The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, has announced a $31.25 million grant from the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation to fund new research initiatives.

The five-year grant — the largest single private commitment to support basic biomedical research in the college's history — will be used to establish and expand interdisciplinary research programs in cardiovascular sciences, diabetes, cancer, pharmacogenomics, imaging, informatics, and proteomics. The funding also will be used for faculty leadership recruitment, laboratory development, and state-of-the-art equipment.

"This gift signifies not only the Alkek Foundation's continuing commitment to basic research and the benefits it brings to our community, but also our confidence in Baylor College of Medicine's leadership in the field," said foundation president Charles A. Williams. "We are proud to partner with BCM in making this investment."