In partnership with Dell Medical School’s Health Transformation Research Institute (HTRI), Texas Biologics aims to translate more biologic therapies to the clinic. Together, we are launching multiple programs.
Biologics Translational Science Studios
HTRI is connecting clinician investigators at Dell Med with scientists across the UT campus through a yearly studio program. This program provides a venue to facilitate translational collaboration to maximize the clinical applicability of laboratory-based developmental work.
Teams meet regularly to develop a research question and design translational studies to answer the question. Teams are then invited to submit proposals to an advisory panel for a translational study that proposes a line of inquiry. The proposals also describe collection of clinical data and biospecimens and complementary laboratory-based experiments. As investigator teams and their projects mature to the point that they are appropriate for Phase 1 trials and a pharmaceutical partner is engaged, the studios will transition to a forum to ensure that wet lab scientists are partners with clinician investigators in the design, execution, and interpretation of Phase 1 trial data.
2025 Science Studios Grants
Development of a Translational Platform for Evaluating Drug Safety in Breastfeeding
- Alison G. Cahill, M.D., M.S.C.I. (Professor, Department of Women's Health, Dell Medical School), and Aaron B. Baker, Ph.D. (Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering)
Examining the Links between Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH) with Risks for Cardiovascular and Autoimmune Diseases
- Khang D. Nguyen, MD, MS. (Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine (Dermatology), and Vagheesh Narasimhan, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Biology and Department of Statistics & Data Sciences)
2024 Science Studios Grants
Understanding the neural mechanisms of emotional perception and dysregulation in Bipolar Disorder via brain-computer interface training
- Jorge Almeida, M.D., Ph.D., Dell Medical School
- José del R. Millán, Ph.D., Cockrell School of Engineering
Untargeted Metabolomics Profiling of Matched Tumor, Adjacent Normal Tissue and Plasma in Early Stage Pancreatic Cancer
- Kyaw Aung, M.D., Ph.D., Dell Medical School
- Stefano Tiziani, Ph.D., College of Natural Sciences
2023 Science Studios Grants
Feasibility of beta hydroxybutyrate supplementation to reduce inflammation in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Linda “Annie” Feagins, M.D., and Marissa Burgermaster, Ph.D., Dell Medical School
- Christopher Jolly, Ph.D, College of Natural Sciences
- Kelly Reveles, Pharm.D., Ph.D., College of Pharmacy
Early biomarkers of excessive gestational weight gain
- Lorie Harper, M.D., Elizabeth Widen, Ph.D., Brian Hobbs, Ph.D., Dell Medical School
- Jaimie Davis, Ph.D., and Molly Bray, Ph.D., College of Natural Sciences
IgE repertoire analysis in pediatric food allergy
- Pooja Varshney, M.D., Dell Medical School
- Ed Satterwhite, Ph.D., Cockrell School of Engineering
Clinical Trials Infrastructure
HTRI is expanding Dell Medical School's clinical trials infrastructure. HTRI brings together clinical research space and associated staffing and equipment, investigational pharmacy, and study coordinators so that all the infrastructure needed to navigate the regulatory process, recruit, enroll, and follow study participants is ready for clinical trial opportunities.