Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that a $3 million dollar investment has been made through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund. (TETF). The funding will be used to create the “Center for Cell and Organ Biotechnology” in collaboration with the Texas Heart Institute (THI) and Texas A&M University in their College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is home to the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Cardiovascular Sciences. The Institute is known as a leader in biomedical research programs in vascular studies and cardiovascular devices, making a natural fit for the partnerships.
In the U.S, one in three individuals suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease and more than one million die from end-stage organ failure each year. The new center will take a multi-faceted approach to chronic disease for both human and veterinary healthcare based on cell and organ failure.
The research will be led by Dr. Doris Taylor Director of Regenerative Medicine Research at THI with a research team that includes scientists, engineers, physicians, veterinarians, and business managers from both THI and the university.
“We know that the health of animals and people is inextricably linked and this unique center will advance both human and animal health”, according to Dr. Eleanor Green Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
She added, “Both humans and animals will benefit from participating in the use of advanced stem cell technologies to advance the research of cardiovascular science, personalized medicine, organ replacement, regeneration and repair, and much more.”
Governor Perry reports that Texas is a beacon for those trying to find new ways to cure and treat diseases. Last year for example, Texas A&M University became home to a next generation vaccine manufacturer that was able to rapidly develop vaccines to help the state combat influenza outbreaks.
The TETF is a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005. A 17 member advisory committee of high tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and research experts review potential projects and then recommends funding allocations to the governor.
So far, TETF has allocated more than $203 million in funds to 142 early stage companies and over $216 million in grant matching and research funds to state universities. In addition, more than $1.67 billion in additional investment has come from other non-state sources that has followed on to the TETF investment and as a result has quadrupled the amount invested by the TETF.