San Antonio’s Ewing Halsell Foundation will donate $2 million to the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) to recruit a senior-level infectious disease researcher.

 “Existing and newly emerging infectious diseases are a world health crisis,” said Kenneth P. Trevett, SFBR’s president. “SFBR is uniquely situated with an outstanding staff and extraordinary resources to address this problem. Funds for an additional senior researcher will be a big step in bringing new vaccine and therapeutic solutions to this major public health concern.”

The recruitment would add a senior investigator to SFBR’s Department of Virology & Immunology to serve as a mentor and role model, assist with the intellectual development of the department, and facilitate program enhancement.

Candidates for this position would be required to have (1) a well-funded grant and contract portfolio; (2) a highly productive publication record; (3) demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to relate to a variety of scientific and non-scientific staff; (4) the interest and need to utilize the research resources of the Southwest Foundation; and (5) programmatic linkage with at least some of the ongoing research efforts within the Department of Virology and Immunology. Recruitment is expected take from nine to 12 months.

The Ewing Halsell Foundation is a private charitable trust dedicated to improving the quality of life for Texans by providing access to the arts, education, and quality health care, and by helping provide opportunities for the economically disadvantaged.