Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State to partner

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State University and Cleveland Clinic, two of the state's most powerful research institutions, are forming a partnership aimed at getting more good ideas for patients into the field.

The two institutions said at a Tuesday conference that one of the first research areas will be using electrical stimulation to relieve and cure disease. The Plain Dealer ( http://bit.ly/PU2LLt ) reports research also will include developing a small neurological pacemaker that can be inserted in one's cheek and activated with a cellphone.

The alliance was struck between Ohio State's Technology Commercialization and Knowledge Transfer Office and Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the clinic's commercialization arm.

The organizations said their collaboration will focus on improving and extending the lives of patients while improving Ohio's economy. The alliance has been worked out over months.