Houston Research Institute
Houston Research Institute is a private Houston-based clinical research site running hepatology trials, with a focus on fatty liver disease, serving pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs and recruiting patients across four Texas medical centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Houston Research Institute does
Houston Research Institute (HRI) is a private, for-profit clinical research site founded in 2022 in Houston, Texas, specializing in hepatology and gastroenterology trials with a focus on fatty liver disease (NAFLD, NASH/MASH). The institute operates four Houston-area medical centers, including an extension in Kingwood, and conducts pharmaceutical-sponsored clinical trials while recruiting patients directly through its website, social media, and a network of referring hepatology and gastroenterology physicians. Its service portfolio encompasses clinical trial operations, FibroScan-based non-invasive liver assessment, and AI-assisted MASH/NAFLD diagnostic services delivered via a strategic partnership with HistoIndex (FibroSIGHT Plus).
Houston Research Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Houston Research Institute
- Legal name
- Houston Research Institute
- Website
- https://houstonresearchinstitute.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Houston Research Institute is a private Houston-based clinical research site running hepatology trials, with a focus on fatty liver disease, serving pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs and recruiting patients across four Texas medical centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Houston Research Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Clinical Research Services
- NAICS
- Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Liver & GI Clinical Research (Trials Centers) (HLAKAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hepatology & Liver Disease (HLAKAEAB), Clinical Research & Trial Central Laboratories (HLAFAMAL), Clinical Biomarker Testing Services (central labs, trial enrollment/monitoring assays) (HLAAAMAC), Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) & Specialized Clinical Lab Assays (HLAAALAN), Gastroenterology & Hepatology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAI)
Keywords
Where Houston Research Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Houston Research Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Clinical Trial Services: Houston Research Institute conducts clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs. Revenue is generated through study contracts, where sponsors pay for research services including patient recruitment, study procedures, data management, and regulatory compliance. The institute has relationships with local healthcare providers to meet recruitment goals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Sponsor/CRO clinical trial services - quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Houston Research Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Houston Research Institute operates as a clinical trial site and research center in Houston, Texas, conducting hepatology and gastroenterology clinical trials with a special focus on fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH/MASH). The institute recruits patients, conducts study procedures, and provides clinical research services under contract with pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs, while also offering noninvasive FibroScan diagnostic services to patients.
Product overview
Houston Research Institute (HRI) operates as a clinical research institute specializing in hepatology and gastroenterology with a focus on fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH/MASH). The institute offers a portfolio of diagnostic services centered on FibroScan (noninvasive liver stiffness and fat measurement) and access to AI-powered diagnostics including FibroSIGHT Plus through its partnership with HistoIndex. HRI functions as both a diagnostic center and clinical trial site, providing patients access to cutting-edge investigational treatments alongside traditional and AI-enhanced diagnostic testing. The four medical centers combine expert histopathological evaluation with AI-based biopsy analysis to deliver comprehensive liver disease assessment and support clinical decision-making.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FibroScan
- Clinical Trial Services
- MASH/NAFLD Diagnostic Services
- FibroSIGHT Plus
Companies that use Houston Research Institute
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Houston Research Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature1 record
Houston Research Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HistoIndexcoreStrategic partnership with HistoIndex, a Singapore-based AI-driven digital pathology company, to provide advanced MASH diagnostic services. HRI gains access to HistoIndex's FibroSIGHT Plus AI-based diagnostic test for quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis. The previous rollout across HRI system in late 2025 improved operational workflow and diagnostic consistency in liver biopsy processing and interpretation. The partnership expands access to diagnostic services across HRI's network including the Kingwood location in Texas.
- Knowledge Research Center (KRC)minorPartnership with Knowledge Research Center in Orange, California to extend MASH diagnostic service access to the West Coast, complementing the HRI partnership in Texas.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Houston Research Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pinnacle Clinical Research: San Antonio-based clinical research site network specializing in hepatology and NASH/MASH trials with multiple locations. Direct peer to HRI given its parallel focus on fatty liver disease trial conduct and Texas-based patient recruitment footprint.
- Texas Liver Institute: Texas-based hepatology and liver disease clinical research and care organization that runs NAFLD/NASH clinical trials. Directly comparable as a Texas-headquartered hepatology trial site competing for the same sponsor contracts and patient populations.
- Impact Research Institute: Multi-site clinical research organization running hepatology and gastroenterology trials with a strong NAFLD/NASH focus. Direct peer given its similar therapeutic specialization and sponsor-facing clinical trial services model.
Broad incumbents
- Cedars-Sinai Fatty Liver Program: Major academic medical center program founded by Dr. Noureddin that conducts hepatology and NASH trials. Highly comparable as HRI's intellectual origin and the most prestigious competing hepatology trial site in the western U.S.
- Labcorp Drug Development (Fortrea): Large global CRO with extensive hepatology and metabolic disease clinical trial operations. Comparable as a much larger incumbent competing for the same NAFLD/NASH sponsor contracts via broader site networks.
- IQVIA: World's largest CRO with deep hepatology and metabolic disease trial operations. Relevant incumbent comparator given its scale advantage and ability to bundle site services for pharma sponsors that HRI must also court.
- ICON plc: Global CRO running large hepatology and gastroenterology trial programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same MASH/NASH sponsor RFPs as HRI via global site networks.
- Medpace: Mid-to-large CRO with strong metabolic and hepatic therapeutic area coverage. Relevant incumbent peer competing for NAFLD/NASH sponsor work through embedded site-management capabilities.
Others
- HistoIndex: Singapore-based AI digital pathology company behind FibroSIGHT Plus and HRI's strategic diagnostic partner. Comparable as an enabling technology partner that other hepatology sites could deploy, framing the competitive dynamic around access to AI-biopsy tools.
- Echosens (FibroScan manufacturer): Manufacturer of the FibroScan technology that is central to HRI's diagnostic offering. Relevant as the upstream technology provider whose device ecosystem underpins most hepatology trial sites, including HRI's competitors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Houston Research Institute social profiles
Digital presenceHouston Research Institute compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Houston Research Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Houston Research Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Houston Research Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Houston Research Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Houston Research Institute
What does Houston Research Institute do?
Houston Research Institute operates as a clinical trial site and research center in Houston, Texas, conducting hepatology and gastroenterology clinical trials with a special focus on fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH/MASH). The institute recruits patients, conducts study procedures, and provides clinical research services under contract with pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs, while also offering noninvasive FibroScan diagnostic services to patients.
Is Houston Research Institute a public or private company?
Houston Research Institute is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Houston Research Institute founded?
Houston Research Institute was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Houston Research Institute based?
Houston Research Institute is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Houston Research Institute make money?
One revenue line is on record: clinical Trial Services.
Who are Houston Research Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pinnacle Clinical Research, Texas Liver Institute and Impact Research Institute. Broad incumbents are Cedars-Sinai Fatty Liver Program, Labcorp Drug Development (Fortrea), IQVIA, ICON plc and Medpace. Others are HistoIndex and Echosens (FibroScan manufacturer).
Does Houston Research Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Houston Research Institute.
What industry is Houston Research Institute in?
Houston Research Institute's product category is Clinical Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAEAL, Liver & GI Clinical Research (Trials Centers), with a secondary code of HLAKAEAB, Hepatology & Liver Disease. Its NAICS code is 621511 and its SIC code is 8071.