SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 20, 2025) – Jordi B. Torrelles, Ph.D., Professor at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), was elected this month as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
The Academy is the honorific leadership group of the American Society for Microbiology, which is the premier professional organization representing those working in the microbial sciences. Fellows are elected through a highly selective, peer-reviewed process based on scientific contributions advancing the field. Of the 146 nominations received, 65 individuals were named as part of the 2025 Fellowship Class.
“We congratulate Dr. Torrelles on this well-deserved honor,” said Texas Biomed President/CEO Larry Schlesinger, M.D. “His innovative tuberculosis research, mentorship of up-and-coming scientists and commitment to building global research networks makes him a true leader in the field.”
The Torrelles lab is focused on improving diagnostics, therapies and vaccines for tuberculosis (TB), a bacterial disease that is one of the world’s leading killers – claiming more than 1.25 million lives in 2023 and infecting more than 10 million individuals annually.
Dr. Torrelles and his team study interactions of the bacteria with the lung environment, the primary site of infection. They are investigating the role of aging in susceptibility to disease and ways to intervene. They are also working to develop faster diagnostics for drug-susceptible versus drug-resistant TB. Currently, it takes between 56 and 80 days to make this determination; Dr. Torrelles’ goal is to reduce that to under two weeks. In addition to this research, he has patented a novel TB vaccine candidate that is also a promising treatment for bladder cancer.
In 2023, Dr. Torrelles led the launch of the International Center for the Advancement of Research Education (I●CARE) at Texas Biomed, which aims to strengthen national and international partnerships that improve human, animal and environmental health. As I●CARE Director, he is especially focused on building teams to tackle scientific problems and fostering knowledge and skill exchange between countries.
Dr. Torrelles joins several colleagues at Texas Biomed who have been named Academy Fellows, including Dr. Schlesinger; Jean Patterson, Ph.D.; Tim Anderson, Ph.D. and Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Ph.D.