MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

This program element (PE) supports application of knowledge gained through basic research to refine drugs, vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, medical practices/procedures, and other preventive measures essential to the protection and sustainment of Warfighter health. Research is conducted in five principal areas: Combat Casualty Care; Military Operational Medicine; Military Relevant Infectious Diseases, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV); Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine; and Systems Biology/Network Sciences and funded in seven projects. Project 869 refines knowledge and technologies (such as screening tools and preventive measures) for post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injuries, physiological monitors to protect Soldiers from injuries due to exposure to hazardous environments and materials, and medically valid testing devices and predictive models used for the refinement of Soldier protective equipment. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. Project 870 designs and refines medical diagnosis, protection, and treatment against naturally occurring diseases and wound infections of military importance, as identified by worldwide medical surveillance and military threat analysis. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. Project 873 conducts research on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Work in this area includes refining improved identification methods to determine genetic diversity of the virus, preclinical work in laboratory animals including non-human primates to identify candidates for future vaccine refinement, and evaluating and preparing overseas sites for future vaccine trials. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. Project 874 identifies and evaluates drugs, biologics (products derived from living organisms), medical devices, and diagnostics for resuscitation, life support, and post-evacuation restorative and rehabilitative care, as well as trauma care systems for use by field medics and surgeons. Research focus is on identifying more effective critical care technologies and protocols to treat severe bleeding, traumatic brain injury and other blast related injuries, and treatments for ocular injury and visual system dysfunction, as well as laboratory and animal studies of regenerating skin, muscle, nerves, and bone tissue for the care and treatment of battle-injured casualties. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. Project FH2 conducts research to support applied research directed toward the sustainment of a healthy force of Warfighters from accession through retirement. Project VB4 conducts applied research in systems biology to provide a highly effective mechanism to integrate iterative biological tests, computer simulations, and animal studies. Such refinement efforts using systems biology could ultimately reduce the time and effort invested in medical product refinement. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. Project VJ4 examines over a planned five-year period to examine the mental and behavioral health of Soldiers to counter suicidal behavior. This work will focus on advancing the understanding of the multiple determinants of suicidal behavior, psychopathology (study of the causes and nature of abnormal behavior), psychological resilience, and role functioning. Work on this project is being performed by the National Institute of Mental Health through extramural cooperative research grants in collaboration with the Department of the Army. This project is being coordinated with the Defense Health Program. The cited work is consistent with the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Science and Technology focus areas and the Army Modernization Strategy. All medical applied research is conducted in compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The FDA requires thorough testing in animals (referred to as preclinical testing) to assure safety and, where possible, effectiveness (i.e., efficacy) prior to approving controlled clinical trials where these early (previously unproven in humans) drugs, vaccines, and medical devices are tested in humans. These clinical trials are conducted in three phases (Phase 1, 2, and 3) to prove safety and effectiveness of the drug/vaccine/device for the targeted disease/condition. Each successive clinical trial includes more voluntary study subjects. This PE focuses on identifying candidate solutions on research and refinement of technologies such as product purification, formulation and assay refinement; and involves preclinical testing in animals and early human clinical testing (Phase 1 safety and Phase 2 expanded safety and efficacy). The EPA also requires thorough testing of products, such as repellents and insecticides

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2013
Source ID
0602787A_2_2040_PB_2013
Change Summary Explanation
Service Agency Name
Army

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biological Products
  • Brain Injuries
  • Combat Injuries
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Drug Therapy
  • Eye Injuries
  • Health Services
  • Hiv Infections
  • Injury Prevention
  • Medical Personnel
  • Stem Cells
  • Therapy
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Viruses

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology

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