Skip To Main Content

The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix to relocate the Dynamic Imaging Laboratory, a computational biology division of TGen, to become a part of the recently established Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics Systems Engineering in College Station.

"This is a wonderful example of how partnerships between academia and the private sector can leverage the capabilities of both to accelerate discovery," said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. "This is the first of what we expect will be many biotechnology enterprises to relocate operations to work with our world-class faculty, researchers and students."

Researchers in the Dynamic Imaging Laboratory will utilize computational mathematics to translate variations in human genes to discover the underlying cause of disease progression and resistance to therapy and why some individuals encounter debilitating diseases and others live healthy lives.

"A hallmark of TGen is our belief in the strength and importance of collaborative partnerships," said Jeffrey M. Trent, President and Research Director, TGen. "Such relationships provide TGen unmatched access to expertise and technology to accelerate its research goals. The fusion of modern medicine with the power of translational research fuels the next wave of treatments for disease."

Dr. Michael Bittner, an internationally recognized computational biologist and director of TGen’s Computational Biology division, along with two of his research scientists, will move here immediately for the first phase of the partnership.

"As research funding continues to become more competitive, partnerships like this one will be critical to building our program," said Dr. M. Katherine Banks, TEES director and vice chancellor and dean of engineering at Texas A&M. "A lab of this quality and caliber elevates our program, enhances opportunities for our researchers and students and accelerates the potential for making life-changing discoveries in the Texas A&M System."

About the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen): TGen is a non-profit 501(c)(3) research institute. Research at TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of translational research where investigators are able to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases. Since its formation in June 2002, TGen has established a solid administrative and facilities infrastructure. In addition to its headquarters location in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, TGen occupies laboratory space at the Mayo Clinic Collaborative Research Building in Scottsdale, Arizona, which houses TGen’s Pharmaceutical Genomics Division and TGen Drug Development, LLC.

About the Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering (CBGSE):the Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering (CBGSE) conducts research in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, and systems engineering as they relate to human and animal health, medicine, and agriculture, serving communities across the state of Texas and beyond.