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 space tech leader lands up to $10 million for Earth re-entry vehicle and lab

space funding

Houston-based space technology, infrastructure, and services company Intuitive Machines has been awarded a state grant of up to $10 million to help develop an Earth re-entry vehicle and in-space biomanufacturing lab.

The Texas Space Commission approved the grant, which is coming from the state’s Space Exploration and Research Fund.

Intuitive Machines says the money will support its “critical risk-reduction platform” for returning lunar samples to Earth. The funding will go toward an early 12-month phase of the project.

“Returning samples from space is one of the most complex challenges in exploration,” says Tim Crain, chief growth officer at Intuitive Machines.

In 2022, Intuitive Machines began preliminary design work on an Earth re-entry vehicle for missions returning from low Earth orbit, the moon, or Mars. In tandem with development of the re-entry vehicle, the company has teamed up with Houston-based biotech company Rhodium Scientific on in-space biomanufacturing. This biomanufacturing will involve certain materials, processes and pharmaceuticals that can be handled more efficiently in space or that exhibit unique non-Earth properties.

Gámez Holzhaus, founder and CEO of Rhodium Scientific, says his company’s federally backed work “has enabled us to establish all hardware and protocols necessary for a pipeline to develop and scale biomanufacturing in space.”

Intuitive Machines and Rhodium Scientific say the state grant should pave the way for future grants and large-scale projects to bring the re-entry system closer to flight readiness.

9 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for May

where to be

There's a lot to learn this month at events around Houston. Hear from AI and energy experts or gain insights into how to tap into funding at informative panels or sessions.

Here are the Houston business and innovation events you can't miss in May and how to register. Please note: This article might be updated to add more events.

May 1 - Ion Block Party + 3rd Annual Crawfish Cookoff

Head to this special edition Block Party, featuring a crawfish cook-off competition among the Ion’s businesses. Competing teams include Ion/Rice Alliance, Transwestern, Black at Microsoft, United Protective Services, Nexus, PersonaAI, South Main Baptist, Late August, Lymbar and LickleLab/Sports Monkey.

This event is Thursday, May 1, from 4-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

May 5 - Fireside Chat and Book Launch: ‘AI Made Simple: Results Made Real.’

Learn more about how AI is reshaping business and what leadership in the AI era looks like at the launch of Kathleen Perley’s book, AI Made Simple: Results Made Real, hosted by Rice Business Executive Education. Perley is founder and CEO of DemystifAI and an instructor and advisor at Rice University. She will sit down with Marie Myers, CFO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, for a discussion and will be signing copies of her book after the fireside chat.

This event is Monday, May 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

May 6 - Houston’s AI-Driven Data Center Boom: Investment, Innovation, and Policy

In light of Houston’s growing influence as a data center hub, the Greater Houston Partnership will present an informative panel focused on the investment landscape, technological advancements, and policy considerations shaping the future of AI-driven data centers in Houston. Panelists include leaders from Moelis, Quanta, and the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

This event is Tuesday, May 6, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Partnership Tower. Register or become a member here.

May 6 - Doing Business with the Federal Government - The Woodlands

The SBA Houston District Office, in collaboration with Sam Houston State University SBDC, will host an informative session to share insights on how small business owners can work with the U.S. government. Topics include how the government buys goods and services, the SBA’s role in government contracting, federal government contracting programs, the advantages of small business set-asides, marketing your business, identifying federal opportunities and more.

This event is Tuesday, May 6, from 10-11:30 a.m. at Sam Houston State University - The Woodlands Center. Register here.

May 8 - Industrious Launch Party

Attend the opening of Industrious’ new coworking space at the Ion. Anteendees can tour the new space, meet the team, enjoy a silent disco and network. Light bites will be provided by Late August, Lymbar, and Stuff’d.

This event is Thursday, May 8, from 5-8 p.m. at the Ion. Register here

May 12 - Headshot Happy Hour 

Hosted by Natalie Presnediue, Headshot Happy Hour caters to entrepreneurs, business owners, creatives and professionals who want to enhance or update their online presence. Each session includes a 15- to 20-minute mini shoot and three professionally retouched images. Light refreshments will be served.

This event is Monday, May 12, at the Ion. Learn more here.

