Regenerative Medicine (USUHS)
Abstract
The Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM) brings together the expertise of clinicians and scientists across disciplines to catalyze innovative approaches to traumatic brain injury (TBI) research. CNRM Research Programs emphasize aspects of high relevance to military populations, with a primary focus on patients at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The CNRM has established 11 research cores and funded 119 research projects. FY19 Accomplishments: - Biorepositories for biomarker analysis of fluids (107,060 specimens) and neuropathology (126 brain donations), specialized for analysis of TBI in Service Members. - Continued hosting of the annual two-day National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium with no registration fees and an average of 400 participants from the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and local academic institutions to share TBI research advances and to develop collaborative interactions. The Symposium’s program development is led by CNRM, with representatives from Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Howard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia, and Georgetown University. - Continued hosting of the one-day center-wide Retreat attended by approximately 140 persons from CNRM and, also, leadership and staff from ten other TBI research organizations in the Washington D.C. area. The Retreat’s purpose is to have CNRM's stakeholders come together to facilitate discussion, networking, and collaboration and, to create an opportunity for CNRM stakeholders to listen to and interact with TBI patients, caregivers, and advocates. - Awarded five (5) new clinical trials: 1.Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories to Resolve Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 2.Improving sleep in Veterans with TBI: Integrating bright light therapy and blood-based brain biomarkers 3.Mobile Application to Counteract Depression and Concussion 4.Individualized Connectome-targeted rTMS for Depression Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury 5.Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for TBI-related Insomnia - Awarded three (3) new strategic project cores: 1.The Neuropathology-Neuroradiology Integration Core: A partnering of the Neuropathology Core with Dr. Peter Basser’s Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences laboratory at NIH to develop and test novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approaches that could potentially identify TBI-related structural abnormalities in vivo. 2.The Translational Therapeutics Core: A state-of-the-science paradigm for the preclinical testing of traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatments intended to alleviate highly relevant post-injury symptoms experienced by Service Members. This core will work to develop a proof-of-concept complex, chronic model of TBI in mice to test the effectiveness of novel treatment options. 3.The Optimizing Ferret TBI Experiment: A standardized, complex TBI paradigm in ferrets that incorporates novel pre-and post-injury behavioral tests to evaluate changes in mood, headache, and sleep. Soon, this model will test the efficacy of candidate treatments. - Completion of the deployment of multi-modal forms of advanced imaging technology for diagnosis of TBI, with and without co-morbid PTSD, including MRI-PET, hyperacute MRI, and novel diffusion imaging techniques such as Mean Apparent Propagator. - Expansion of its research agenda to include Operational Research, which focuses on optimizing warfighter brain health in operational environments and consists of two initiatives: Monitoring Blast Exposures and Environmental Overpressure Events, and Prolonged Field Care. These initiatives explore field-based brain health concerns such as blast overpressure exposure, impact/acceleration events, and the development of countermeasures for severe brain injuries, such as subdural hemorrhage, in austere environments. - Continued involvement in the “Comprehensive Strategy and Action Plan for Warfighter Brain Health.” This strategy includes six (6) lines of effort which are: Research, Surveillance and Prevention; Diagnosis, Treatment, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration; Outreach, Education, and Training; Long Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); and Section 734, NDAA FY 18. The USU will lead three (3) of the Comprehensive Strategy for Warfighter Brain Health’s six (6) lines of effort. These three (3) lines of effort are Research; Long Term Effects of TBI; and Section 734, NDAA FY 18. Our leadership is involved in each of these three (3) lines of effort. - Creation of the USU/NIH Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium (TBIRC) to unify, streamline, and ensure visibility of all TBI-related research programs within the USU’s research enterprise. The creation of the TBIRC will enhance the USU’s development and implementation of the initiatives within the “Comprehensive Strategy for Warfighter Brain Health.” Additionally, alignment of the USU’s various TBI research programs with CNRM will allow these programs to benefit from the scientific oversight and expertise of CNRM’s NIH partners. Doing so will, ideally, accelerate progress to the benefit of America’s warfighters and the citizens of the United States.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 8d8c6d1b6be15d72a3e84b87beeb6d32