Texas breaks ground on innovative pre-clinical research

Governor Rick Perry (photo)

College Station – Gov. Rick Perry today participated in a groundbreaking for the Texas Institute for Preclinical Studies (TIPS) at Texas A&M University, which will train veterinarians, physicians, scientists, technicians and engineers to meet the growing needs of the biomedical industry. The institute will work with the public and private sector to accelerate the research, development and commercialization of breakthrough technologies.

"The establishment of this institution combines the brightest minds in university research with the entrepreneurial spirit of emerging technology companies, positioning Texas as a strong competitor in the global marketplace," said Gov. Perry. "Continued expansion of our research and development capabilities will create more jobs and generate substantial capital investments, further diversifying and enriching our economy."

In July 2007, Gov. Perry announced the state would invest $6 million in the institute through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) to help recruit world-class biotechnology researchers to the institute. The investment leveraged an additional $40 million for the institute from the Texas A&M University System, and $2.5 million from the local community through the Research Valley Partnership.

The institute will conduct research activities such as medical device and combination product safety studies in large animals, pre-clinical studies, and biomedical imaging to support pharmaceutical and medical equipment development. Thanks to the TETF grant, breakthroughs in new discoveries, particularly medical devices and therapies, have the resources to move more quickly from concept to the marketplace.

TIPS will provide a forum for conducting research from the public and private sector. This convergence, together with the world-renowned Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Texas A&M University System and other academic disciplines will provide vital research and testing capabilities for biotechnology companies. It will also positively impact the local and state economy by keeping many of those companies in Texas after testing is complete.

In 2005, Gov. Perry announced an award of $50 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund to help establish the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine (TIGM) as part of the Texas A&M University System. Today, TIGM utilizes advanced biotechnologies to discover breakthroughs in science and medicine and accelerate the pace of medical discoveries. Recently named one of the top five regions for economic development efforts in biotechnology by FierceBiotech, this investment continues to bolster Texas’ position as an international focal point for medical research.

The Texas A&M System Office of Technology Commercialization will provide intellectual property protection and business start-up support spin-out companies that emerge from the institute. The 112,000 square feet, three-building facility will be located in Texas A&M University’s Research Park in College Station.