Southeast Texas Biomedical Research Institute

The Southeast Texas Biomedical Research Institute (SETBRI) is a non-profit research organization based in Brownsville, Texas, focused on the intersection of infectious disease and chronic metabolic conditions. Founded by prominent epidemiologists Dr. Joseph McCormick and Dr. Susan Fisher-Hoch, the institute is well-known for its work on viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa fever and Ebola. SETBRI also manages significant longitudinal studies, such as the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, to investigate the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity in the South Texas border region. The institute operates in close collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), leveraging its unique geographic location to address health disparities and emerging biothreats. Its research portfolio is primarily supported by federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).