Posted on April 21, 2004

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Mayo Clinic Receives $12 Million for Addiction Research

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has announced a five-year, $12.05 million commitment from the Samuel C. Johnson family and the SC Johnson Fund to support research on the genetics of addiction.

The research program will seek to identify genes that contribute to an individual's susceptibility to alcoholism and chemical dependency. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, one out of every thirteen adults, or nearly fourteen million Americans, abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. The disease, which is chronic and progressive, is often hereditary.

"We have known for years that alcoholism runs in families," said Dr. David Mrazek, chair of the Mayo Clinic's department of psychiatry and psychology. "Some genes already have been linked to alcoholism, but every relevant gene must be identified so we can learn how they interact. This can lead to personalized therapies for people at risk for developing alcoholism and other addictions."

The gift from the Johnson family will cover the full costs of the $20 million program, which will be named the Samuel C. Johnson Program in the Genomics of Addiction, in 2004 and 50 percent of its costs thereafter. The clinic, which is a partner with the University of Minnesota and the state in the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics, will be responsible for raising the rest. Samuel C. Johnson is the longest-serving public member of the Mayo's board and served as its chairman from 1983 to 1990.

“Mayo Clinic Establishes Landmark Research Program to Predict and Prevent Alcoholism and Other Addictions.” Mayo Clinic Press Release 4/16/04.

Primary Subject: Substance Abuse
Location(s): Minnesota, Rochester

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