About TIPS

The Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies (TIPS) was formally established by the Board of Regents as an institute within Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas on May 25, 2007 to serve the preclinical needs of academic researchers and industry. 

Texas A&M has a longstanding reputation as a leader in higher education and research. The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is one of the largest veterinary schools in the United States, having a wealth of expertise in

• all major veterinary medical specialties
• animal husbandry
• surgical and non-surgical interventional techniques
• advanced imaging and diagnostics
  

These strengths give TIPS unique qualifications and positioning to conduct medical device and combination product safety studies in large and small animal models in compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations because of this direct association with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The TIPS GLP Quality System is led by staff with over 30 years of combined experience in conducting and managing FDA GLP studies.

TIPS offers a testing facility capable of providing comprehensive research services and product development support to speed the commercialization process from product inception through clinical trials. To accommodate the Sponsor service requests, TIPS is building a state-of-the-art, 112,000 square-foot facility with sophisticated imaging, large animal hospital, animal housing, surgical laboratories, pre-op and recovery, interventional catheterization laboratory and incubator space for start-up companies. The facility will:

• encourage the growth of startup companies

• allow device companies to maximize their capital and obtain maximal value for the research dollars
• train veterinarians, physicians, scientists, technicians, and engineers to meet the needs of the biomedical industry
• serve as a key resource for training undergraduate, graduate, and academic and industry personnel in product development science, and create new opportunities for collaborative research with international partners

Current Preclinical Research Areas of Interest