With all the top notch universities and hospital systems and a big fat rainy day fund...where is the state of Texas on the topic of Covid research?

I'm not sure if I've read of any trials that are originating here. I don't get the feeling the governor is leading any charge to save the day.

As far as I can tell, half the state is taking their life into their hands based on a meme they saw about farting in their undies and that not stopping anything....the other half isn't much better.

I'd love to feel like Texas is taking the lead on things. Maybe if we aren't doing much in researching cures/treatments/etc, at least maybe we could get testing right.

https://today.tamu.edu/2020/07/08/texas-am-md-anderson-scientists-testing-inhaled-therapeutic-to-protect-against-covid-19/

Docs I know are doing trials with Regeneron, and working through other research in their work.

Not medical, but in response to Covid:

UH researchers create air filter that can kill CV-19

I'm sure they are all in on COVID like everyone else.

A more general gripe though is that Texas should be a biomedical research powerhouse, but some historical quirks keep it from reaching its full potential. Basically it comes down to the fact that you need multiple need major research universities with their own medical schools located in the same town. That's why Boston, San Fran, North Carolina, and San Diego monopolize pretty much all the biomedical research.

https://www.tmc.edu/news/2020/03/houston-methodist-performs-the-nations-first-plasma-transfusion-to-treat-covid-19/

Stupid question as I have not been on top of this since 2012, but at one point wasn't A&M set up to be one of 3 centers for Homeland Security regarding pathogens/outbreaks/germ warfare where research, and mass stocking of vaccines etc where to happen in the event of natural outbreaks or biological warfare agents being released in civilians? Is that still ongoing or did they eventually cut funding for that?

Oh, Rick got A&M that sweet boondoggle cash. Built a ton of biomanufacturing space, which of course they never used. It then got leased out to private companies, including one of the biggest clinical contract manufacturers in the world, which my company actually uses to produce our gene therapy vectors. Which has gotten me some business trips to college station. Nothing quite like getting the company to pay for your hotel on a game weekend

The deal always was that the gov could sort of commandeer the manufacturing capacity in case of an emergency, but I haven't heard about that happening yet.

amercer said:

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Oh, Rick got A&M that sweet boondoggle cash. Built a ton of biomanufacturing space, which of course they never used. It then got leased out to private companies, including one of the biggest clinical contract manufacturers in the world, which my company actually uses to produce our gene therapy vectors. Which has gotten me some business trips to college station. Nothing quite like getting the company to pay for your hotel on a game weekend

The deal always was that the gov could sort of commandeer the manufacturing capacity in case of an emergency, but I haven't heard about that happening yet.

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Ah, that makes sense now. And being able to mix business with game weekends is damn good thinking!

I thought I read somewhere way back in April or May that A&M was preparing to ramp up manufacturing once a vaccine was found. Essentially, the facilities aren't finding the vaccine, but once it is found, they'll help manufacture. I can't find it anymore, so maybe I'm just making that up.

amercer said:

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The deal always was that the gov could sort of commandeer the manufacturing capacity in case of an emergency, but I haven't heard about that happening yet.

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If they don't for this at some point for this, then they never will.

I believe it was intended to be a manufacturing facility. Not research.