A new AI-optimized COVID screening device, a free response resource, and more — here's your latest roundup of research news. Image via Getty Images

Researchers across the Houston area are working on COVID-19 innovations every day, and scientists are constantly finding new ways this disease is affecting humankind.

From a COVID breathalyzer to a new collaboration in Houston — here's your latest roundup of local coronavirus research news.

A&M System to collaborate on a COVID-19 breathalyzer

A prototype of the device will be used on the Texas A&M campus. Photo via tamu.edu

Researchers at Texas A&M University System are collaborating on a new device that uses artificial intelligence in a breathalyzer situation to detect whether individuals should be tested for COVID-19. The technology is being developed through a collaboration with Dallas-based company, Worlds Inc., and the U.S. Air Force.

The device is called Worlds Protect and a patient can use a disposable straw to blow into a copper inlet. In less than a minute, test results can be sent to the person's smartphone. Worlds Inc. co-founders Dave Copps and Chris Rohde envision Worlds Protect kiosks outside of highly populated areas to act as a screening process, according to a news release.

"People can walk up and, literally, just breathe into the device," says Rohde, president of Worlds Inc., in the release. "It's completely noninvasive. There's no amount of touching. And you quickly get a result. You get a yay or nay."

The university system has contributed $1 million in the project's development and is assisting Worlds Inc. with engineering and design, prototype building and the mapping of a commercial manufacturing process. According to the release, the plan was to test the prototypes will be tried out this fall on the Texas A&M campus.

"Getting tech innovations to market is one of our sweet spots," says John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M System, in the release. "This breakthrough could have lasting impact on global public health."

Baylor College of Medicine researchers to determine cyclosporine’s role in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients

BCM researchers are looking into the treatment effect of an existing drug on COVID-19 patients. Photo via BCM.edu

The Baylor College of Medicine has launched a randomized clinical trial to look into how the drug cyclosporine effects the prevention of disease progression in pre-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The drug has been used for about 40 years to prevent rejection of organ transplants and to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

"The rationale is strong because the drug has a good safety profile, is expected to target the body's hyperimmune response to COVID and has been shown to directly inhibit human coronaviruses in the lab," says Dr. Bryan Burt, chief of thoracic surgery in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor, says in a press release.

Burt initiated this trial and BCM is the primary site for the study, with some collaboration with Brigham and Women's. The hypothesis is that the drug will help prevent the cytokine storm that patients with COVID-19 experience that causes their health to decline rapidly, according to the release.

The study, which is funded by Novartis, plans to enroll 75 hospitalized COVID-19 patients at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center who are not in the ICU. There will be an initial evaluation at six months but Burt expects to have the final study results in one year.

Rice launches expert group to help guide pandemic response

A new response team is emerging out of a collaboration led by Rice University. Photo courtesy of Rice

Rice University is collaborating with other Houston institutions to create the Biomedical Expert Panel, supported by Texas Policy Lab, to assist officials in long-term pandemic recovery.

"Not all agencies and decision-makers have an in-house epidemiologist or easy access to leaders in infectious disease, immunology and health communications," says Stephen Spann, chair of the panel and founding dean of the University of Houston College of Medicine, in a news release. "This panel is about equity. We must break out of our knowledge siloes and face this challenge together, with a commitment to inclusivity and openness."

The purpose of the panel is to be available as a free resource to health departments, social service agencies, school districts and other policymakers. The experts will help design efficient public health surveillance plans, advise on increasing testing capacity and access for underserved communities, and more.

"The precise trajectory of the local epidemic is difficult to predict, but we know that COVID-19 will continue to be a long-term challenge," says E. Susan Amirian, an epidemiologist who leads the TPL's health program, in the release. "Although CDC guidelines offer a good foundation, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when managing a crisis of this magnitude across diverse communities with urgent needs."

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Houston e-commerce unicorn reaches $1.6B valuation with $50M fundraising round

fresh funding

Houston-based Cart.com, a provider of fulfillment and logistics services for B2C and B2B brands, has raised $50 million in venture capital, pushing its valuation to $1.6 billion. Since it was founded in 2020, Cart.com has raised $475 million.

Cart.com earned “unicorn” status in 2023 after securing a $60 million Series C round of funding. In the startup universe, “unicorn” refers to a private company that’s valued at $1 billion or more. Last year, Cart.com nailed down $130 million in debt funding, lifting its valuation to $1.2 billion.

Technically, Cart.com no longer qualifies as a startup. Rather, it’s now in “scaleup” territory. This term refers to a startup that has notched substantial growth and has maintained a stable workforce, among other positive achievements. Notable brands that have graduated from startup to scaleup include Airbnb, Peloton and Uber.

The $50 million round includes money from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and Neuberger Berman, and new investors such as eGateway Capital, along with several unidentified venture capital firms, investors and family offices.

The company said it will use the fresh capital to fuel its global expansion through investments in infrastructure, technology, and M&A.

“Cart.com is continuing our strong growth trajectory across all operating metrics, and we intend to utilize this additional capital to accelerate the expansion of our platform and bring our customers new capabilities to enable their growth,” Omair Tariq, founder and CEO of Cart.com, said in a news release. Tariq added that his company is “well on our way to building the largest and most comprehensive platform in our space.”

