KISSIMMEE, Fla. – (August 28, 2024) – The Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio (NAMRU), located at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is one of the U.S. Navy's premier research and development laboratories under the Department of Defense (DoD).
To share their findings, research scientists from NAMRU San Antonio's Directed Energy Health Effects, Combat Casualty Care and Operational Medicine, and Craniofacial Health and Reconstructive Medicine departments presented 16 scientific posters and three oral presentations at the 2024 Military Health Systems Research Symposium (MHSRS), held Aug. 26-29 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.
MHSRS brings together experts from the military, government, academia and industry for four days of critical discussions and intensive idea sharing.
Presenters shared the latest research findings and challenges on topics such as combat casualty care, military operational medicine, clinical and rehabilitative medicine, medical simulation and informatics, military infectious diseases, and the health effects of radiation.
Posters presented during the four-day symposium ranged from preclinical models for the evaluation of human-derived blood resuscitation products to investigating the effects of threshold ultra-near infrared laser irradiation of the skin on anatomical and physiological parameters.
Presentations included dual band radar operation hazard analysis, physical and biocompatibility testing of a new self-healing dental composite material, and prehospital pooled frozen solvent irrigant plasma in a multiple trauma bleeding model.
According to Capt. Jennifer Buechel, commander of NAMRU San Antonio, publishing the research findings can influence military medical practices and policies, leading to improved medical care and operational effectiveness.
“Presenting at MHSRS will demonstrate the command's depth of knowledge and technical expertise in our field and showcase the advanced skills and capabilities of our researchers,” said Buechel, a Navy nurse from Woodhaven, Mich. “I am very proud of our team's accomplishments. This will increase our visibility to demonstrate how our research aligns with military strategic objectives and operational needs.”
Scientific research is rewarding for scientists and extremely important to NAMRU San Antonio, said Dr. Darin Fry, chief scientific director.
“When research is presented to the military medical community, it advances the field and may reveal unexpected findings, expand what is known or validate standards that benefit both the military and society,” said Frye, of Kingman, Kan. “Presentations highlight major advances and are often key deliverables. Presentations provide tangible evidence to sponsors, program managers and decision makers, demonstrate a return on investment and often lead to further efforts.”
According to Frye, the sheer number of presentations and posters presented at NAMRU San Antonio is a testament to the ingenuity, professionalism and perseverance of the command’s talented scientists.
“Their incredible achievements in their areas of interest and the efforts across the command and supporting teams highlight our commitment to maintaining a dynamic and creative work environment,” Frye said. “Despite the challenges of complex scientific gaps and limited resources, our team remains undaunted. Driven by a passion for research and the joy of discovery, they work tirelessly, knowing their efforts may one day save the life of an injured service member.”
Annette Rodriguez, PhD, a research scientist with the Combat Casualty Care and Operational Medicine Directorate in San Antonio, presented two scientific posters during MHSRS.
“It was a great experience to meet with other principal investigators and share new knowledge in medical research that will benefit the military,” said Rodriguez, who has been with NAMRU San Antonio for four years. “This is my third MHSRS and each time I attend, I get more and more inspired.”
NAMRU San Antonio's mission is to conduct gap-driven combat casualty care, craniofacial and directed energy research to improve the survivability, operational readiness and safety of DoD personnel serving in routine and expeditionary operations.
Date taken: 28 August 2024 Date posted: 28 August 2024 18:05 Story ID: 479696 Location: Kissimmee, FL, USA Hometown: Kingman, KS, USA Hometown: San Antonio, TX, USA Hometown: Woodhaven, MI, USA Web views: 15 Downloads: 0 Public domain
This work, “NAMRU San Antonio Increases Research Presence at 2024 Military Health Systems Research Symposium,” is by Burrell Parmer, identified by DVIDS and must comply with the restrictions set forth at https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
