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William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology

The William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, a state-of-the-art research facility, specializes in the discovery of novel therapeutics and insights into the human immune system. It serves as a central research hub to enable investigation and discoveries that translate into high-impact biology and novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple pediatric diseases.

Dr. Kristy O. Murray is the center director. She also serves as Vice Chair for Research, Department of Pediatrics and Professor of Pediatrics, Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine as well as Assistant Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. She has extensive experience in epidemiology, surveillance, diagnostics, virology, immunology, global health and neglected tropical diseases. In her role with the William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology, she oversees the research of 28 faculty members and 120 researchers and trainees.

Founded in 2012 by Dr. Jordan Orange, the Center has functioned as a Translational Think Tank Center, focused on the human immune system and immune-mediated diseases. It releases approximately 120 high-impact scientific publications annually, produced by our 28 world-class faculty members and research collaborators. Additionally, 14 novel diseases have been discovered and characterized through the Immunogenetics pipeline since the foundation of the Center.

The Center’s mission is to improve the quality of life and outcomes for patients with immune disorders through cutting-edge multidisciplinary research. Its major advantage is the essential synergy emerging from world-class multidisciplinary teams where immunobiology transcends diverse specialties, including immunology, allergy and retrovirology, rheumatology, endocrinology, global immigrant health, tropical medicine, hematology, oncology, infectious diseases and gastroenterology.

Core Values of the Center

Far-reaching Impact

The William T. Shearer Center for Human Immunobiology connects researchers throughout Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Medical Center-area institutions and institutions across the world to generate high-impact research with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of our pediatric patients.

Intellectual Growth

The Center focuses on multidisciplinary collaboration among experts, which translates into better understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of immune-related diseases.

Technology and Innovation

The Center’s goal is to maintain research facilities fully equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment to enable cutting-edge scientific advancement.

Large and Diverse Cell Repository

The Center preserves an extensive biorepository of human cell populations obtained from blood, immune-related tissues and other organs. These cells come from healthy donors and from patients impacted by rare diseases and are used to facilitate cutting-edge research discoveries.

International Impact

The Center creates synergy with other research hubs across the globe with an existing emphasis on genetics/genomics, international medicine and cellular therapy to accelerate discovery and innovation.

Advancing the Future of Science

The Center promotes an environment to train, mentor and develop the next generation of scientists, focused on improving the quality of life and outcomes for patients with immune disorders through cutting-edge research.

Our Location

Feigin Tower

1102 Bates Ave., STE 330, 3rd Floor

Houston, Texas 77030