Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center received a $471,712 Project Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director under the Research Infrastructure Programs (CFDA 93.351) to acquire a BIACORE 1S+ Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) instrument manufactured by Cytiva. The award, effective June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027, will provide the institution with critical analytical infrastructure for detecting and characterizing intermolecular interactions in real time. The SPR technology utilizes a thin metal sensor surface to detect mass accumulation when binding partners interact with immobilized molecules, enabling researchers to determine interaction strength and kinetic properties through polarized light reflection analysis.

This acquisition will support UT Southwestern's robust molecular research programs, particularly those focused on small drug-like molecules binding to macromolecular drug targets—an application area where the BIACORE 1S+ demonstrates exceptional sensitivity. The instrument's six flow cells will enable parallel analysis of multiple samples, facilitating drug candidate identification and optimization. Beyond pharmaceutical research, the equipment will also support investigations into cellular metabolite signaling and protein interactions, addressing research gaps that currently limit the institution's molecular characterization capabilities across multiple scientific disciplines.