Four researchers working at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine were awarded a combined $8.6 million in highly competitive research grants from the National Institutes of Health.
THOT-member The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler Health Sciences Center’s dedication to advancing research extends across its multiple research centers as well as the UT Tyler School of Medicine. Associate professor Dr. Shashikant Srivastava and assistant professors Dr. Xia Guo, Dr. Maolin Lu, Dr. Guoqing Qian were awarded the NIH grants to continue their groundbreaking research on a wide range of issues, from heart and lung disease treatments to vaccine improvements.
“Our members are at the forefront of groundbreaking research that will shape the future of care,” said Maureen Milligan, Teaching Hospitals of Texas president and CEO. “By cultivating and supporting this research, teaching hospitals are actively building a better health care future for the state of Texas and beyond.”
The grants will support research on:
- Treatments for heart disease, one of which includes utilizing nanotechnology to improve the longevity of heart stents.
- Viruses like HIV and COVID-19 with the goal being the development of future vaccines and helping vaccines target viruses more effectively.
- Treatment options for pleural fibrosis, a serious lung disease that can require a lung transplant to treat.
- Treating mycobacterium avium complex, the most common nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in the United States and one that can lead to serious lung damage.
“At UT Tyler School of Medicine, we believe in fostering an environment where innovation thrives. These grants not only highlight the outstanding quality of our faculty but also underscore the critical importance of their research in addressing some of the most pressing health issues of our time,” Dr. Brigham C. Willis, School of Medicine founding dean said in a statement.
Learn more about the innovative research efforts THOT members are working on here.
