Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture
The Borlaug Institute’s programs provide researchers, policy makers, and university faculty from developing countries the ability to strengthen sustainable agricultural practices through scientific training and collaborative research opportunities. It aims to be the leading international agriculture program among U.S. universities, measured by the quality of its international teaching, science, and extension programs. Building on Dr. Borlaug’s lifetime of work and legacy, the Borlaug Institute employs agricultural science to feed the world’s hungry and to support equity, economic growth, quality of life, and mutual respect among peoples.
Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation
The Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation at Texas A&M University was established in 2007 to conduct research and facilitate research collaborations and partnerships to improve health and help prevent the increased incidence of obesity and co-morbidities in Texas and beyond.
Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology
A multidisciplinary organization, the Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology is composed of faculty members representing 14 units affiliated with Texas A&M University, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Research projects at the Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology include the development of transgenic plants for disease and stress resistance and high-value proteins, as well as the platform for biotechnology research in food, fiber, and health. The Institute also performs DNA diagnostics for AgriLife Research and serves as the home of the Texas Cotton Biotechnology Program.
Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute works to improve the conservation and management of natural resources through interdisciplinary and applied research. It is committed to solving natural resource issues and engaging policymakers, land managers and citizens throughout the process.
National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD Center)
The FAZD Center was founded in 2004 as a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence and is headquartered at Texas A&M University. It focuses on research, education, and outreach to prevent, detect, mitigate, and recover from foreign animal, emerging, and/or zoonotic diseases (diseases that are transmissible between animals and humans), whether they are introduced intentionally or through natural processes. At least 60 percent of all human pathogens are zoonotic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 75 percent of recently emerging infectious diseases that affect humans are of animal origin.
Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI)
First established in 1952, TWRI was designated as the water resources institute for the state of Texas in 1964 by the Texas Legislature and the governor after Congress passed the Water Resources Research Act of 1964. A partnership of university faculty in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and water resources researchers and educators in Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, TWRI helps address priority water issues in the state. It collaborates through joint projects with other universities; federal, state, and local governmental organizations; and numerous others, including engineering firms, commodity groups, and environmental organizations. Today, TWRI is one of 54 institutes in the National Institute for Water Resources, which serves as the contact between individual institutes and the federal funding sponsor, the U.S. Geological Survey.