The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is rated No. 6 among the 25 top-rising institutions in North America, according to Nature Index, a database of author affiliations and institutional relationships that tracks contributions to research articles published in high-quality natural science and health science journals.

The university is also a top-ranking academic research health center with regard to research funding. It received $131.5 million in National Institutes of Health funding in fiscal year 2023, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, ranking No. 72 out of the 2,886 public and private institutions that received NIH funding — reflecting an increase in NIH funding of 31% over the previous fiscal year.

Also notable: $16.4 million awarded in 2024 from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas for attracting top cancer researchers and advancing child and adolescent cancer  research, including breakthrough discoveries by investigators from both the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, one of only four National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers in Texas, and the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, one of only two institutes in the U.S. dedicated solely to pediatric cancer research.

“At UT Health San Antonio, we are proud of our sustained growth and impactful contributions to the biosciences,” said Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, the institution’s vice president for research. “Our commitment to innovative research has positioned us as a leader in addressing critical health challenges.”

As the leading academic and bioscience research center in South Texas, with an annual portfolio of $413 million, and as a primary driver of San Antonio’s $44.1 billion health care and  biosciences sector, UT Health San Antonio’s research accomplishments include advances in the treatment of cancer, age-related diseases, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, infectious diseases, mental health, substance use disorders, metabolic diseases including diabetes, population and public health and military health.

 

The research highlights that follow provide a glimpse of the broad and impactful work of investigators from across the institution to discover and test new therapies, prevent and treat disease and preserve and improve health across the lifespan. Among these: a first-ever oral chlamydia vaccine and a first mouse model with functional human immune system, a chemotherapy pump targeting liver tumors, a toothpaste ingredient to build tooth enamel, patient implants of a rechargeable deep brain stimulation device and a clinical trial for a vaccine to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

 

$11 million NIH-funded study could lead to a first-ever oral chlamydia vaccine. Chlamydia is the most reported sexually transmitted disease and affects about 4 million people in the United States each year, Image of syringes and measuring cupaccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While vaccines are available for other sexually transmitted infections, none exists for chlamydia. Untreated chlamydial infections can lead to severe complications including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. While investigating mouse-adapted chlamydia, a team of researchers found that genital chlamydia that spread to the gastrointestinal tract established long-standing colonization. They then tested an oral inoculation of chlamydia to the GI system and found that it became not only non-pathogenic but also offered protective immunity against subsequent infection in other tissues including the genital tract and airways. This surprising finding led investigators to conclude that an oral delivery of chlamydia could serve as a vaccination against the infection, an important step toward development of a vaccine.

 

Clinical trial studies people with Down syndrome for potential Alzheimer’s vaccine. Significant levels of amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles in the brain are classic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Because people with Down syndrome have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome, which is responsible for a protein that can cause plaques in the brain, their brain pathology mirrors that of a person with Alzheimer’s. And their risk for developing the disease is three to five times higher than the general population. The Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio is one of 14 clinical trial sites worldwide studying this underrepresented, high-risk group and reviewing a possible vaccine that would slow the progression of these plaques and of the disease to bring researchers one step closer to preventing Alzheimer’s for everyone.

 

Scientists create first mouse model with functional human immune system. Mice are widely used in biological and biomedicalIllustration of three mouse silhouettes research because they are small, easy to handle, share many immune elements and biological properties with humans and are easily genetically modified. Many of the more than 1,600 immune response mouse genes, however, are incongruent with their human equivalents, resulting in divergencies or deficiencies of mice as predictors of human immune responses. In a breakthrough for biomedical research that promises new insight into immunotherapy development and disease modeling, health science center scientists have created a humanized mouse model with a human immune system and a human-like gut microbiome capable of mounting specific antibody responses. This advancement brings new possibilities for developing human vaccines and human immune system studies of various diseases.

 

Physical exercise affects male and female rats differently. Figuring out the “why” and “how” of the effects of physical exercise on the body is the goal of a 10-year, multimillion dollar project through the National Institutes of Health called the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium. Researchers conducted thousands of analyses on 19 tissue types identifying changes in genes, proteins and metabolites and were surprised to find that all bodily tissues have some response to exercise training. Additionally, the exercise-response differences between male and female rats were greater than anticipated. For example, researchers found differences in most tissues sampled including brain, adrenal gland, lung and fat tissue. These findings could eventually play a role in how exercise interventions are recommended for men and women and could lead to specialized exercise routines being  prescribed for various ailments or health conditions.

 

Chemotherapy ‘pump’ directly targets liver tumors. Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer illustration of internal organs highlighting the liverCenter, is currently one of only two facilities in Texas offering hepatic artery infusion, also known as HAI pump therapy, for colorectal cancer patients whose tumors are inoperable and have spread to the liver. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the HAI pump is a palm-sized device implanted below the skin in the abdomen while the patient is under anesthesia. The device continuously administers chemotherapy directly through the hepatic artery, a vessel that provides blood to the liver. HAI therapy is localized and precisely targets tumors, delivering up to 400 times higher drug concentration than standard chemotherapy while limiting side effects elsewhere. Once implanted in the body, the pump is powered by the patient’s body heat, which activates the pump to deliver the medicine.

 

Rechargeable deep brain stimulation device minimizes repeat procedures. Physicians at UT Health San Antonio are among the nation’s first to implant a newly approved sensing rechargeable deep brain stimulation device with a 15-year battery life that allows more continual treatment of patients with movement disorders. Deep brain stimulation, known as  DBS, is the placement of electrodes in the brain connected to a battery-operated generator in the chest, similar to a cardiac pacemaker. A small impulse of electricity moves from the generator to the electrodes to stimulate a specific area of the brain, relieving some symptoms and side effects for those with Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, epilepsy and essential tremor conditions. The key feature of the new neurostimulator device is its longevity, a significant improvement over previous non-rechargeable devices that required replacement every three to four years. The extended lifespan translates into the need for fewer battery replacement procedures for patients and less risk of complications in connection with those procedures.

 

Illustration of tooth, toothbrush and toothpasteToothpaste with ‘artificial enamel’ ingredient is more effective than fluoride. Healthy tooth enamel normally is the hardest substance in the body. Molar incisor hypomineralization, a widespread developmental defect of enamel, affects molars most often, but can also affect incisors. Causes are unclear, although a diet containing lots of acid and sugar aggravates the problem. A study of an “artificial enamel” ingredient in toothpaste has been shown to help build back enamel in teeth, more effectively relieving sensitivity than fluoride while also fighting cavities. According to the study, the ingredient — a synthetic version of the natural mineral hydroxyapatite, which makes up 97% of healthy enamel in teeth — helps restore enamel in teeth affected by hypomineralization. It is also safe if swallowed, making it suitable for children and adults.

 

A long-term ketogenic diet accumulates aged cells in normal tissues. A strict “keto friendly” diet, popular for weight loss and diabetes, might not be all that friendly. The high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet leads to the generation of ketones, a type of chemical that the liver produces when it breaks down fats. While this improves certain health conditions, pro-inflammatory effects also have been reported. A study led by health science center researchers found that a continuous, long-term ketogenic diet may induce senescence — aged cells in normal tissues — with effects on heart and kidney function, in particular. According to the research, an intermittent ketogenic diet, with a planned keto break, did not exhibit any pro-inflammatory effects due to aged cells. The findings have significant clinical implications for the approximately 13 million Americans who follow a ketogenic diet.

 

For more stories and in-depth coverage of the life-saving and life-changing research of UT Health San Antonio, visit news.uthscsa.edu.

 

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