The Sealy & Smith Foundation’s record-setting philanthropic investment, including a new $130 million grant, expands the institute and builds on its initial $50 million commitment

GALVESTON, Texas, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Sealy & Smith Foundation has committed more than $180 million to advance cardiovascular care, research and education at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), marking the largest philanthropic investment in the institution’s history, the largest commitment ever made by the Foundation, and one of the largest philanthropic gifts to a cardiovascular institute at an academic medical center in the United States.

The historic total includes a transformative $130 million to expand the Sealy Heart and Vascular Institute, building upon the $50 million investment that established the Institute and the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at UTMB in 2025.

As part of the latest award, the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine will be perpetually named the Sealy Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, recognizing the enduring partnership of the Foundation with UTMB and its pivotal role in establishing and expanding the Sealy Heart & Vascular Institute. Since its founding in 1922, the Foundation has contributed more than $1.2 billion to UTMB.

“The Sealy & Smith Foundation has a long history of investing in initiatives that transform health care for the people of Galveston and beyond,” said John Kelso, president of The Sealy & Smith Foundation Board of Directors. “We believe the Sealy Heart & Vascular Institute has the potential to redefine cardiovascular care in our region by bringing together exceptional physicians, advanced technology, innovative research and a commitment to improving patient outcomes. This additional investment reflects our confidence in UTMB’s vision and our belief that the Institute will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”

The new investment will support expansion of cardiovascular services across the UTMB campus, including the development of a state-of-the-art inpatient cardiovascular hub at Jennie Sealy Hospital, a new comprehensive outpatient cardiovascular center, expanded advanced imaging capabilities and new research and educational facilities designed to support future growth and innovation.

“This extraordinary investment reflects The Sealy & Smith Foundation’s unwavering commitment to improving health and advancing medical excellence,” said Dr. Jochen Reiser, UTMB president and CEO of the UTMB Health System. “The partnership between UTMB and The Sealy & Smith Foundation is very strong. Built on generations of shared vision and trust, it continues to redefine what an academic health system can achieve. Together, we are building one of the nation’s premier cardiovascular programs integrating exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, innovation and world-class education to improve the lives of patients throughout Texas and beyond.”

The investment is focused on creating advanced clinical facilities and equipping them with leading-edge technology to support the long-term growth of the Institute. It will fund major clinical, research and infrastructure enhancements, including:

• $80 million to establish a state-of-the-art inpatient cardiovascular hub on the sixth floor of Jennie Sealy Hospital, including buildout of the new inpatient clinics, expanded cardiac catheterization laboratories, a new electrophysiology laboratory, hybrid catheterization capabilities and advanced cardiovascular imaging technology.
• $43 million to create a comprehensive outpatient cardiovascular center within the renovated Primary Care Pavilion that will unite cardiovascular medicine, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery in one coordinated location and includes relocation of the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences clinics to accommodate the new cardiovascular center.
• $7 million to relocate and modernize interventional radiology services, supporting continued growth in specialized procedures and improving patient access.

In addition, the investment will expand diagnostic and treatment capabilities through advanced MRI, CT and PET-CT imaging technologies that support precision medicine and personalized treatment planning. The funding also will create new cardiovascular education and research space to advance scientific discovery, physician training and clinical innovation, while increasing clinical capacity to meet growing demand for advanced cardiovascular services across the region.

The expansion builds on the momentum generated by the launch of the Sealy Heart & Vascular Institute last year under the leadership of Dr. Hani Jneid, chair of the Sealy Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, who also serves and executive and founding director of the Sealy Heart & Vascular Institute and vice president of cardiovascular operations at UTMB. The Institute was established to integrate cardiovascular medicine, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery into a unified program focused on clinical excellence, research innovation and education.

“This investment marks a transformational milestone for UTMB, creating the first fully integrated clinical institute in UTMB history,” Jneid said. “Our vision is to build a premier center of clinical and academic excellence that delivers high-value, patient-centered cardiovascular care while serving as a leading regional, national and international referral destination for patients with complex cardiovascular disease.

“At the same time, we will strengthen education through innovative fellowship and training programs, advance groundbreaking research, and expand community outreach with a strong emphasis on cardiovascular prevention. Together, these efforts will improve outcomes, enhance the patient experience, and shape the future of cardiovascular care for the communities we serve.”

The investment will also strengthen cardiovascular research initiatives including the Galveston Heart Study, a community-focused effort led by Jneid and the SHVI research team designed to generate new insights into cardiovascular health, prevention and outcomes. Researchers will leverage the Institute’s expanded capabilities to advance discoveries that can improve patient care both locally, nationally, and internationally.

For more than a century, The Sealy & Smith Foundation and UTMB have shared a commitment to improving health care for the people of Galveston. This historic commitment marks another milestone in that enduring partnership and advances a shared vision for a world-class cardiovascular program that will enhance patient care, accelerate discovery, strengthen medical education and improve health outcomes across Texas.

The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
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SOURCE The University of Texas Medical Branch