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 Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine; and Systems Biology/Network Sciences. Research is funded in six projects. Project 869 refines knowledge and technologies on screening tools and preventive measures for post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injuries, physiological monitors, and interventions to protect Soldiers from injuries resulting from operational stress, and exposure to hazardous environments and materials. Also conducts research on 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 diagnostic devices, drugs, and vaccines for 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 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, (DHP). This effort and associated funding was transferred to DHP starting FY14. 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 applied research directed toward the sustainment of a healthy force of Warfighters through the entire deployment life cycle. 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 the mental and behavioral health of Soldiers to counter suicidal behavior. This work focuses 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 ensure safety and, where possible, effectiveness prior to evaluation in controlled human clinical trials (upon transition to 6.3 Advanced Technology Development). This PE focuses on research and refinement of technologies such as product formulation and purification and assay refinement with the aim of identifying candidate solutions. This work often involves preclinical testing in animals. The EPA also requires thorough testing of products, such as sterilants, disinfectants, repellents, and insecticides to ensure the environment is adequately protected before these products are licensed for use. Program refinement and execution is externally peer-reviewed and fully coordinated with all Services as well as other agencies through the Joint Technology Coordinating Groups of the Armed Services Biomedical Research Evaluation and Management (ASBREM) Committee. The ASBREM Committee serves to facilitate coordination and prevent unnecessary duplication of effort within the Department of Defenses (DoD) biomedical research and refinement community, as well as their associated enabling research areas. Work funded in this project PE is fully coordinated with efforts undertaken in PE 0603002A and the Defense Health Program. Work in this PE is performed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD and its overseas laboratories; U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM), Fort Detrick, MD; U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA; the U.S. Army Dental Trauma Research Detachment and the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), Fort Sam Houston, TX; U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL), Fort Rucker, AL; and the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2015
- Source ID
- 0602787A_2_2040_PB_2015
- Change Summary Explanation
- Service Agency Name
- Army
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army
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