Congressman Joaquin Castro presents nearly $3M of Community Project Funding to UT Health San Antonio

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

The UT School of Public Health San Antonio was thrilled to host Congressman Joaquin Castro for a presentation of nearly $3 million of Community Project Funding to UT Health San Antonio. Presenting a check to the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery - Hepatic Steatosis (CIDD-HS) under the Long School of Medicine and the School of Public Health, this generous support will help renovate the School of Public Health building and advance research for hepatic steatosis, more commonly known as fatty liver disease.

Congressman Castro, alongside Acting President Robert Hromas and Dean Vasan Ramachandran, toured the newly renovated School.

U.S. Rep. Joaquín Castro announced three federal grants Monday totaling nearly $3 million for UT Health San Antonio. The grants are funded with federal appropriations from the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, through an annual congressional funding process to support locally driven projects with community support.

Castro's $1 million appropriation to the School of Public Health helped with building renovations, including classrooms, staff and student lounges, study rooms, research labs, and an on-site cafe.

One grant, for $1 million, supported the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, and helped support research leading to treatment of fatty liver disease, or hepatic steatosis. The funding will pay for new instruments and specialized equipment. The Center has awarded an additional $963,000 in fiscal year 2024 towards the development of new chemical synthetic techniques to prevent liver failure.

Hromas stated that fatty liver disease is a frequent complication of diabetes that disproportionately affects South Texans and that UT Health San Antonio is a leader in research and treatment.

See a roundup of articles highlighting the check presentation: