85 years of bold discovery: Texas Biomed marks milestone anniversary

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, one of the world's leading independent biomedical research institutions dedicated to eradicating infection and advancing health, is celebrating 85 years of bold discovery in 2026.

Founded in 1941 by businessman and philanthropist Thomas Baker Slick Jr., Texas Biomed started with a mission to support research and advance education in agriculture, natural sciences and medicine. Today, the Institute is a world-class center for scientific discovery and innovation.

Across eight decades, Texas Biomed researchers have achieved historic breakthroughs including developing a high-frequency neonatal ventilator for premature infants, contributing to the creation of the globally administered Hepatitis B vaccine and playing a pivotal role in the research that led to identification and understanding of what is now known as Hepatitis C. In addition, Texas Biomed recently conducted critical preclinical work for several COVID-19 vaccines and therapies that later received FDA authorization, notably the Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax vaccines, and Regeneron's antibody cocktail. Texas Biomed continues to play a pivotal role in advancing therapies and vaccines that are saving lives during current infectious disease outbreaks in Africa.

Texas Biomed has established important collaborations with partners in academia, industry and government, helping to strengthen public health infrastructure and accelerate scientific progress.

"Texas Biomed is a world leader in advancing global health and combating infectious diseases through scientific innovation," said Larry Schlesinger, M.D., President and CEO of Texas Biomed. "Our unique combination of high-containment laboratory space and one of only seven federally funded National Primate Research Centers, has enabled our researchers access to unparalleled resources in contributing to major breakthroughs in understanding, preventing and treating illnesses such as HIV, Ebola virus, influenza, tuberculosis and COVID-19."

Texas Biomed will commemorate its 85th year with special events, including the opening of an 18,000-square-foot Animal Health Center and a fireside chat series highlighting Texas Biomed's history, its researchers and their work.

"My father believed in science's power for good," said Charles (Chuck) Urschel Slick, son of founder Tom Slick and member of the Texas Biomed Board of Trustees. "When he founded the Institute in 1941, his vision was to build a center that would foster innovation and challenge scientists to seek revolutionary breakthroughs to advance human health. I believe he would be proud of his legacy today – a world class facility with nearly 500 employees working together to make the world a better place."

For more information, please visit https://txbiomed.org.

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SOURCE Texas Biomedical Research Institute