STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State’s new Biotechnology Institute, part of Texas A&M-Fort Worth’s downtown research campus, puts the university in the middle of one of the largest, fastest growing life sciences hotbeds in the country.
More than 5,000 biotechnology manufacturing and research and development firms — think Novartis, Alcon, AstraZeneca — call Texas home.
Approved today by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the institute (part of Tarleton’s Division of Research, Innovation and Economic Development) will drive multidisciplinary discovery and innovation in bioinformatics and computational modeling of microbiomes, profoundly impacting everything from agriculture to medicine to energy to the environment.
“The Tarleton State Biotechnology Institute will foster academic and industry partnerships, develop a talent pipeline and inspire next-generation scientists and workforce professionals,” said A&M System Chancellor John Sharp. “We’re proud of that.”
Texas A&M-Fort Worth is a collaboration between the A&M System and the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. The three-building campus, across from the Water Gardens, will anchor an innovation district aimed at supporting business growth and workforce development. The first building, a replacement for the current Texas A&M Law School, is set to open in 2025 and the others by 2027.
“The vigorous support of Chancellor Sharp and the A&M System regents enhances everything we do,” said Tarleton State President James Hurley. “Thanks to their backing, we’re boosting quality of life through life-changing education. This has been our commitment for nearly 125 years.”
Tarleton State already has a growing 80-acre campus in southwest Fort Worth, with a second building well under construction. At more than 100,000 square feet of classroom and specialized lab space, the $66 million Interprofessional Education Building will help address two of the region’s most pressing needs — increased access to quality healthcare and education. Move-in is set for 2024.
Fall 2023 enrollment for classes there tops 2,200, and with more buildings the campus could serve 10,000 students by 2030.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.