Author: DFW501c Reporter

TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology) and Lyda Hill Philanthropies today announced the recipients of the 2026 Hill Prizes. The prizes, funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, propel high-risk, high-reward ideas and innovations that demonstrate significant potential for real-world impact and can lead to new, paradigm-shifting paths in research. 

The prizes are given in seven categories: artificial intelligence, biological sciences, engineering, medicine, physical sciences, public health and technology. They recognize and advance top Texas innovators, providing seed funding to advance groundbreaking science and highlight Texas as a premier destination for world-class research. 

This is the first year that the prizes will recognize seven recipients, with the addition of the new Prize in Artificial Intelligence, thanks to an additional commitment from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to expand and extend the Hill Prizes. In addition, Lyda Hill Philanthropies has committed to fund at least $1 million in discretionary research funding on an ad hoc basis for highly-ranked applicants not selected as recipients. 

A committee of TAMEST members (Texas-based members of the National Academies) selected the recipients, who were then endorsed by a committee of Texas Nobel and Breakthrough Prize Laureates and approved by the TAMEST Board of Directors.      

“It is with great pride that I congratulate this year’s Hill Prizes recipients. Their pioneering spirit and unwavering dedication to innovation are addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time – from climate resilience and energy sustainability to medical breakthroughs and the future of artificial intelligence,” said Lyda Hill, Founder of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. “The work recognized today holds extraordinary promise to improve lives, and I am thrilled to see how this investment in high-risk, high-impact science will accelerate their progress toward real-world impact.”

The projects selected for the 2026 Hill Prizes focus on creative, collaborative approaches to some of the world’s biggest challenges, featuring top-tier, cross-disciplinary teams with leaders and researchers from multiple institutions. Principal Investigators of the winning proposals will be recognized the evening of February 2, 2026, at the opening reception of the TAMEST 2026 Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Each prize recipient’s institution or organization will receive $500,000 in direct funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to accelerate their work.

The Principal Investigators and Co-Recipients of the winning proposals are: 

Artificial Intelligence: Kristen Grauman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Grauman has been awarded the 2026 Hill Prize in Artificial Intelligence for pioneering research on video understanding models that help people acquire physical and procedural skills.  Her work addresses the complex challenge of teaching AI to interpret human activity from first‑person video—a key step toward intelligent systems that can actively support people in everyday life. With the prize funding, Dr. Grauman and her interdisciplinary team will develop new methods for AI to perceive human movement, reason across time, and deliver personalized feedback. Their innovations will power AI coaching systems on smart glasses, assisting users in contexts such as physical therapy, sports training, and household repairs. This project lays the foundation for AI that goes beyond observation to instruction, offering a transformative approach to skill development and accessibility.

Co-PIs: Georgios Pavlakos, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin; Amy Pavel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley; Hao-Yuan Hsiao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kinesiology & Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin; Travis Vlantes, Director, Applied Sports Science, The University of Texas at Austin 

Biological Sciences: Susan M. Rosenberg, Ph.D., Ben F. Love Chair in Cancer Research and Professor of Molecular & Human Genetics, Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Rosenberg’s proposal was chosen for the 2026 Hill Prize in Biological Sciences for her groundbreaking strategy to combat antibiotic resistance by targeting the evolutionary process itself. Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, causing millions of deaths and making once-routine infections life-threatening. Conventional strategies focus on developing new antibiotics, but bacteria evolve resistance faster than new drugs can be developed – leaving current approaches increasingly unsustainable. Dr. Rosenberg’s team is pursuing a novel solution: discovering drugs that inhibit the bacterial stress responses that drive mutation and survival during antibiotic treatment. These “evolution-slowing” drugs reduce the emergence of resistant strains and improve infection clearance. Early studies identified two promising compounds, including one already FDA-approved. Her team will utilize the prize funding to screen a 14,000-compound drug library to identify additional candidates, study their mechanisms and test their ability to boost antibiotic effectiveness in animal models. The long-term goal is to move successful candidates into clinical trials, beginning with veterans suffering from recurrent infections. This work has the potential to extend the utility of existing antibiotics and transform the way bacterial infections are treated worldwide.

