TTUHSC wins $24.5 million NIH grant to expand rural health research

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has secured a $24.5 million, five-year NIH grant, the largest in Texas Tech University System history, to expand research, training and community engagement across its 121-county service area. The award is aimed at turning laboratory discoveries into practical care for medically underserved and rural populations in West Texas and beyond.

Why it matters: - The $24.5 million award gives Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center a major new funding source to expand health research and move findings into real-world care. - The grant is aimed at medically underserved and rural communities across TTUHSC’s 121-county service area. - The award is the largest National Institutes of Health grant in Texas Tech University System history.

What happened: - Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, working with Texas Tech University, received a five-year NIH grant through an U54 cooperative agreement. - The funding will support research capacity, mentorship, professional development and community engagement. - The announcement was made Sept. 17, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. - TTUHSC named Lance R. McMahon, Julie St. John and Naima Moustaid-Moussa as principal investigators for the grant.

The details: - The U54 mechanism is a cooperative agreement designed for large, multidisciplinary research programs. - TTUHSC plans to build on its basic and translational research foundation while expanding clinical engagement and implementation science. - Community members will be engaged at the start of the work to identify health priorities, develop solutions and support lasting health improvements. - The NIH and TTUHSC will work together on milestones, strategic refinements, protocol changes, data sharing and network coordination. - The grant structure supports translational research, population health, data integration and clinical research infrastructure. - TTUHSC leadership said the funding will strengthen the university’s ability to address health challenges across its service area and improve care for rural communities. - Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said the award builds on a $25 million state investment last session for TTUHSC’s Rural Cancer Collaborative.

Between the lines: - The grant signals that TTUHSC is trying to compete as a research hub while staying focused on rural health delivery. - The cooperative format matters because NIH staff will be directly involved, which can speed alignment around milestones and increase accountability. - The emphasis on implementation science suggests TTUHSC wants results that can be deployed in clinics and communities, not just published in journals.

What's next: - TTUHSC will use the five-year award to expand research training, community partnerships and health-system impact across West Texas. - The university and NIH will set and adjust milestones as the center work advances. - Leaders expect the grant to help turn lab discoveries into new treatments and better care for underserved populations.