May 12-14 - Greentown Labs’ Investor Activation Series

Greentown Labs will host a three-day series for investors interested in climatetech, centered around the incubator’s invitation-only Manufacturing Sector Pitch Day. Panels throughout the event will focus on early-stage investment, emerging opportunities, and tools for investors, presented by organizations like Houston Angel Network and New Climate Ventures.

This event begins Monday, May 12, at Greentown Labs. Register here.

May 13 - Women in Venture Investing: Expanding Influence and Building Wealth

Houston Angel Network will host a luncheon focused on how women can enter and thrive in the venture capital space. Anthea Zhang, professor of strategic management at Rice University, will present the keynote address along with a panel featuring leaders from Hunton, JP Morgan Private Bank, HRSS CPAs, Weathergage Capital, and Houston Angel Network.

This event is Tuesday, May 13, from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Junior Leauge of Houston. Get tickers here.

May 28-30 - CHARGE North America

This intimate, immersive experience is tailored to forward-thinking energy professionals. The conference includes hands-on interactive workshops led by top strategists; real-world case studies; and insights from leading speakers on resilient branding, consumer expectations, and climate action. Attendees will engage in panel discussions on sustainability and energy diversification and enjoy exclusive networking opportunities with global executives and innovators.

This event begins Wednesday, May 28, at the Ion. Register here.

Houston clean energy co. wins $50 million at Elon Musk-backed competition

xprize winners

Houston-based Mati Carbon has won the $50 million grand prize in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, backed by Elon Musk’s charitable organization, The Musk Foundation.

Mati was selected in 2024 as one of 20 global finalists. The company removes carbon through its Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) program that works with agricultural farms in Africa and India.

The 3-year-old startup accelerates the natural process of rock weathering (ERW) by applying pulverized basalt to croplands of partnered smallholder farmers, free of charge. Mati says the farmers it partners with are some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“Winning this XPRIZE competition is an incredible honor and a definitive validation of our research and development, and building out the infrastructure needed to impact millions of farmers while delivering verifiable carbon dioxide removal at a gigaton scale,” Mati Carbon Founder and CEO Shantanu Agarwal, said in a news release. “I couldn’t be prouder, not just of the Mati team, but of our collaborators, research partners and the thousands of smallholder farmers who let us be part of their lives. This XPRIZE recognition will allow us to collaborate with local partners to accelerate the use of enhanced rock weathering across the Global South.”

Mati reports that it plans to use the award to “scale its efforts working with smallholder farmers worldwide.” Apart from the XPRIZE funding, Mati plans to grow its model through the sale of CDR credits. According to the company, it counts Shopify, Stripe, and H&M among its early carbon credit buyers.

“Mati Carbon’s deployments bolster farmers’ livelihoods through improved soil health, reduced agricultural inputs, and increased income at zero cost to them. Mati Carbon’s team has developed a scientifically rigorous approach to monitoring and verification, and excelled across each of XPRIZE’s prize evaluation criteria – operational, sustainability, and cost metrics – giving the XPRIZE judges the highest confidence in Mati Carbon’s solution’s long-term scalability,” the XPRIZE judges wrote.

Houston-based Vaulted Deep took home the second-runner-up prize in the competition and $8 million for its organic waste storage process. The company provides permanent carbon storage by injecting nonhazardous organic waste deep underground. It spun off with $8 million in seed funding from Advantek Waste Management Services in 2023.

"Our approach is grounded in geomechanical injection techniques that have been safely deployed globally for decades by our team and predecessors," Omar Abou-Sayed, co-founder and executive chairman of Vaulted, said in a separate release. "XPRIZE recognized that this is a proven approach—already in use, delivering impact, and built on the kind of reliability the industry needs to scale responsibly."

Launched in 2021, the four-year XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition challenged global innovators to deploy scalable solutions for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oceans. More than 1,300 teams from 88 countries competed. XPRIZE finalists were required to remove at least 1,000 tonnes of CO2 over a one-year demonstration period.

French company NetZero took home the first-runner-up prize of $15 million, and London-based UNDO came in as third-runner-up with a $5 million prize.

Since the announcement of the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has cut climate funding for agencies, projects and research. While the Musk Foundation sponsored the XPRIZE event, it is not affiliated with the California-based organization, according to the Associated Press.

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

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