Cross-Border University Collaboration Will Expand Research to Advance Precision Medicine

Tec de Monterrey and The University of Texas at Austin are launching OriGen Health Research Center (OHRC), the first research center to leverage Latin America’s largest biobank, alongside leading machine learning tools and a broad base of experts from the two universities, to advance the health of millions of people living in the Americas, including an estimated 65 million Latinos in the United States.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer occur more often in Latino populations. But little is understood today about potential genetic factors that contribute to the trends. 

The OriGen Health Research Center will involve experts from UT’s College of Natural Sciences, Dell Medical School and College of Pharmacy, as well as from Tec de Monterrey’s Institute for Obesity Research and Center for Early Childhood, in a series of projects involving Tec’s massive oriGen biobank of genetic, clinical and epidemiological information. Research teams made up of experts at both universities will apply cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies to large-scale data analyses required for developing predictive models that can improve treatments customized to each patient — or what is known as precision medicine.

“It is an exciting time to bring both of our universities together to save and improve lives and foster the exchange of knowledge,” said Andreas Matouschek, interim dean of the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. “By joining efforts and perspectives, the two institutions will promote scientific innovation and help solve major health and economic problems affecting people across the Americas.”

Faculty members in fields such as genetics, obesity, computer science, human development and AI will work together to improve understanding of a wide range of diseases in Latino populations. This knowledge will inform the development of prevention and intervention efforts that use personalized approaches to solve health challenges and ultimately improve the lives of Latino populations and people living throughout the Americas.

“With a strong focus on research, education and active engagement with the Latino community, OriGen Health Research Center will ensure that the proposed solutions are practical and accessible,” said Guillermo Torre-Amione, rector of TecSalud at Tec de Monterrey. “They will take into account the cultural and social reality of individuals to offer solutions that impact people’s lives.”

Initial OHRC projects include:

• An AI-based study to identify where in the body dangerous fats accumulate most for people in the Latino population and how this is associated with genetic factors linked to ethnicity.
• An initiative exploring the effect of psychological stress on Latinos, using biomarkers and clinical data.
• An effort to develop and examine Latino family interventions that lead to improvement in lifestyle and weight management in adolescents.

This combination of resources aims to generate specific data, studies and solutions that will provide a deeper understanding of how diseases affect the Latino community and what can be done about them. 

An event announcing the new center took place today and was attended by Torre-Amione; Matouschek; David Garza, president of Tecnológico de Monterrey; David Vanden Bout, UT’s interim provost; Sonia Feigenbaum, UT’s senior vice provost for global engagement and chief international officer; and Ignacio de la Vega, Tec’s vice president of global affairs.