From clinical trials and identifying new cancer treatments to AI and robotics, teaching hospitals are at the forefront of biomedical research and development and original research to inform policy development.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center launched the Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation, which will build upon longstanding MD Anderson clinical and research expertise to lead the world in developing and advancing impactful cell therapies. The institute will bring together top scientists and clinicians to lead exceptional discovery, translational and clinical research that will deliver new insights in immunology and cell engineering, fueling the creation of transformational new treatments that can be rapidly adapted to address emerging needs in cancer, autoimmune diseases, infections and other conditions.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is one of the first academic medical centers in the country to add an artificial-intelligence based tool to its routine workforce for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Using the AI tool, UTMB pathologists create digital overlays of every prostate biopsy to make even more accurate diagnosis because the tool can pick up cancers missed by the human eye.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Rice University launched the Center for Operations Research in Cancer, a joint initiative to solve complex challenges in cancer care using data to make better operational decisions. Leveraging the expertise within Rice’s computational applied mathematics, operations research and statistics and MD Anderson’s Institute for Data Science in Oncology (IDSO), the new center will harness mathematical modeling and data science to optimize treatment delivery, improve therapy outcomes, and streamline operations at the nation’s leading cancer center and beyond.
Scientists at The University of Texas Medical Branch developed a vaccine showing promising protection against Nipah virus, a zoonotic virus that has a mortality rate as high as 70 percent and that is considered to be a pathogen of pandemic potential. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The University of Texas Medical Branch drug discovery partnership with Novartis received a $56 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and is one of nine such grants awarded by NIAID to establish Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern. The partnership, dubbed the UTMB-Novartis Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness (UNAPP), will focus on coronaviruses, flavivirus and henipavirus, three major classes of viruses with pandemic potential.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Rare Cancer Research Foundation are collaborating to accelerate the development of new treatments for rare cancers by empowering all patients in the U.S. to contribute tumor samples directly to MD Anderson for translational research efforts. This initiative is designed to overcome a major obstacle that has long prevented significant progress in rare cancer research — the lack of available samples. The Rare Cancer Research Foundation will use its Pattern.org online engagement platform to enable patients to donate tumor biopsies and surgical samples for research purposes.
Researchers with Parkland Health and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women delivering at 24 weeks or later to demonstrate that women without prenatal care are at significantly increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and that women without prenatal care reside in areas with much higher demand for public transportation. The original research was published in the September 2021 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Click on the links below to read more about the many facets of Texas’ teaching hospitals.
- Community Anchors. National Leaders.
- World-Class Care for All
- Foundation of a Healthy Texas
- Training Texas’ Health Care Workforce
- Leading Care Innovation
- Care in our Communities
- Investing in the Health Care System for all Texans
Teaching Hospitals of Texas
Teaching Hospitals of Texas is the state’s principal voice and advocate for hospitals and health systems that teach, train, and mentor the next generation of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals and are united in their commitment to supporting policies and funding to ensure healthcare access for all Texans.