As infectious diseases continue to emerge and evolve, the need for world-class biomedical research has never been greater. Texas Biomed is at the forefront of global health security, bringing together scientists, specialized facilities and collaborative partnerships to tackle some of the world's most pressing biological threats. In this presentation, Texas Biomed President and CEO Larry Schlesinger, M.D., will explore how research conducted in San Antonio is helping protect communities around the globe while driving innovation, strengthening biodefense and preparing for the next public health challenge.
About Dr. Schlesinger
Dr. Schlesinger became Professor, President and CEO of Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, TX in 2017 and is leading a transformational process focused on scientific growth and cultural change, a new campus master plan and new research and education programs with current investments over $220 million. He is currently Chair of the Board for Biomed SA and on the Board of SAMF, and is a leader in the city in advancing the Biomedical Sciences sector.
He is a leading physician-scientist in infectious diseases whose research program focuses on how the lung environment shapes the immune response to airborne infectious agents with a focus on tuberculosis. He translates these discoveries into new platforms and assays for host-directed immunotherapies for infectious diseases.
Dr. Schlesinger graduated with a B.S. from Cornell University and earned his M.D. from Rutgers Medical School in 1982. He completed his clinical residency and research fellowship at the University of Michigan Hospitals and UCLA Medical Center, respectively, and joined the faculty at the University of Iowa as a clinician scientist where he advanced to Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine. Prior to joining Texas Biomed, he was the Samuel Saslaw Professor of Medicine at The Ohio State University (OSU), first chair of the Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, and founding Director of the OSU Center for Microbial Interface Biology (now Infectious Diseases Institute).
He has authored more than 260 peer-reviewed articles and reviews, served as editor of two books and has written several chapters in leading textbooks. He has been continually funded by the NIH and other federal agencies, as well as private foundations such as the Gates Foundation, for more than 35 years. He has trained over 180 individuals and led NIH-funded training programs, including the OSU Medical Science Training Program 2011-2017.
Dr. Schlesinger is a past NIH NIAID Council Member and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Infectious Diseases Society of America, Association of American Physicians and American Academy of Microbiology. He is the recipient of the 2021 World Affairs Council of San Antonio International Citizen of the Year, the 2025 BioMedSA Award for Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience and the 2025 Luminary Award from the Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute.
He and his wife Judy have two children and two grandchildren.
