Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston on Friday announced the creation of a new research hub focused on speeding up the conversion of laboratory research into impactful medical treatments.
The Consortium for Translational and Precision Health is funded by a $44.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical and Translational Science Award Program. Dr. Fasiha Kanwal, professor of medicine and chief of the section of gastroenterology and hepatology at BCM and one of the consortium’s three co-leaders, said the project aims to improve health care outcomes for Houston residents by engaging directly with community leaders and residents.
“There’s wonderful … research that happens in Houston, but there still remains a big time lag between when these discoveries are made and then when they are ready to be used in clinics in our communities,” she said. “The purpose for this consortium is to find ways to reduce this time.”
By focusing on converting lab-based medical science discoveries into actionable clinical treatments – a process known as translational research – the hub hopes to target health disparities specific to Houston and the surrounding region, Kanwal explained.
“There are 60 such hubs across the country and each of these hubs has a slightly different focus area. So, our focus area will be unique, and that is really informed by the need that we see in our community, informed by our actual community members,” she said.
Kanwal mentioned Houston’s uniquely high uninsured rate as a target hub leaders hope their interdisciplinary and community-focused approach will address: Texas has the highest rate of uninsured residents among all U.S. states , with more than 5 million people – nearly 17 percent of the state’s population – living without health insurance, according to the latest available census data.
Kanwal also pointed to high levels of obesity, cancer and heart disease, widespread food insecurity and frequent environmental emergencies as potential targets for the hub’s research efforts.
The CTPH adds to existing partnerships between UH and Baylor College of Medicine, as well as other research groups in the Texas Medical Center, which received more than $850 million in total NIH funding in 2020 .
The hub also will draw on the expertise across UH, including the colleges of medicine, pharmacy, business, engineering, and education. The hub will provide funding for pilot projects and support ongoing research, including assistance with community engagement and outreach.
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