| 2 | 3 | | |
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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Bill Gruber has contributed significantly to |
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| 6 | 7 | | the development of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, and he is indeed |
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| 7 | 8 | | deserving of special recognition; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gruber graduated from Rice University in 1975 |
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| 9 | 10 | | and completed his medical education at Baylor College of Medicine, |
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| 10 | 11 | | where he served as chief resident in pediatrics; he later joined the |
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| 11 | 12 | | faculty of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and |
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| 12 | 13 | | directed the Diagnostic Virology Laboratory at Vanderbilt |
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| 13 | 14 | | University Hospital; in 1999, he became vice president of clinical |
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| 14 | 15 | | vaccine research at Wyeth, and he is currently senior vice |
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| 15 | 16 | | president of vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer, |
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| 16 | 17 | | which acquired Wyeth in 2009; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, During the race to develop COVID-19 vaccines, |
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| 18 | 19 | | Dr. Gruber frequently collaborated with his longtime friend and |
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| 19 | 20 | | former colleague, Dr. Barney Graham, who is deputy director of the |
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| 20 | 21 | | Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and |
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| 21 | 22 | | Infectious Diseases; Dr. Graham's laboratory partnered with |
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| 22 | 23 | | Moderna to develop a vaccine using a new, gene-based technology, |
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| 23 | 24 | | while Dr. Gruber oversaw a similar project at Pfizer; the two |
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| 24 | 25 | | communicated regularly to exchange information, and both vaccines |
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| 25 | 26 | | were authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration in late |
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| 26 | 27 | | 2020; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Through his monumental efforts, Bill Gruber has |
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| 28 | 29 | | helped alleviate suffering and save the lives of innumerable |
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| 29 | 30 | | people, and in so doing, he has earned the deep respect and |
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| 30 | 31 | | appreciation of all who are privileged to know him; now, therefore, |
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| 31 | 32 | | be it |
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| 32 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 33 | 34 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby honor Dr. Bill Gruber for |
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| 34 | 35 | | his contributions to the development of COVID-19 vaccines and |
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| 35 | 36 | | extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his |
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| 36 | 37 | | important work; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 38 | 39 | | prepared for Dr. Gruber as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 39 | 40 | | House of Representatives. |
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