The Dell Pediatric Research Institute (DPRI) is The University of Texas at Austin’s new state-of-the-art medical research facility that will advance understanding of childhood diseases and disorders and help take pediatric care in Central Texas to a new level. DPRI is located on the site of the old Robert Mueller Airport in Central Austin and next door to the Dell Children’s Medical Center.
Bench to Bedside
Faculty at DPRI will conduct scientific and biomedical research and will collaborate with practitioners at the Dell Children’s Medical Center and other healthcare facilities to translate findings into practical applications at the clinical level. The institute’s emphasis will be on translational research – translating scientific research into products, programs and treatments to improve the health of society’s youngest members.
DPRI will foster collaboration among researchers in health-related disciplines at The University of Texas at Austin and will also engage the UT System’s renowned health institutions, thus bringing together cutting-edge medical expertise across the UT System. The ultimate and highly achievable goal is to improve children’s health in Central Texas and beyond.
Research Areas
DPRI research will include cancer, genetics, nutritional science, drug development, neuroscience and other fields that will enable advances in areas of children’s health including childhood obesity, cancer, birth defects, brain injury, epilepsy, autism and much more. In collaboration with the Medical Center, the institute will offer major opportunities for clinical trials, metabolic studies and technology transfer.
Status & Progress
DPRI is being created as a result of a $38 million challenge grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The foundation’s commitment has inspired generous gifts from other private donors including the RGK Foundation, the Bank of America Foundation, and the Topfer family and a significant investment from The University of Texas. As of January 2010 the funding gap stands at $9 million to meet the Dell challenge.
Final installations are now underway at the DPRI, and research groups have begun moving in. A grand opening is planned for April 23, 2010 to showcase the institute and spotlight some of the groundbreaking research in children’s health that will be conducted in this state-of-the-art setting.
The Dell Pediatric Research Institute is a top fundraising priority for both The University of Texas at Austin and the UT System, and we are looking for partners to help close the gap by investing in this remarkable enterprise. Naming opportunities are available subject to approval by the University of Texas System Board of Regents.