MRMC Scientists win International Collaboration and Siple Memorial awards

By Carey Phillips

USAMRMC scientists and engineers received the top two awards at the 26th annual Army Science Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The International Collaboration Award recognizes the most outstanding collaborative research effort between the U.S. Army and foreign scientists in expanding and enhancing the Army's research and technology program and promoting the foreign scientists' scientific interests.

The International Collaboration Award was presented to U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases scientists, Connie Schmaljohn, Ph.D., Jay W. Hooper, Ph.D., Ellen Boudreau, and U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity scientist, Diane Ullman, for their work on the "Development and Clinical Testing in Humans of a Gene Gun Delivered DNA Vaccine to Prevent Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome."

"I feel deeply honored to have served with the team that has received this prestigious award," said Ullman. "It has been a unique experience for me to have collaborated as the regulatory representative for such a skilled group of professionals on an exciting novel product for the Army. I look forward to our future endeavors to develop this product."

In the Biomedical Technology category of the Call for Papers, the paper that most effectively described the theoretical and applied aspects of biomedical practice to topics of military interest was named the Best Paper.

The Paul A. Siple Memorial Award is presented to the author(s) of the best overall paper from the 17 Call for Papers categories. The winning paper exemplifies originality of subject matter, logical organization, clarity and conciseness, technical merit, and relevance to the U.S. Army.

The Best Paper Award in Biomedical Technology and the Paul A. Siple Memorial Award were given to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Scientists, Dr. Richard Gordon, Dr. Amy J. Campbell, Dr. Madhusoodana P. Nambiar, Dr. Roberta R. Owens, and Ruthie H. Ratcliffe, for their biomedical technology paper entitled "Pro-2-PAM: The First Therapeutic Drug for Reactivation of Organophosphate-inhabited Central and Peripheral Cholinesterases."

MRMC Soldier saves life

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

Although not in combat, a U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Soldier stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, Ill., still found a way to save a servicemember's life this summer.

While working at his off-duty job as a lifeguard at the station's community swimming pool, Sgt. Anthony Bush, a dental researcher at MRMC's U.S. Army Dental & Trauma Research Detachment, noticed a man holding his breathe under the surface of the water.

Since many Navy seamen come to the pool to practice the technique for their training, it didn't shock Bush - at first. But thankfully for the young seaman, who just graduated from his basic training, Bush kept a vigilant eye on him.

After about 30 seconds in the water, Bush said he saw blood coming from the servicemember. The lifeguard in Bush took over, and he jumped into action.

"I immediately brought him to the surface, and called 911," said Bush, who is a 25-year lifeguard veteran. "He was practicing holding his breathe and had a seizure." (Full story...)

USARIEM altitude sickness research prepares Soliders in field

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

Looming in the distant skyline of Colorado Springs, Co., Pike's Peak is one of the nation's most popular tourist destinations, hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors on its 14,110 foot summit each year. What most vacationers don't know as they peer across the serene landscape is that just a few hundred feet away researchers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine are sharing the summit to advance military medicine.

For years research physiologists from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's USARIEM and research volunteers have spent their summers above the tree line to study ways of improving servicemembers' capabilities in high altitude environments at the Maher Memorial Altitude Laboratory.

"The Army is very interested in any means to accelerate acclimatization," said USARIEM research physiologist Dr. Allen Cymerman. "We're obligated to have our troops knowledgeable and experienced in how to handle their environments."

Although the lab has been home to physiological research since it was placed on the Peak in late 1960s, the altitude sickness studies became even more relevant when troops were deployed to the mountains in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. But, the mobility of the U.S. Army was sometimes faster than the Soldiers' bodies could keep up. Most people need time to acclimate to the lower levels of oxygen in the air the higher they go or they run the risk of developing Acute Mountain Sickness or even more severe health issues, said USARIEM research physiologist Dr. Steve Muza, who has spent the last few summers on the Peak. (Full story...)

MRMC marks 50-years of medical technology breakthroughs

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

Celebrating the servicemembers and civilians who contribute to the important missions of Fort Detrick, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Commander, Maj. Gen. George Weightman hosted the Installation Ball in August.

The event also gave an opportunity for MRMC, Fort Detrick's largest organization, to celebrate 50 years of medical technology and research breakthroughs. For the past five decades, MRMC has been focused on giving servicemembers the best medical products available to protect them from both natural and man-made dangers.

Former MRMC commanders joined ranks with the current commander to cut the birthday cake to commemorate the momentous milestone.

"It is immeasurable how much the great people of MRMC have contributed to improving medicine both on and off the battlefield in our 50-year history," said Weightman about the landmark birthday. "We can only begin to imagine how many lives have been saved, and how many will be saved from the continued research in the next 50 years." (Full story...)

