Texas Biomed and MIT Lincoln Laboratory Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Develop Operating Architecture for Future Biodefense Research

Agreement will establish architecture to enable classified biodefense research at Texas Biomed

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center, today announced a new memorandum of understanding to develop strategies to establish a working group and explore future research collaborations that could strengthen the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to emerging biological threats.

Future collaborations with the biodefense industry will bring together Texas Biomed's unique biocontainment infrastructure and infectious disease expertise with MIT Lincoln Laboratory's advanced technology development, systems engineering, and national security work.

Under the agreement, Texas Biomed and MIT Lincoln Laboratory will establish a "high/low" operating architecture designed to provide a secure framework for classified biodefense research at both Lincoln Laboratory and Texas Biomed's specialized facilities. In coordination with the U.S. government, the rapid analysis of classified biothreat information in Lincoln Laboratory's secure facility and its translation into unclassified defense capabilities will enable the testing of solutions in unclassified environments, such as those at Texas Biomed.

"Lincoln Laboratory has been developing advanced technologies to protect the nation against biological threats for more than 30 years. Developing these biodefense technologies in secure, classified settings is the first part of the challenge; we also need environments where those technologies can be safely and effectively evaluated against biological threats," said Jonathan Pitts, Ph.D., head of the Biotechnology and Human Systems Division at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. "Combining Lincoln Laboratory's national security–focused research with Texas Biomed's unique facilities could help bridge the gap between technology development and biological testing, supporting the transition of promising technologies toward national security applications."

Texas Biomed is home to the nation's only privately owned and operated biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory, where researchers study some of the world's most dangerous pathogens and develop countermeasures against high-consequence infectious diseases. The Institute is also home to the federally designated Southwest National Primate Research Center, providing specialized expertise in translational research and animal models.

"Biological threats are evolving, and our national biodefense capabilities must evolve with them," said Cory Hallam, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Applied Science & Innovation at Texas Biomed. "Working with MIT Lincoln Laboratory brings together two organizations with highly complementary expertise. Together, we can help accelerate the development of technologies and solutions that protect our nation."

The new agreement builds on Texas Biomed's expanding role in the nation's biodefense efforts. In July, the Institute announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Department of Defense focused on accelerating the development, testing and validation of medical countermeasures against high-consequence biological threats.

About Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Texas Biomed is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to protecting the global community from infectious diseases. Our scientists collaborate with industry and researchers globally and have helped deliver the first COVID-19 vaccine, the first Ebola treatment and the first hepatitis C therapy. For more information, please visit txbiomed.org or follow Texas Biomed on LinkedIn.

About MIT Lincoln Laboratory
MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center operated by MIT that researches and develops advanced technologies to address critical national security needs. The Laboratory works across a range of technology areas, including biotechnology and human systems, cybersecurity, space, air and missile defense, and advanced communications. Its biotechnology research focuses on developing technologies and systems to detect, prevent and respond to biological threats and improve human health and resilience. For more information, please visit ll.mit.edu.

SOURCE Texas Biomedical Research Institute