Co-PI: Christophe Herman, Ph.D., Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

Engineering: Naomi J. Halas, Ph.D., D.Sc.(NAE, NAS), University Professor and Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University

Co-Recipients: Peter J. A. Nordlander, Ph.D., Wiess Professor of Natural Sciences and Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University; Hossein Robatjazi, Ph.D., Vice President of Research, Syzygy Plasmonics Inc.; Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Rice University

Dr. Halas, Dr. Nordlander and Dr. Robatjazi’s proposal was selected for the 2026 Hill Prize in Engineering to advance light-driven technologies for sustainable ammonia synthesis. Ammonia is essential for global agriculture as fertilizer and is emerging as a promising hydrogen carrier and fuel for maritime and land transport. Today, its production relies on the fossil-fuel-intensive Haber–Bosch process, which consumes vast energy resources and generates significant greenhouse gas emissions. Building on their groundbreaking work in antenna-reactor photocatalysts — nanoscale systems that capture light and use photon energy to drive chemical reactions — the team will design and demonstrate highly specific catalysts and prototype photoreactors that enable ammonia synthesis under mild conditions, without external heating or emissions. This approach dramatically lowers activation barriers for industrial reactions, opening the door to decentralized, point-of-use applications with electrically switchable control not possible in conventional thermal processes. With support from the Hill Prize, the team will improve light-driven catalysts for converting nitrogen into ammonia, refine prototype reactors for practical deployment and partner with industry collaborators to advance larger-scale applications. By completing the nitrogen cycle with light‑based ammonia synthesis, this innovation has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand access to clean fertilizer and energy solutions worldwide — driving a more sustainable future.

Medicine: Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Dr. Kalluri was chosen for the 2026 Hill Prize in Medicine for developing eye drops to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other posterior eye diseases. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss globally, and current treatments rely on direct injection of anti-VEGF drugs into the eye. Dr. Kalluri engineered exosomes to treat AMD and formulated them as eye drops, demonstrating their ability to fully penetrate the eye and reach the retina. This non-invasive delivery system is designed to replace standard intravitreal injections, which are costly and carry risks including infection and retinal damage. Dr. Kalluri and his team engineered the exosomes to carry VEGF-targeting siRNA (iEV^VEGF), which was effectively delivered to the damaged retina, achieving vascular repair in preclinical models. The eye drop treatment showed equivalent or superior effectiveness to current FDA-approved therapies at a fraction of the dosage and cost. The team has also built a scalable, GMP-grade manufacturing pipeline for clinical translation. Dr. Kalluri will utilize prize funding to accelerate IND-enabling studies and support testing for additional ocular conditions. Dr. Kalluri’s innovation has the potential to disrupt standard ophthalmic care by providing a safe, affordable, and self-administered alternative to intraocular injections.

Physical Sciences: Karen L. Wooley, Ph.D. (NAS), W.T. Doherty-Welch Chair and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Texas A&M University

Co-Recipient: Matthew Stone, Managing Director, Teysha Technologies

Dr. Wooley and Mr. Stone’s proposal was chosen for the 2026 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences for innovative research that transforms agricultural waste into safe, degradable plastics and chemicals. Their work directly addresses the global challenge of replacing toxic, petroleum-derived materials – such as bisphenol A (BPA) – with sustainable alternatives. Dr. Wooley and her team have developed patent-pending chemistry that converts sugars and natural phenolic compounds into BPA analogs designed to safely degrade after use. These new materials match or exceed the performance of traditional plastics while eliminating long-term environmental and health risks. The team will use the prize funding to scale production, optimize chemical processes and purchase critical equipment to accelerate translation from lab to market. In collaboration with Teysha Technologies, founded by Mr. Stone, they aim to develop commercially viable alternatives to conventional plastics. The Hill Prize will accelerate the development of these next-generation polymers that are safer for people and the planet.

