Welcome

Hello,

Since our last Minnesota Taconite Workers Lung Health Partnership in June, we have been hard at work finalizing our research protocols and continuing to meet with partners on the Iron Range.  An important, yet time-consuming step in the process is seeking approval from an independent research review body called an Institutional Review Board, or “IRB.” An IRB is a group of research experts assigned to review projects to ensure the research that is being proposed is ethical, scientifically sound, and has realistic goals. 

Now that the IRB process is coming to an end, we are putting some important infrastructure in place to support the research. One critical piece has been the appointment of a study coordinator, Leslie Studenski. Leslie brings broad health research experience to the position. For the past several years she has been with the University of Minnesota where she has helped coordinate research projects related to organ transplants.  Before that she worked as an assistant scientist for Minnesota Lions Eye Bank and the University of Minnesota Department of Ophthalmology where she coordinated human eye donations for cornea transplants.  Leslie received her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota, and her bachelor’s degree in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Leslie will be in charge of recruiting staff from the Iron Range to assist with the Taconite Workers Lung Health Partnership.  She will also coordinate continuing educational activities for physicians on the Iron Range. She is delighted to be part of such an important project and looks forward to getting acquainted with people in Minnesota’s Iron Range communities.

While it does take what seems like an inordinate amount of time to get a project of this scope up and running, we have been at work collecting information on worker exposures and job history from the mining companies.  In addition, scientists from the University’s Duluth-based Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) continue to collect and analyze air samples in Iron Range communities.

We will continue to provide updates here, we’ll let you know when we’ll hold the next Lung Health Partnership meeting, and we plan to present a progress report to the Minnesota Legislature early in 2009.

—Ron Dicklich
Executive Director of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools

—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
Dean, University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Meeting Presentations

• Download the Dec. 18, 2008 Meeting Presentation

• Download the June 12, 2008 Meeting Presentation

In the News

Newspaper coverage

Mesothelioma task force updates public on progress
Minnesota Public Radio
Dec. 19, 2008

U of M updates Iron Range on mesothelioma study
Star Tribune
Dec. 18, 2008

Meeting set Thursday on mesothelioma study
Duluth News Tribune
Dec. 17, 2008

Air particulate tests begin on Iron Range
Duluth News Tribune
June 3, 2008

Study good use of funds
The Daily Journal, International Falls
April 25, 2008

Editorial: Getting answers for the Iron Range
Star Tribune
April 23, 2008

Legislature sends Pawlenty bill to delve into lung cancer on Iron Range
Associated Press, Star Tribune
April 24, 2008

Study of rare affliction among miners gets a push
Star Tribune
April 17, 2008

Minnesota legislators give final approval to cancer study
The Bemidji Pioneer
April 25, 2008

Radio coverage

Iron Range cancer study passes Legislature
Minnesota Public Radio
April 24, 2008

Television coverage

Senate Approves Cancer Study
Northland's NewsCenter
April 22, 2008

Minn. Senate Approves Miner Cancer Research in Unanimous Vote
FOX 9 News
April 21, 2008

Health Study Money Approved by Governor
WDIO-TV
April 28, 2008