You could call it a long-term, heartfelt commitment.

In addition to its large, ongoing research contract, Medtronic recently committed another $350,000 to the University of Minnesota’s Visible Heart® Laboratory—the only place in the world where human hearts (donated, not suitable for transplantation) are reanimated so scientists can see exactly how they work from the inside.

The gift of $50,000 per year for the next seven years will support the Medtronic Professorship in Visible Heart Research, held by Paul Iaizzo, Ph.D., director of the lab.

“A large portion [of the gift] is allotted to support graduate students seeking Ph.D. degrees in biomedical engineering, as well as medical students gaining research experience,” Iaizzo says. “It also supports the ongoing enhancement of the lab’s free-access website, Atlas of Human Cardiac Anatomy, an interactive educational tool for clinicians, medical students, patients, and the general public.

“Finally,” he adds, “it helps us purchase lab equipment and supplies to further our student-specific research, and allows graduate students to attend specialized training and key scientific meetings.”