording
If you missed the research symposium, you can watch the recording here.