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BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Regents of The Texas A&M University System today approved spending $15 million to expand lab space on two levels of Texas A&M’s ENMED Tower adjacent to the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

The construction will provide on-site research capabilities to attract and hire top faculty researchers to Texas A&M’s School of Engineering Medicine which offers EnMed — a unique program in which students simultaneously earn medical degrees and master of engineering innovation degrees. As part of the course of study, the students are required to invent a solution to a healthcare problem. Construction on the project is scheduled to start in July 2024 with substantial completion scheduled for May 2025.

“EnMed’s growing presence in Houston is benefitting everyone,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “Adding on-site research capabilities gives EnMed and the A&M System a leg-up in drawing the best possible talent to this new and ambitious program.”

“We are excited to be acquiring this much needed office and research space, which is critical for growth and capturing additional talent. This will allow us to put into action more great ideas for advancing practical innovations in healthcare through our unique fusion of engineering and medicine. Already we have begun advanced initiatives in digital health technologies and world-class cutting edge MR imaging for early detection of disease,” said Roderic Pettigrew, PhD, MD, Inaugural Dean of the School of Engineering Medicine. “This, of course, not only greatly improves the ability to heal and cure, but also allows more use of non-or minimally-invasive treatments.”