UTHealth Research Tower: Rendering courtesy of Smith Group

Houston's healthcare ecosystem is set to experience significant advancements with two major developments taking place in the city. 

The UTHealth Houston School of Public Health has broken ground on a cutting-edge $299 million research facility in the Texas Medical Center's new Helix Park campus. The new 10-story tower spanning 350,000 square feet will house research laboratories and collaborative spaces focusing to target underserved border communities and DNA sequence analysis. 

"This new, state-of-the-art facility will serve as a platform for our students, faculty and staff – allowing them to transform the lives and health of our communities through public health education and research,” said Dr. Giuseppe Colasurdo, President at UTHealth Houston. 

The new facility is scheduled to open for the fall semester in 2026. 

In addition, Portal Innovations has chosen to expand into Houston in partnership with the Texas Medical Center. The Chicago-based life sciences venture capital firm will provide world-class lab and office space spanning 30,000 square feet within Helix Park’s TMC3 Collaborative Building, which is expected to open later this year. The firm aims to nurture early-stage biotech and medtech startups, leveraging the rich resources and expertise within Houston's vibrant life sciences ecosystem. 

"Houston is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., and home to one of the world’s leading cancer research institutions, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,” said Portal’s Founder and CEO John Flavin. “It’s critical for us to open in Texas and leverage nearby pipelines from Rice University, UTHealth Houston, Texas A&M, University of Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and others across Houston’s innovative life sciences ecosystem.” 

Portal Innovations will move into Helix Park’s TMC3 in 2024 while also looking for investments and offering premier lab facilities and development resources to startups between seed and Series B rounds. 

With these developments, Houston is well-positioned to attract top talent, drive economic growth, and translate scientific breakthroughs into tangible solutions that improve the health and well-being of communities. The “medical city” holds the promise of a vibrant and dynamic healthcare ecosystem in Houston, leading the way in public health research, innovation, and education. 

Learn more about Houston’s thriving life sciences sector.