TAMEST Member News Roundup – July 2026

TAMEST In The News

Dallas Innovates: UT Southwestern Named World’s Top-Ranked Health Institution for Healthcare Research in 2026, TAMEST Member and Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Summit Speaker Zhijian “James” Chen, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS, FRS), UT Southwestern Medical Center

KXAN: How a UT Austin Scientist’s 1.1-Degree Twist Changed Physics, TAMEST Member and 2024 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences Recipient Allan H. MacDonald, Ph.D. (NAS), The University of Texas at Austin

Medscape: Food Noise: A Real Phenomenon Deserving of Being Treated, TAMEST Member David B. Allison, Ph.D. (NAM), Baylor College of Medicine

Alcade: UT Austin and UT MD Anderson Reach a Potential Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment, TAMEST Members Jonathan L. Sessler, Ph.D. (NAS), The University of Texas at Austin, and Ronald A. DePinho, M.D. (NAM, NAS), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Science Daily: Quantum Mechanics Once Baffled Scientists. Now It’s Changing the World, TAMEST Member Marlan O. Scully, Ph.D. (NAS), Texas A&M University

Chevron: The Invisible Work Behind the Energy That Powers Our World, TAMEST Member Jitendra Kikani, Ph.D. (NAE), Chevron

VnExpress: Five Female Mathematicians Whose Discoveries Reshaped Science, TAMEST Member Karen Uhlenbeck, Ph.D. (NAS, FRS), The University of Texas at Austin

The Washington Post: Inside Japan’s Billion-Dollar Quest to Help a Sleep-Starved Nation Rest, TAMEST Member Joseph Takahashi, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS), UT Southwestern Medical Center

D Magazine: Lyda Hill Philanthropies Backs Nonprofit Drugmaker Aiming to Lower Cancer Drug Costs, 2025 Kay Bailey Hutchison Distinguished Service Award Recipient Lyda Hill and Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Traders Union: Breyer Capital Leads Pathway Labs Funding for Multi-Condition AI Heart Diagnostics, TAMEST 2026 Annual Conference Presenting Sponsor Jim Breyer and Breyer Capital

New York Times (Obituary): Richard Tapia, Mathematician Who Pushed to Diversify His Field, Dies at 88, TAMEST Member Richard A. Tapia (1938-2026), Ph.D. (NAE), Rice University

Science Daily: Future Astronauts Could Walk Across Rocks from Deep Inside the Moon, Southwest Research Institute

Member Briefs

TAMEST mourns the loss of beloved TAMEST Members Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D. (NAM), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Antony Jameson, Ph.D. (NAE, FREng), Texas A&M University, Harry Swinney, Ph.D. (NAS) and Byron D. Tapley, Ph.D. (NAE), The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Maura Gillison was a transformative leader in oncology and molecular epidemiology whose work fundamentally improved the lives of individuals facing head and neck cancer. Dr. Antony Jameson was a groundbreaking figure in computational fluid dynamics whose work formed the basis for modern high-performance aircraft design. Dr. Harry Swinney was a renowned physicist in nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory whose discoveries fundamentally advanced our understanding of complex physical systems. He also served on the TAMEST Board of Directors. Dr. Byron D. Tapley was a pioneer of modern space geodesy whose vision and leadership fundamentally reshaped how we measure and understand Earth. Dr. Tapley served as chair of the TAMEST 2009 Annual Conference.

Together, the groundbreaking contributions of these TAMEST members and their unwavering commitment to discovery have left an enduring legacy on science, engineering and the state of Texas.

Rice President Reginald DesRoches Elected to National Academy of Construction

The National Academy of Construction has elected Rice University President and TAMEST Member Reginald DesRoches, Ph.D. (NAE), as one of 45 new members in its Class of 2026. Dr. DesRoches is one of only 18 members to hold the triple honor of being a member of the National Academy of Construction, National Academy of Engineering and a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More

A New Fluid Helps Electric Cars Charge Faster and Go Further

For many drivers, switching to an electric car comes down to three big questions: how much does it cost, how long does it take to charge and how far can I go? TAMEST Board Treasurer Selda Gunsel, Ph.D. (NAE), highlights research at Shell aimed at addressing two of these challenges. By rethinking how heat is managed inside an electric car, researchers have developed a new cooling fluid designed to make the cars charge faster, run more efficiently and travel further. Read More  

