The Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4), part of The University of Texas System, has announced $18 million in new grant funding for trauma care research and product development across multiple UT institutions.
“From battlefield innovation to bedside recovery, TRC4’s newest projects demonstrate how the UT System’s research enterprise is accelerating the future of trauma care,” said Kevin P. Eltife, chairman of the UT System Board of Regents.
Dr. James Bynum, TRC4 Executive Director, stated, “Trauma remains the leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 45, so research and innovation in this arena is truly lifesaving. Thanks to the continued support of the UT System Board of Regents and the Texas Legislature, these new grants build on TRC4’s vital work in advancing trauma care for our service members and all Texans.”
This year’s grants are distributed among ten UT entities and include collaborations with the U.S. Department of Defense. Projects include an AI-powered nerve stimulation system at UT Dallas aimed at spinal cord injury rehabilitation; a burn initiative at UT Southwestern called SWATT the FLAME focused on improving outcomes for severe burn patients; and a multi-institutional effort to use trauma-registry data and machine learning to identify gaps in emergency response led by UT Health San Antonio, UT San Antonio, UT Tyler, and UT Health Houston.
Other funded initiatives involve deployable surgical robotics at UT Arlington, advanced wound-healing materials for battlefield environments at UT El Paso, and a post-doctoral fellowship program at UT Medical Branch to support future trauma researchers.
TRC4 was established by The University of Texas System Board of Regents and is based at UT San Antonio. The collaborative works with both military and civilian partners to fund research that aims to improve survivability from traumatic injuries.
Of the 53 total awards granted this year, 49 were competitive grants totaling nearly $15 million while four directed awards made up $3 million. Supported research includes clinical studies, pre-clinical and translational work, early-career mentored projects, and proof-of-concept investigations.
The focus areas covered by the grants are pre-hospital care, new surgical technologies, innovative devices and therapies, clinical practice improvements, trauma information management systems, and advanced wound management.
Direct awards include: $420,000 to UT Southwestern for SWATT the FLAME; $1.08 million to UT Medical Branch for a post-doctoral fellowship program; $500,000 to UT Dallas for a pivotal trial on nerve stimulation in spinal cord injuries; and $1 million shared among several institutions for AI-driven improvements in trauma care response times.
Competitive awards ranged from $100,000 to nearly $3.4 million across participating institutions such as UT Arlington, UT Austin, UT Dallas, UT Tyler, UT San Antonio, UT Rio Grande Valley, UT El Paso, UT Medical Branch at Galveston, UT Health San Antonio, UT Health Houston and UT Southwestern.
More information about the 2025 TRC4 Grant Award Submissions can be found at TRC4.org/Grants-Funded.
