The University of Texas System Board of Regents has authorized approximately $470 million in capital investments supporting UT San Antonio’s continued growth as one of the nation’s fastest-rising public research universities and academic health institutions.
Approved over the past year, these series of investments span the university’s academic and health campuses and support major priorities in research, innovation, infrastructure, technology and patient care.
At the May 2026 meeting of the Board of Regents, UT San Antonio received nearly $175 million in additional Permanent University Fund (PUF) support for strategic projects that will further expand the university’s research capabilities, technology infrastructure and long-term institutional capacity.
Collectively, these investments reflect the strong confidence that UT System leadership and the Board of Regents place in UT San Antonio’s trajectory and growing national impact as Texas’ third-largest public research university.
“We are immensely grateful for these very significant investments that Chairman Eltife, our Board of Regents, and our colleagues at UT System are making in UT San Antonio,” said UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy . “These initial investments are transformational … they are absolutely commensurate with our ambitions to become a top 20 public university by 2036.”
Across education, research, innovation and patient care, many of the university’s programs and areas of excellence are already recognized among the nation’s best.
“These investments represent far more than infrastructure and capital support — they are an investment in human potential, scientific discovery and the future health and prosperity of our region and state,” said Dr. Francisco Cigarroa , senior executive vice president for health affairs and health system. “As UT San Antonio continues to integrate the strengths of a leading public research university and an academic health center, we are creating a model for how education, research, innovation and patient care can come together to drive transformative impact. This level of support accelerates our trajectory and strengthens our ability to improve lives through discovery, healing and service for generations to come.”
The breadth of the investments also reflects the university’s continued scaling across infrastructure, operations, research and student success initiatives needed to support sustained growth and rising national prominence.
“UT San Antonio is building significant momentum as a leading public research university and academic health institution with growing national influence,” said Andrea Marks , senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. “These investments strengthen our ability to educate students, advance discovery, improve health and serve San Antonio and Texas at an even greater scale.”
A significant portion of the investment comes through the Permanent University Fund, a constitutionally established endowment that supports capital projects and infrastructure across The University of Texas System.
This $471 million in key investments approved over the past year include:
A centerpiece of the investment portfolio is Science One, a five-story biomedical research facility on the health campus designed to significantly expand UT San Antonio’s advanced scientific research capabilities.
Originally approved in 2024, the Board of Regents approved an increase in total project funding to $135 million at this week’s meeting, allowing the university to fully build out approximately 40,000 square feet of previously shelled research space and complete supporting infrastructure improvements.
Once completed, the approximately 95,500-square-foot facility will house wet laboratories, advanced core research technologies and collaborative research environments supporting discoveries in cancer biology, neuroscience, aging biology and age-associated diseases.
Construction resumed earlier this year, with substantial completion anticipated in 2028.
The Board of Regents also approved $25 million to complete the sixth- and seventh-floor build-out of San Pedro II, further advancing UT San Antonio’s leadership in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced computing.
The additional approximately 47,748 square feet will create advanced computing laboratories, research environments and academic support space for the College of AI, Cyber and Computing.
The investment builds upon the opening of San Pedro II in April 2026 and supports the university’s long-term vision to create one of the nation’s premier destinations for AI, cyber and computing education and research.
In August 2025, the Board of Regents approved $186 million in deferred maintenance funding across both campuses, representing one of the largest infrastructure revitalization investments in university history.
The investment supports modernization of critical systems including electrical, HVAC, roofing, utilities and fire protection infrastructure, while improving reliability, safety and long-term stewardship of academic, research and administrative facilities.
Additionally, the Board approved $14.3 million in technology infrastructure investments to modernize servers, storage, networking and enterprise systems that support cybersecurity, resiliency and institutional operations.
Additional Revenue Financing System investments approved in February 2026 support modernization of research laboratories, imaging sciences, educational environments and clinical care spaces.
The projects enhance collaborative research capacity, improve patient care environments and support continued growth in academic programs and clinical operations across the health enterprise.
Looking ahead, UT San Antonio is evaluating future investments in integrated research infrastructure designed to accelerate discovery, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. As part of that effort, UT System has authorized the university to proceed with the definition phase of the Nexus Initiative, a proposed $65 million effort that would integrate advanced biomedical research infrastructure with AI-optimized high-performance computing capabilities. The initiative will be led by Dr. Jennifer Potter , senior executive vice president for research and innovation.
“Leveraging our existing biomedical and translational research infrastructure, this initiative serves as the first anchor of the Nexus Initiative to establish a shared, campus-wide research platform that expands specialized multiomics capabilities along with AI-optimized high-performance computing,” Dr. Potter said. “This investment will support our biomedical scientists along the full discovery pipeline, from biological sample processing and experimental data generation to large-scale analysis, data integration and AI-driven insight generation. The development period will launch soon and will include engagement with research faculty and institutional leaders from across the university as we continue building advanced capabilities that strengthen collaboration, accelerate discovery and expand our long-term research competitiveness.”
Together, these capabilities will create a shared research ecosystem that enables end-to-end discovery, from biological samples and experimental data generation to large-scale analytics and insights driven by artificial intelligence. The initiative will strengthen research in areas including cancer, neurodegeneration and brain health, aging, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and military health, while further enhancing the university’s competitiveness for federal research funding, faculty recruitment and industry partnerships.
Taken together, the investments approved over the last year represent a coordinated strategy to strengthen UT San Antonio’s foundation while accelerating its growth as a nationally competitive institution in education, research, innovation and health.