Hormel Institute is celebrating an anniversary.

The institute is 60 years old.

And the institute's director compares the research facility to a fabled bird in Greek mythology.

Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director of the institute, said the facility is "like Phoenix, the fire bird" and can enjoy a "new life with a bigger, better and brighter future" in its next 60 years.

The Hormel Foundation and the University of Minnesota Regents entered into an agreement November 29, 1942 to establish the institute as an independent research unit of the university's graduate school, according to the institute's annual report;.

From the start, the mission of the institute was to conduct research and provide education in the biological sciences with applications in medicine and agriculture.

Early on, the institute became a lipid research center. Food deterioration was a serious problem. Research on antioxidants and

food preservation was a high priority.

Hormel Institute gained worldwide recognition for its lipid research and many significant contributions were made

in lipid chemistry, analysis and nutrition.

Of the institute's original faculty only Dr. Ralph Holman, the former institute director, remains active today. Holman is professor emeritus and member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Through the decades, the

institute has received major financial support from the National Institutes of Health, the report described.

The grants have helped fuel research on molecular biology, while, at the same time, opening new sources of funding; especially those supporting cancer research.

Last June, an agreement was reached between the institute's board of directors and Hormel Foundation. Dr. Zigang Dong, M.D., was appointed executive director of the institute.

Today, the institute is gaining an international reputation as a

biomedical research center.

The seamless transition of leadership that began with Holman continued with Dr. Harald H/ O. Schmid, who contributed 39 years of service to the institute, including 16 as director.

Schmid was succeeded in the director's post by Dong.

Schmid's distinguished career has also seen major accomplishments in research and contributions to medical science.

Dog praised Schmid for his

"personal encouragement and mentorship" and his "continuous support of my research program."

Dog is also excited about the agreement reached by Hormel Foundation, the University and the institute, which sets long-term goals for the reformation

of the institute " in the areas of education, excellence and community service.

Dong credited the "hard work of faculty and staff" for making 2001 a "remarkable year."

The work of research sections in biophysics, cell biochemistry, and cellular/mollecular and biology and their research support units blazed new trails

in scientific research.

It also included a new pinnacle for the institute's publication list that Dong praised for both "quantity and quality."

Due to a variety of funding sources, the institute has continued a "productive level of research" and purchased new state-of-the-art scientific equipment as well as begun planning for a major facility improvement project.

Dong also predicted more good things to come in the annual report's analysis of the year past.

"After sequencing the human geenome, research on the function of genes, proteins

and lipids

promises to provide a better understanding of cancer and other human diseases," he said.

Dong added the work of the institute's research sections is both a "challenge and a golden opportunity."

Dong wants every staff and faculty member to

"work together to establish

our place in biomedical

research history, enrich our local community, benefit those

with cancer, or other diseases and help towards building disease-free world. for future generations."