TTUHSC Awarded Nearly $6 Million in Research Funds

University researchers from multiple campuses have been awarded $5,693,296 in grant funds by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., said the new funds demonstrate the institution’s competitive research.

“Competition is fierce for CPRIT funding. Our faculty members have demonstrated their research programs can compete effectively at the state and national levels,” Mitchell said. “We congratulate them for their dedication to the type of research that seeks answers for combating this disease.”

Funds were awarded to:

• Richard Leff, Pharm.D., regional dean, School of Pharmacy at Dallas/Ft.Worth, $2.5 million
• Zeina Nahleh, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso, $1.5 million
• Magdalena Karbowniczek, M.D., Ph.D., School of Pharmacy at Abilene, $756,644
• Quentin R. Smith, Ph.D., professor and senior associate dean for sciences, School of Pharmacy at Amarillo, $736,685
• Ulrich Bickel, M.D., professor, School of Pharmacy at Amarillo, $199,967

Under its latest grant cycle, the institute is providing more than $100 million to Texas cancer research projects. Statewide, the institute has awarded more than $550 million in funding for cancer research, prevention and commercialization projects over the last two years.

“In the two short years that we have been investing in cancer research, drug development and prevention efforts in Texas, we continue to be impressed by the quality of the work being done around the state,” said Jimmy Mansour, founding chairman of the institute’s governing board. “The fact that this research is being done right here in our own state is a testament to the people of Texas who made a commitment to support the fight against this deadly disease.”

“The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas does an outstanding job furthering the battle against cancer, and we are very grateful for their continued support of our universities through these research grants,” Chancellor Kent Hance said. “To more than double the amount of state cancer research funding we’ve received since last year is remarkable.”

Competing for these awards remains a top strategic priority for the university system, and the Office of Research and Commercialization assists its universities in pursuing these external funding opportunities.

“Our faculty did a great job and we can do even better as we leverage our competitive advantage of being the only public institution in Texas with a health sciences and general academic university on the same campus,” Jodey Arrington, vice chancellor for research, commercialization and federal relations, said.

Cancer institute funding also is helping attract leading scientists in cancer research to Texas, as six CPRITScholar in Cancer Research recruitment awards were announced at the latest meeting.