February 27, 2024

Congressman Castro Announces $117,629 to Support Research into Kidney Disease at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) was recently awarded $117,629 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease for the San Antonio Program for Undergraduate Research in Renal Science (SPURRS). 

SPURRS is a unique program based at UT Health San Antonio’s Long School of Medicine that provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to work directly with faculty mentors to develop a research project, learn hands-on laboratory techniques, and participate in seminars and conferences with other students, physicians, and scientists to develop a lifelong professional interest in kidney science and prepare for pre-medical careers.

“For decades, UT Health San Antonio has been at the forefront of cutting-edge research on diabetes prevention and treatment. In South Texas, where diabetes rates are higher than the national average, that work is especially important,” said Congressman Castro. “I hope that participation in the SPURRS program will inspire emerging health professionals to deepen their interest in kidney science and the social determinants of health that contribute to higher rates of renal failure in Latino communities. I’m proud to work with UT Health San Antonio to bring health care funding back to San Antonio and I look forward to seeing the ongoing success of the SPURRS program.”

“Kidney disease, including the need for kidney dialysis or transplantation, is rampant in South Texas, largely driven by the high incidence of diabetes in this region. The SPURRS program provides research experiences to undergraduate college students, mostly from Texas, to study kidney disease in the laboratories of scientists here at UTHSA. The goal of the program is to train the next generation of researchers and healthcare providers to combat this growing problem. SPURRS fills an important need in our community, and we are glad to have the funding to continue operating for another five years,” said W. Brian Reeves, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.