Robert A. Clark, MD, Ashbel Smith Professor of Medicine and Associate Vice President for Translational Science at UT Health San Antonio, has been selected as the 2026 BioMedSA BioMedSA Research Innovation Award recipient. The honor recognizes his five decades of groundbreaking discoveries and his transformational leadership in building San Antonio’s biomedical research infrastructure.
Dr. Clark’s research, supported for many years by grants from both the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Health Administration, has led to major breakthroughs in how doctors understand and treat diseases that affect millions of people. His discoveries revealed how the body’s immune system responds to infection and inflammation and helped explain the cause of a rare childhood immune disorder. In recent years, his work has opened the door to new treatment approaches for Parkinson’s disease, including a drug now in Phase 2 clinical trials and a promising gene‑therapy strategy that has shown long‑lasting protection in preclinical studies. These innovations aim to slow or prevent the progression of Parkinson’s—a disease with no current cure—and offer hope to patients and families across South Texas. His work also strengthens San Antonio’s growing biotech economy by advancing therapies that attract clinical trials, investment, and high‑skilled jobs to the region.
As founding director and long‑time principal investigator of San Antonio’s NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), Dr. Clark has built the region’s central engine for moving scientific discoveries into real treatments for patients. The CTSA—continuously funded since 2008 with a total portfolio of roughly $125 million—supports clinical trials, workforce development, and research infrastructure across multiple institutions. This program accelerates new therapies for conditions affecting South Texans, expands access to cutting‑edge clinical studies, and fuels the city’s $44 billion healthcare and bioscience economy by supporting hundreds of jobs in research, data science, regulatory science, and clinical care.
Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez highlighted Clark’s regional impact. “Dr. Clark has spent decades building the scientific backbone of our community,” Rodriguez said. “His leadership has brought major federal investment to Bexar County and created opportunities for patients and researchers across South Texas.”
Dr. Clark is also known for his deep commitment to mentoring. Throughout his career, he has helped students, trainees, and early‑career scientists—including many first‑generation college graduates and local students—enter and excel in high‑paying careers in medicine, research, and biotechnology. His mentorship has opened doors for local talent, strengthened the city’s biomedical workforce, and created pathways for San Antonio residents to build long‑term careers in a rapidly growing industry.
“Bob Clark has been a scientific force and a steadying presence in this community for decades,” said Larry Schlesinger, MD, President and CEO of Texas Biomed, who nominated Dr. Clark for the award. “It is my honor to nominate my longstanding colleague. His discoveries have shaped entire fields, and his leadership has strengthened the foundation on which so much of San Antonio’s biomedical progress now stands. It is a privilege to celebrate his impact.”
BioMedSA President Heather Hanson emphasized the importance of elevating the region’s scientific achievements. “BioMedSA exists to champion the people and institutions that make San Antonio a national leader in healthcare and bioscience,” Hanson said. “Dr. Clark’s work exemplifies the innovation, collaboration, and community impact that define our ecosystem. His leadership of the CTSA has been transformational for our region.”
Upon being notified of his selection, Dr. Clark reflected on the collaborative nature of his career. “I am deeply honored,” Clark said. “The progress we’ve made-in understanding inflammation, in advancing therapies for Parkinson’s disease, and in building translational science capacity-has been possible only because of extraordinary colleagues, trainees, and institutional partners across San Antonio. This award reflects their dedication as much as my own.”
In addition to the Innovative Research Award, BioMedSA will also recognize the previously announced Entrepreneur Award honoree, Dr. Jim Leininger, as well as one additional innovation awardee in clinical care at the 2026 Award for Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience on September 23, 2026. All three awards are part of BioMedSA’s Awards for Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience program, which honors innovation in patient care, education, research and development, leadership, public policy, and medical technology.
To learn more about previous award winners, sponsorship opportunities, or to register to attend the 2026 Award for Innovation in Healthcare and Bioscience, visit www.biomedsa.org/innovation-award.