Over the past 12 months, Cart.com completed its acquisition of OceanX, the fulfillment operation of direct marketing company Guthy-Renker, and Amify, an Amazon marketplace optimization and advertising platform. Bill Guthy, founder of Guthy-Renker, now sits on Cart.com’s board of directors

Texas luxury bus service adds route connecting The Woodlands and Dallas

Travel Time

Houston-area business and leisure travelers have a convenient new route to check out thanks to Vonlane. The Texas-based luxury motor coach service is adding a new daily service between The Woodlands and Dallas starting June 13.

Vonlane already offers service between Dallas and downtown Houston, at the Hyatt Regency at 1200 Louisiana St., eight times per day starting at 6 am. The ride takes 3 hours and 45 minutes.

According to Vonlane founder and CEO Alex Danza, The Woodlands has been a much-requested route.

“The Woodlands area has been our most requested geographic addition for several years, so we’re thrilled to announce this expansion, our 10th destination on our 11th anniversary,” Danza says. “Bringing our elevated bus service to suburban areas is a strategic priority as we seek to relieve the hassles of driving and air travel for our passengers and better meet them where they live, work, and play.”

The new service brings a convenient nonstop route to and from the northern fringe of Houston — The Woodlands, Spring, Cypress, Conroe, Montgomery County, and northern Harris County.

Beginning June 13, The Woodlands-Dallas route will offer the following departures:

  • Monday, Thursday, and Friday: 6:15 am, 10:15 am, 2:15 pm, and 6:15 pm – departing both The Woodlands and Dallas
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday: 10:15 am and 2:15 pm – departing both The Woodlands and Dallas
  • Saturday: 9 am: departing The Woodlands
  • Saturday 1 pm: departing Dallas

This ride will take 3 hours and 15 minutes.

The new drop-off point for The Woodlands service will be at Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Dr.. According to Danza, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott offers easy access to I-45, ample parking, and high-quality accommodations.

Riders will depart in Dallas at the established stop at Doubletree Love Field, 3300 W. Mockingbird Ln. The new route offers proximity to major employers in the area such as Alight Solutions, Baker Hughes, Chevron Phillips, Entergy, ExxonMobil, Hewlett-Packard, Houston Methodist, Huntsman Corporation, Lone Star College, McKesson, Memorial Hermann, Occidental Petroleum, St. Luke’s Health, and Texas Children’s.

Visit The Woodlands president Nick Wolda says in a statement that The Woodlands is a popular destination for Dallas residents.

“Visit The Woodlands is excited to welcome Vonlane to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Conference Center. This first-class amenity is a fantastic addition to our vibrant community, perfectly designed to elevate the travel experience,” Wolda says. “The Woodlands is the go-to destination for trips from the DFW area—whether you're a corporate conventioneer, a Pavilion concertgoer, a college student coming home, or a weekend shopping trip with friends. With this new service, getting to and from The Woodlands has never been easier or more enjoyable!"

Vonlane buses have 22 first-class leather seats, ample workspace, complimentary Wi-Fi, and an onboard attendant offering premium cabin service with snacks, meals, and beverages included.

Fares are a flat rate of $125 for one-way trips with advance purchase. No taxes, baggage fees, or change fees apply. Rates increase with less than seven days’ notice and within 24 hours before departure.

Tickets can be booked at www.vonlane.com.

Vonlane was founded in Texas in 2014 and offers more than 475 weekly departures across 10 destinations.

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A version of this story originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Houston aerospace co. soars with first U.S. test flight of hypersonic engine

taking off

Houston-based Venus Aerospace successfully completed the first U.S. flight test of its proprietary engine at a demonstration at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Venus’ next-generation rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) is supported by a $155,908 federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA and aims to enable vehicles to travel four to six times the speed of sound from a conventional runway. The recent flight test was the first of an American-developed engine of its kind.

"With this flight test, Venus Aerospace is transforming a decades-old engineering challenge into an operational reality,” Thomas d'Halluin, managing partner at Airbus Ventures, an investor in Venus, said in a news release. “Getting a rotating detonation engine integrated, launch-ready, and validated under real conditions is no small feat. Venus has shown an extraordinary ability to translate deep technical insight into hardware progress, and we're proud to support their bold approach in their attempt to unlock the hypersonic economy and forge the future of propulsion."

Venus’ RDRE operates through supersonic shockwaves, called detonations, that generate more power with less fuel. It is designed to be affordable and scalable for defense and commercial systems.

The RDRE is also engineered to work with the company's air-breathing detonation ramjet, the VDR2, which helps enable aircraft to take off from a runway and transition to speeds exceeding Mach 6. Venus plans for full-scale propulsion testing and vehicle integration of this system. Venus’ ultimate goal is to develop a Mach 4 reusable passenger aircraft, known as the Stargazer M4.

"This milestone proves our engine works outside the lab, under real flight conditions," Andrew Duggleby, Venus co-founder and chief technology officer, said in the release. "Rotating detonation has been a long-sought gain in performance. Venus' RDRE solved the last but critical steps to harness the theoretical benefits of pressure gain combustion. We've built an engine that not only runs, but runs reliably and efficiently—and that's what makes it scalable. This is the foundation we need that, combined with a ramjet, completes the system from take-off to sustained hypersonic flight."

The hypersonic market is projected to surpass $12 billion by 2030, according to Venus.

"This is the moment we've been working toward for five years," Sassie Duggleby, CEO and co-founder of Venus Aerospace, added in the release. "We've proven that this technology works—not just in simulations or the lab, but in the air. With this milestone, we're one step closer to making high-speed flight accessible, affordable, and sustainable."