“The IMM is a stand-alone research institute within McGovern Medical School. Our mission is to deliver translational outcomes from research in molecular medicine that benefits patients.
It is a testament to the outstanding quality and creativity of our scientists that the IMM remains so successful in attracting research funds.”
John Hancock, MA, MB, BChir, PhD, ScD
Executive Director, Institute of Molecular Medicine
The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) was established in 1995 in the heart of the Texas Medical Center – the world’s largest. The IMM is focused on studying and preventing diseases at the genetic, cellular and molecular levels using DNA and protein technologies and animal models. The IMM is part of the Texas Therapeutics Institute, a multi-institutional collaboration encouraging drug discovery.
Opened in 2006, the 229,000-square-foot Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building houses the IMM’s research centers:
TMC3, the Texas Medical Center Collaborative Research Campus, is a 30-acre innovation hub launched in 2018 by five leading institutions: Texas Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, UTHealth Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. This visionary 30-acre campus was created to unite academia and industry in a shared space dedicated to accelerating biomedical innovation. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects around a central green space known as the “DNA necklace,” the campus fosters collaboration, talent attraction, and commercialization of research. The first building, the 250,000-square-foot TMC3 Collaborative Building, opened in October 2023, marking the Texas Medical Center’s first multi-institutional research facility, including research space for IMM investigators. With goals to stimulate economic growth, attract top talent, and position Houston as the “Third Coast” for life sciences, TMC3 is redefining the future of health innovation.
