University researchers receive more than $5 million from CPRIT

Three UTHealth Houston researchers were awarded more than $5 million in funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), furthering the state’s mission to prevent and treat cancer through innovative science and core infrastructure.

Each CPRIT award undergoes a rigorous, merit-based review by independent experts from outside Texas. The three UTHealth Houston awards reflect the institution’s continued leadership in both biomedical innovation and public health impact.

“These awards highlight the high-impact research and state-of-the-art infrastructure that UTHealth Houston is building to transform cancer prevention and treatment for Texas and beyond, spearheaded by our outstanding investigators,” said Kevin Morano, PhD, senior vice president of Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Roger J. Bulger, MD, Distinguished Professor at UTHealth Houston.

Cici Bauer, PhD – School of Public Health

Texas Spatial-Temporal Data Science, Informatics, and Modeling Core - $3 million

Cici Bauer, PhD, associate professor of biostatistics and data science and the James W. Rockwell Professor in Public Health (Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology) at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, was awarded nearly $3 million to establish the Texas Spatial-Temporal Data Science, Informatics, and Modeling Core (TEX-SIM).

The TEX-SIM core will integrate data on environmental exposures, health care access, and geospatial health trends to identify community-level drivers of cancer prevalence and disparities. By equipping public health researchers, clinicians, and local decision-makers with actionable insights, TEX-SIM aims to reduce barriers to treatment and improve cancer outcomes, especially in at-risk populations. The core will also provide training programs and collaborative data tools to enhance the state’s capacity in spatial-temporal informatics.

“The Texas Spatial-Temporal Data Science, Informatics, and Modeling Core Facility (TEX-SIM) aims to transform cancer prevention, control, and care in Texas through supporting communities and researchers with cutting-edge spatial-temporal population health analytics,” Bauer said. “TEX-SIM also fosters statewide collaboration and training to build expertise in spatial-temporal data science, informatics, and modeling. We are deeply grateful for the strong support from the UTHealth Houston president, the Office of Population Health, and our valued partners at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics and the School of Public Health.”

Zhiqiang An, PhD – McGovern Medical School

Advanced Cancer Antibody Drug Modalities Core Facility - $2 million

Zhiqiang An, PhD, director of the Texas Therapeutics Institute, Robert A. Welch Distinguished University Chair in Chemistry at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, and vice president of drug discovery at UTHealth Houston, was awarded nearly $2 million to continue his work leading the Advanced Cancer Antibody Drug Modalities Core Facility. The Texas Therapeutics Institute operates in The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases at McGovern Medical School.

The core provides a comprehensive platform for discovering and engineering leading-edge, antibody-based cancer drug modalities, including monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and CAR-T cell components.

The facility’s innovations include antibody-based therapies capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and a toolbox of antibodies targeting immune checkpoints and oncogenes. This infrastructure supports researchers across Texas working to translate scientific discoveries into lifesaving therapies.

“It is gratifying that CPRIT renewed our Advanced Cancer Antibody Drug Modalities Core project, which started in 2015 with more than $13 million in accumulated funding,” An said. “I want to thank my co-investigators, Dr. Ningyan Zhang and Dr. Kyoji Tsuchikama, numerous past and current scientists and postdoctoral fellows, as well as the administrative staff of the Institute of Molecular Medicine for their contributions to the project’s success.”

Tae Jin Lee, PhD – McGovern Medical School, MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School

Inducing Senolysis With miRNA-433-3p for Enhanced Viro-immunotherapy in Glioblastoma - $250,000

Tae Jin Lee, PhD, also from McGovern Medical School as well as MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, received nearly $250,000 for a project exploring a new therapeutic strategy against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the deadliest and least treatable forms of brain cancer.

Lee’s project investigates the use of miRNA-433-3p to induce a process called senolysis, enhancing the effectiveness of oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 (oHSV) therapy. By sensitizing GBM cells to viral treatment, this approach aims to increase cancer cell death and stimulate antitumor immune responses, potentially improving survival rates for patients with limited treatment options.

“I’m excited about the new award and happy to share it with our community,” Lee said.

About the awards

The awards are part of CPRIT’s latest round of grants, which approved 61 projects totaling more than $93 million to support cancer research, product development, and prevention programs across Texas.

Since its founding in 2007, CPRIT has awarded more than $3.38 billion in grants, making Texas a national model for voter-supported cancer research and prevention.

“Texas is a national leader in the fight against cancer,” said Kristen Pauling Doyle, CPRIT chief executive officer. “We can measure the return on investment from CPRIT grants like those approved today not only in the economic benefits flowing from increased financial activity and jobs in the state, but more importantly in the cancers avoided, detected early, and treated successfully. Thanks to the Legislature’s vision, this commitment is saving lives.”