Gut Bacteria Boost Immune System, Help Send Vitamin A to T Cells

Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center, including TAMEST Member Lora Hooper, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS), have discovered that gut bacteria help regulate the development of the body’s immune system by directing the movement of vitamin A through a previously unrecognized cellular network. The preclinical findings, published in Cell Host & Microbe, could reshape how researchers view conditions in which immune development is disrupted, highlighting nutrient pathways as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Read More 

Inside UT Austin’s Quantum Ecosystem: From Breakthroughs to Possibilities

The University of Texas at Austin is charging ahead with quantum innovations that could be even bigger than the building (Welch Hall) where some of the world’s most exciting and cutting-edge research in this field is just getting underway. Across campus, UT researchers including TAMEST Member and 2024 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences Recipient Allan H. MacDonald, Ph.D. (NAS), 2018 O’Donnell Award in Physical Sciences Recipient and Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Summit Speaker Xiaoqin Elaine Li, Ph.D. and TAMEST Member Scott J. Aaronson, Ph.D. (NAS), are leading discoveries in quantum materials, quantum computing, quantum sensing and a whole range of advances tied to how atoms and electrons behave at the smallest of scales and how they interact with light. Read More 

Texas A&M AgriLife Research Institute Launches Maternal Nutrition Study

The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) has launched an innovative research initiative, Harvesting Health: Advancing Nutrition and Wellness for Moms and Babies, led by TAMEST Member Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, Ph.D. (NAM), Texas A&M University, which aims to advance maternal and child health and promote positive pregnancy outcomes. Read More 

UT San Antonio Researcher Receives $400,000 Komen Grant to Study Therapeutic Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors

TAMEST Member Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H., (NAM), UT San Antonio, is receiving a two-year, $400,000 leadership grant from Susan G. Komen to study cancer survivorship. She aims to enhance recovery for breast cancer survivors through the study of therapeutic yoga. “By focusing on the whole person and listening to survivor experiences, we hope to find more effective, culturally responsive ways to support recovery,” said Dr. Ramirez. Read More

Rice and NASA Launch World’s First Open-Source Remote Space Robotics Simulator 

Researchers at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston and Rice University, including TAMEST Member and Hill Prize in Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee Chair, Lydia E. Kavraki, Ph.D. (NAM, NAE, NAS), have launched the iMETRO Dynamic Simulation — the world’s first open-source dynamic simulation environment to develop robots used in space vehicles and indoor space habitats. The team debuted the platform at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). Read More

Between Two Cacti: The Podcast

Between Two Cacti is a conversational series from the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin that brings together leaders from across the energy sector for candid, forward-looking discussions on the future of energy. TAMEST Member Brian A. Korgel, Ph.D. (NAE) hosts the podcast and sits down with leading voices in energy. Set in Austin — a place where policy, innovation, and industry increasingly intersect — the series explores the ideas, decisions and tensions shaping today’s energy landscape. Read More

Study Reveals How RNA-Modifying Enzyme Picks Its Targets

An RNA-modifying enzyme linked to cancer and neurological disorders selects its targets by recognizing specific RNA shapes and sequences, according to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers, including 2026 O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences Recipient Yunsun Nam, Ph.D. The findings, published in Nature, define the molecular features that guide the enzyme, NSUN2, to the RNAs it modifies and could help researchers investigate how abnormal RNA modification contributes to disease. Read More 

Converting Matte Surfaces into Virtual Screens Enhances Machine Vision

A new imaging approach could enable faster, more accurate 3D sensing for robotics, manufacturing and autonomous systems. A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers at Rice University, including 2024 O’Donnell Award in Engineering Recipient Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., and the University of Arizona, introduces an innovative approach that could help machines see the world more clearly. The authors developed a two-step computational imaging method that uses a laser and a high-speed camera to capture complex scenes in three dimensions with exceptional speed and accuracy. Read More

Lung Cancer Treatment is Evolving with Smarter Combination Therapies

Lung cancer treatment is evolving, with combination therapies providing a more personalized approach to care. 2025 O’Donnell Award in Medicine Recipient Lauren Averett Byers, M.D., and Ferdinandos Skoulidis, M.D., Ph.D., both of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discuss how targeted therapy and immunotherapy are being used together to improve outcomes, the importance of biomarkers in guiding treatment decisions and new advances in KRAS research. Read More

Texas Biomedical Research Institute and Flyttr Partner to Advance Next-Generation Solutions for the Invasive New World Screwworm

Texas Biomedical Research Institute has entered into a partnership with Flyttr, the leading biosecurity solutions platform for critical pest threats, to develop, evaluate and advance next-generation biological solutions that could strengthen future elimination efforts of New World screwworm, a destructive livestock pest that threatens animal health and agricultural economies. Read More