Pilot Grants

TXBio Pilot Grant Program

The Texas Biologics (TXBio) Pilot Grant Program is a research initiative, jointly led by the College of Natural Sciences and the Cockrell School of Engineering, focused on the discovery, early development, clinical translation, production, and delivery of biologic therapies originating across The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). TXBio is supported by philanthropic gifts that are being deployed broadly to enhance the intellectual environment and infrastructure relevant to biologics research at UT Austin. 

A major goal of TXBio is to strengthen and expand biomedical translational research at UT Austin. One mechanism to achieve this goal is to provide financial support for projects in biologics discovery and development.   

Competition Overview

For the 2027 competition, TXBio will consider proposals that are broadly focused on:

• new biologic therapies with novel mechanisms of action,
• technology platforms to produce biologic therapies, and
• drug delivery technologies specific to the delivery of biologic therapies. 

Biologics include therapeutic proteins and peptides, nucleic acids, cell therapies and blood or tissue products. The program seeks proposals aimed at generating “lead” therapeutics, delivery technologies, and production platforms, all focused on biologics. For the first two topics, performing proof-of-therapeutic-concept studies in vitro and in animal models, and addressing other issues critical to early drug development are of particular interest. The use of AI or machine learning in project proposals is also of interest, for example, to optimize the design of a lead therapeutic candidate. 

Successful proposals should:

• For development of biologics: Lead to new molecular entities (composition of matter) that are clearly differentiated from other approaches targeting the same disease pathway or targeting novel disease pathways.
• For development of delivery technologies for biologics: Lead to new compositions of matter and/or patentable process steps to address major problems such as tissue/cell selectivity, oral delivery (or delivery into the CSF), etc. of biologic drugs. Successful submissions will need to clearly explain how the proposed approach/composition of matter is differentiated from the state of the art in the field and from the investigator’s on-going other research.
• For production platforms: Address what problem is being solved, how the approach addresses limitations in the state of the art and how it will enable important therapeutic modalities.
• Include an experimental plan for validating the proposed mechanism of action, the effectiveness of delivery, or the efficiency of production.
• Outline possible barriers to clinical or commercial development (e.g., medical need, toxicities, manufacturing complexity) and how they may be overcome. 

Ultimately, the mission of TXBio is to make lasting contributions to human health and improve quality of life. Therefore, projects should have a long-term view toward clinical trials and commercialization with an aim to bring biologic therapies and technologies developed at UT Austin to the patient.

Applicants are encouraged to engage with UT Austin’s Discovery to Impact Life Science Technology Development (LSTD) Team to discuss their commercialization plans. The LSTD Team can provide strategic guidance on intellectual property, licensing pathways, and technology development resources. To allow sufficient time for consultation and feedback email lifesciencetechdev@discoveries.utexas.edu at least four weeks prior to proposal deadline. 

Download the 2026 TXBio Grant Competition Request for Proposals

Congratulations, TXBio Pilot Grant Recipients!

Awarded applications receive a research grant up to $150,000 to be used over a performance period of two years.