Co-PIs and Team Members: Senthil K. Boopathi, Associate Research Scientist, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University; Ashlee A. Jahnke, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University; Co-Founder, Sugar Plastics, Director of R&D, Teysha Technologies

Public Health: Elizabeth C. Matsui, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of Environmental Health in the Center for Human Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine; Professor of Population Health and Pediatrics, Dell Medical School; Director, Center for Health and Environment: Education and Research, The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Matsui’s proposal was chosen for the 2026 Hill Prize in Public Health for identifying climate change-related environmental exposures – specifically extreme heat and air pollution – as key contributors to adverse maternal and birth outcomes and associated disparities. The U.S. continues to see rising rates of preterm birth, infant mortality and pregnancy complications, with Texas experiencing particularly sharp increases. Despite this public health crisis, there are currently no effective primary prevention strategies. Dr. Matsui and her multidisciplinary team will use the prize funding to generate high-resolution, actionable data that links the timing and types of heat and air pollution exposure to specific maternal and infant health risks. Her team has already secured statewide birth data and will combine it with fine-scale environmental data to uncover how these exposures contribute to racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities. The outcome aims to establish a foundation for testing prevention strategies – ranging from individual-level interventions to policy changes – that could significantly reduce poor pregnancy outcomes and close health equity gaps.

Co-PIs and Team Members: Alison Cahill, M.D., Professor of Women’s Health, The University of Texas at Austin; Sarah Chambliss, Ph.D., Instructor, The University of Texas at Austin; Catherine Cubbin, Ph.D., Professor, School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin; Roger D. Peng, Ph.D., Professor of Statistics and Data Science, The University of Texas at Austin; Geeta Persad, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Climate Science, The University of Texas at Austin 

Technology: Kurt W. Swogger, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

Co-Recipients: Clive Bosnyak, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC; August Krupp, Director-MR Rubber Business, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC

Mr. Swogger, Dr. Bosnyak and Mr. Krupp’s proposal was chosen for the 2026 Hill Prize in Technology for addressing critical environmental and safety concerns related to tire performance and chemical toxicity. A key ingredient in nearly all tires – 6PPD – has been linked to aquatic toxicity and potential human health risks, yet it remains essential for preventing ozone-related cracking in rubber compounds. Mr. Swogger and his team will use the prize funding to advance the development and commercialization of MOLECULAR REBAR® (MR), a patented carbon nanotube technology that replaces 6PPD without compromising tire durability or safety. Working with leading industry partners, the team will formulate and test full-size prototype tires using this safer alternative. The new compounds will maintain crack resistance, improve performance and significantly reduce the environmental impact of tire wear. Additionally, the team will use these new compounds during tire trials to validate previous findings that the use of MR reduces the most breathable and hazardous particles (PM2.5, PM10) generated during tire wear- improving the safety profile of tire wear particles. This breakthrough paves the way for a new generation of eco-conscious, high-performance tires, addressing both regulatory pressure and sustainability goals across the global tire industry.

“On behalf of TAMEST, we are honored to celebrate the 2026 Hill Prizes recipients. These outstanding innovators exemplify the excellence and ambition of Texas science and research,” said TAMEST President Ganesh Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), University of Houston. “Thanks to the visionary support of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Hill Prizes not only recognize transformative work but provide the resources to move bold ideas from the lab to life-changing solutions. We are proud to support their journeys and spotlight Texas as a global hub for scientific leadership.” 

“The Hill Prizes are designed to catalyze extraordinary ideas that, with support from the Prize, have the potential to change the world,” said 2026 Hill Prizes Committee Chair David E. Daniel, Ph.D. (NAE), The University of Texas at Dallas. “This year’s recipients are advancing ideas that stretch the boundaries of their fields and offer powerful possibilities for the future. It has been a privilege to serve on the committee and help select such a compelling group of visionaries.”

Each recipient will submit an annual impact report to TAMEST and Lyda Hill Philanthropies to showcase their progress and highlight how the prize has accelerated their research.

Applications for the 2027 Hill Prizes will open May 1, 2026, and close June 1, 2026.

Visit www.tamest.org/hill-prizes for more information on the prizes, application and selection process. TAMEST thanks the Hill Prizes Committee for their work selecting the 2026 recipients.  Learn more about the committee members here. 

Source: Press release