Nearly one year since launching its first phase, the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park is already proving to be a powerful catalyst for innovation, attracting a range of life sciences companies and bolstering collaboration between industry and academia.   The 37-acre campus opened with the TMC3 Collaborative Building and Dynamic One Building, now home to prestigious institutions like Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Methodist, Texas A&M University and UTHealth. Chicago-based venture capital firm Portal Innovations also joined the campus last year, occupying the entire third floor of the Collaborative Building with a 30,000-square-foot space.  Growth continues at Helix Park as local institutions and companies expand their research initiatives and establish a stronger presence on campus. Rice University recently launched RBL LLC, a venture creation studio designed to act as a direct pipeline for new companies built around the technologies developed at its Biotech Launch Pad, established last year.   “Leveraging Rice University’s Biotech Launch Pad breakthroughs and pairing it with the world-class translational infrastructure of TMC Helix Park well positions RBL to drive unprecedented advances in patient care,” said William McKeon, President and CEO of TMC, in a statement. “This partnership between academia, industry and health care is exactly what’s needed to transform medical discoveries into real-world solutions that improve lives globally.”  In September, March Biosciences, an emerging clinical-stage biotech company spun off from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Texas Children’s Hospital’s Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, moved to the Helix Park campus. Shortly after the move, March Biosciences successfully closed an oversubscribed $28.4 million Series A financing round. This funding will support the Phase 2 clinical development of MB-105, the company’s innovative cancer-fighting therapy.   Switzerland-based biotech company Artidis also recently expanded to Helix Park, securing 2,000 square feet in Portal Innovations’ suite within the Collaborative Building, according to the Houston Business Journal. The company uses nanotechnology to rapidly diagnose cancer and develop personalized treatment plans.  MD Anderson Cancer Center is also increasing its footprint at TMC with a new $239 million, 281,254-square-foot research facility featuring lab and office space. According to the Houston Business Journal, the facility, set for completion in 2028, will focus on advancing preclinical research.  Additionally, the campus welcomed its first restaurant, Ojo de Agua, which offers a blend of Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine, contributing to Helix Park’s vision of becoming a premier destination.  “We are excited to introduce Ojo de Agua to the Texas Medical Center community and present a new spot where members and visitors can connect, celebrate and collaborate while enjoying a unique culinary experience,” said McKeon in a statement. “Food has a way of bringing people together and as our campus continues to welcome visitors from all over the world, Ojo de Agua will showcase high quality, fresh ingredients that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of our community.”  Learn more about the growth happening at TMC at the Partnership’s State of the Texas Medical Center event on November 14. 

A research initiative led by Rice University, in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson, has received an $18 million grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The funding, which will be distributed over five years, will support the development of a new system aimed at enhancing the accuracy of tumor removal in breast, and head and neck cancer.   Rice University was among eight institutions chosen to receive a share of the $150 million in grants announced earlier this week by the Biden-Harris administration. This funding is part of the ongoing Cancer Moonshot initiative, which seeks to halve the cancer death rate by 2047.   The Rice and MD Anderson research team has developed a groundbreaking cancer pathology system called AccessPath, which addresses a significant challenge surgeons face: accurately identifying the margin where a tumor ends, and healthy tissue begins. Leveraging advanced technologies, including a high-resolution microscope and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, AccessPath enables surgeons to determine in real time whether they have completely removed a tumor during surgery.  “Because of its low cost, high speed, and automated analysis, we believe AccessPath can revolutionize real-time surgical guidance, greatly expanding the range of hospitals able to provide accurate intraoperative tumor margin assessment and improving outcomes for all cancer surgery patients,” Rebecca Richards-Kortum, a lead researcher on the project and director of the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, said in a news release.  According to ARPA-H, nearly two million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year. Given the complexity and high cost of cancer treatment, AccessPath offers a promising solution by “reducing the number of repeat interventions, lowering cancer care costs and improving patient outcomes,” said Dr. Ana Paula Refinetti, an associate professor in the Breast Surgical Oncology department at MD Anderson and one of the lead researchers on the project.  This cutting-edge innovation stems from a strategic partnership established this summer between Rice University and MD Anderson. Through the Cancer Bioengineering Collaborative, the two institutions are working together to develop life-saving technologies and bioengineering strategies to enhance cancer research, diagnosis and treatment.  “AccessPath is exactly the kind of life-changing research and health care innovation we are proud to produce at Rice, where we’re committed to addressing and solving the world’s most pressing medical issues,” said Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice’s executive vice president for research. “Partnering with MD Anderson on this vital work underscores the importance of such ongoing collaborations with our neighbors in the world’s largest medical center.”  This award is yet another example showcasing Houston’s leadership in advancing critical, life-saving technologies.  Learn more about Houston’s life sciences industry.