Texas A&M Division of Research Announces Three New Frontiers in Research Summits Grants

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas (June 15, 2026) – Three proposals were selected for funding during round two of Frontiers in Research Summits (FRS), the Texas A&M University Division of Research announced today.

Proposal teams may request up to $75,000 to host the summit at Texas A&M University, College Station. The new grants will fund the following summits, which must take place between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027:

• “The Future Is Now: Imaging Science as Preventative Medicine,” led by co-principal investigators:
  • Dr. Brian Anderson (Charles Puryear Professorship in Liberal Arts, director of the Human Imaging Facility/College of Arts and Sciences)
• • Dr. Roderic Pettigrew (Robert A. Welch Professor of Medicine/School of Engineering Medicine)
  • Dr. Israel Liberzon (William and Dorothy Stearman Endowed Professor and Distinguished University Professor/Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine).
• “Therapeutic Algae: From Bioactive Discovery to Translation,” led by co-principal investigators:
  • Dr. Susanne Talcott (professor of food science and technology/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
• • Dr. Stephen Talcott (professor of food science and technology/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
  • Dr. Antonietta S. Quigg (Regents Professor and senior associate vice president for research and graduate studies/Texas A&M University at Galveston).
• “Frontiers in AI-Enabled Medicine and Health,” led by co-principal investigators:
  • Dr. Tianbao Yang (Stephen Horn ’79 Engineering Excellence Chair and professor of computer science and engineering/College of Engineering)
• • Dr. Israel Liberzon (William and Dorothy Stearman Endowed Professor and Distinguished University Professor/Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine)
  • Dr. Yanmin Gong (associate professor of multidisciplinary engineering/School of Engineering Medicine).

“The strength of the Frontiers in Research Summits program lies in its ability to bring together experts from diverse fields around emerging scientific opportunities,” said Dr. Angela K. Wilson, vice president for research at Texas A&M University, VPR University Chair and professor of chemistry at Texas A&M’s College of Arts and Sciences. “By investing in these conversations at an early stage, we help fuel innovative ideas, expand collaborative networks and position our researchers to pursue ambitious, high-impact research initiatives.”

FRS’ initial launch in September 2025 funded three summits on the following topics: rare earth element recovery, manufacturing of ceramic and composite materials for extreme environments, and domestic chemical products. Intentionally structured to produce results, FRS grants are designed to transform innovative concepts into tangible research opportunities through faculty-led collaboration and sustained follow-through. Awardees are required to assist with planning their summits, produce a white paper summarizing opportunities and strategies for advancing the summit research topic, and participate in outcome surveys to document progress.

“These summits serve as a launching point for larger research efforts,” said Dr. Henry Fadamiro, associate vice president for research, strategic initiatives. “Each summit is designed to generate a roadmap for future collaboration, helping researchers identify shared priorities, develop competitive research agendas, leverage external partnerships and pursue new funding opportunities.”

FRS incorporates external collaborators across academia, industry and government, ensuring diverse perspectives and broad engagement that strengthen the impact and reach of summit outcomes. Principal investigator-eligible faculty from Texas A&M and its branch campuses, as well as Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, are welcome to submit proposals. The Division of Research provides logistical support, including hotel negotiations, signage, registration and marketing.

About Research at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is one of the world’s leading research institutions, dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good. As a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university, Texas A&M conducts research that spans multiple disciplines and addresses global challenges. In 2025, Texas A&M announced that its research enterprise generated annual expenditures exceeding $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2025. According to the National Science Foundation’s most recent Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Texas A&M ranks 13th nationally based on research expenditures of more than $1.394 billion in fiscal year 2024. Texas A&M was also the first research institution in Texas to surpass $1 billion in annual research expenditures, a milestone achieved in fiscal year 2021.