GRATITUDE
Community of support
Texas Biomed is extremely fortunate to have broad support throughout our local community and beyond. Here are a few highlights of how two organizations are enabling critical research and supporting early career scientists.
JUMP TO: The Forum | Douglass Foundation
Texas Biomedical Forum breaks fundraising records
The Texas Biomedical Forum broke all fundraising records in 2024, presenting the Institute with a gift of over $960,000. The donation was the largest in The Forum’s 54-year history, more than doubling its annual award to Texas Biomed since 2022. This generous award will provide critical seed funding for innovative research projects and other initiatives.
Since its founding in 1970 by Betty Moorman, the sister of Texas Biomed’s founder, Tom Baker Slick, Jr., The Forum has awarded more than $4.8 million to pilot studies, which has been used to leverage over $90 million in subsequent competitive grants for Texas Biomed scientists.
“The Forum is a proud supporter of the Institute’s groundbreaking scientific research and discovery of new treatments and cures for diseases that affect our families, our community and people around the world,” said Rebecca Nathan, The Forum’s 2023-2024 President. “Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our community, we are absolutely delighted to be gifting nearly $1 million to Texas Biomed.”
Philanthropy supports critical research into lethal diseases
More than half a million dollars has been earmarked for research grants that will be shared by nine Institute scientists. These philanthropic awards supported by the Texas Biomedical Forum and the Douglass Foundation support the study of some of the world’s most deadly pathogens, potentially leading to new treatments and better control of infectious diseases.
In 2025, Ahmed Elsayed, Ph.D., Nathalia Rodrigues de Almeida, Ph.D., Hussin Rothan, Ph.D., and Chengjin Ye, Ph.D., have been named the recipients of the 2025 Forum Staff Scientist award, supported by the Texas Biomedical Forum, for their work in critical areas including bird flu, Dengue virus and immune responses.
The Forum Faculty Award has been awarded to Victoria Baxter, Ph.D., for her development of a guinea pig model which can be used to test potential therapies and Smita Kulkarni, Ph.D., for her study of Ebola virus pathogenesis.
The 2025 Texas Biomed Graduate Fellowship, supported by the Douglass Foundation has been awarded to Ramya Smithaveni Barre for her work in assessing the efficacy of vaccines for H1N1 bird flu viruses. Kennedy Omufwoko is the recipient of the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship and will use his grant to support his research into two Schistosoma parasite species.
“The generosity of The Douglass Foundation and the Texas Biomedical Forum is instrumental in allowing vital research into some of the world’s most lethal diseases to continue,” said Lee-Ann Allen, Ph.D., Executive Vice President for Research at Texas Biomed. “We are grateful for their continued support.”
The Douglass Foundation pledges $1 million endowment
The Douglass Foundation’s generous support of postdoctoral research at the Institute will continue with a new endowment of $1 million. Postdoctoral researchers are a vital part of the scientific process and the backbone of biomedical research labs. It is highly competitive to recruit the best and brightest postdoctoral fellows. The Douglass Foundation’s endowment provides the Institute with funding to fill workforce gaps, offer ongoing specialized training, drive innovation and retain top talent.
Founded in 1982 by Donald Douglass, the foundation supports educational, entrepreneurial, scientific and artistic causes. During his life, Mr. Douglass had a strong interest in Texas Biomed’s work in Ebola, Parkinson’s disease and stem cell therapy and his legacy continues to support the Institute’s vital, life-changing work.