USAMRMC's Howell selected as most notable in field

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

The Medical Research and Materiel Command's Bill Howell was selected above many of his civilian peers by the Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry as being one of the most notable people in his field.

As MRMC's Principle Assistant for Acquisition since 2005, Howell's leadership impacts more than $300 million in medical technology development from proof-of-concept through to procurement, according to his nomination letter.

"We are aware that the military, in particular, the U.S. Army, through its U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, is a major contributor of the funds and manpower to medical device development," said Sherrie Conroy, editor-in-chief MD&DI magazine, which is the industry's leader in news and information.

Hemostatic (chitosan) bandages and digitally enhanced imaging are just two examples of equipment developed through Howell's office to meet the Army's needs but are now a part of the greater civilian healthcare industry.

"I was very surprised but pleased by such recognition because it comes from the commercial medical device industry vice the military establishment," said Howell. (Full story...)

Army's premier trauma conference brings together scientists, clinicians

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

Scientists and battlefield medical clinicians shared their unique knowledge and experiences to advance medicine during the military's premier trauma care conference.

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's annual Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care Conference was held in St. Pete's Beach, Fla. Aug. 11 to 15.

What evolved from a disjointed vendor-oriented conference over 10 years ago with just a couple hundred participants is now an extremely relevant knowledge exchange that has the ability to improve military medicine, according to Col. Bob Vandre, former MRMC Combat Casualty Care Program director who organized the conference for more than 1,100 attendees.

"This is the meeting that talks about cutting-edge, military trauma medicine," said Vandre. "Attendees can get the latest ideas and medical inventions here - things that change the future. Most of the key palyers in field come here."

The conference is vital to the improvement of the military's Combat Casualty Care Program and has contributed to "communities of dialog" between what the clinicians in the field learned and where the researchers need to focus their efforts, said MRMC Deputy Commander Col. Jonathan Jaffin as he welcomed the conference participants.

Bringing together the key people who have the influence to change the direction of military medicine has helped bring improvements like better trained medics and better equipment, among other advancements. (Full story...)

Chemical defense collaboration helps protect warfighter, nation

By Sarah Maxwell
MRMC Public Affairs

What was once a barn for goats is now a place where scientists on the forefront of chemical defense research try and test their theories to help protect and heal the nation's warfighters.

A sturdy 6,800 square foot structure made of cement blocks, the barn was transformed into the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense's Collaborative Research Facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., part of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.

The three new labs in the renovated building are within the scope of the ICD's comprehensive Collaborate Research Program, which brings in ideas from scientists outside the institute that could develop improvements to help protect service members from possible chemical weapons attacks.

"The collaborative research here leads to countermeasures to protect the Soldiers and ultimately protects the nation," said Capt. Jeremy Goodin, Research Collaboration Program director.

The facility is expected to enhance the program's ability to accommodate work with other organizations, allowing a steady flow of scientific ingenuity. By using ICD scientists, who are part of only a handful in the world certified to handle the strongest chemicals, they can get their theories tested, said Goodin.

The Army expertise is becoming more and more sought after in research communities around the country. Just five years ago, there were only 23 collaborations, and this year the chemical defense program already has 101 projects in the works from dozens of other groups. (Full story...)

Sleep Extension Improves Performance and Facilitates Task Acquisition During and Following 7 Nights of Subsequent Sleep Restriction

Dr. Tracy Rupp from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research recently beat out more than 100 other budding scientists to win the National Sleep Foundation Young nvestigator Award. The competition for the award was daunting, she said, and a total of 106 abstracts from young sleep researchers within five years of having obtained the doctoral degree were submitted to the foundation.

Rupp's winning entry was entitled "Sleep Extension Improves Performance and Facilitates Task Acquisition During and Following 7 Nights of Subsequent Sleep Restriction." In her work, Rupp showed that, contrary to current thinking, the recuperative value of extended sleep is "banked" until needed during subsequent sleep restriction.

Each submission was rated by a team of three established sleep researchers. From among the abstracts, the top 16 were chosen, and the authors received an all-expenses-paid trip to the Young Investigators Conference held earlier by the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, DC, where the investigators made oral presentations panels of experts and an audience. Based on a variety of criteria ranging from scientific impact to presentation style, the panel selected a "winner" and a "runner up" from each category (basic and clinical).

As one of the two winners, Rupp will receive a monetary award and will be treated to a week-long visit to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.

Her work also reflects very well on her mentor, Dr. Thomas Balkin and her colleagues in the Department of Behavioral Biology, Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at WRAIR.