Navy Capt. (Dr.) Tamara Worlton, director of the Division of Global Surgery at the Uniformed Services University (USU) and director of Surgical Operations at USU’s Center for Global Health Engagement (CGHE), has been selected as a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador, one of the most prestigious international exchange programs in the world.
The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), a center at the Uniformed Services University (USU) in Bethesda, Md., has taken over direction of the long-running international Health Emergencies in Large Populations (HELP) course.
Early on in their training, medical students learn the signs and symptoms of most common medical conditions. For example, they can describe the difference between heart sounds within the first few weeks of training. Except when it comes to psychiatric disorders.
Scientists have identified a new target in ovarian cancer that is particularly vulnerable to chemotherapy. The discovery will allow researchers to better predict how this cancer will behave, particularly the most common and lethal, high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women.
Advances in trauma care on the battlefield have drastically improved over the last few decades, but current surgical approaches to avoid further complications in extremity wounds have continued to delay wounds from healing. A new study led by researchers at the Uniformed Services University (USU), however, offers a better understanding of how the body responds to combat wounds, which could ultimately lead to further advancements in care.
Dr. Eric Elster, professor and dean of the Uniformed Services University’s F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, has been named a Distinguished Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Excelsior Surgical Society, in recognition of his pioneering leadership and remarkable contributions to military surgical readiness.
To identify cancers earlier and better understand when they may be easier to treat, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has launched a new clinical trials network to evaluate emerging technologies for cancer screening.
Service members who have had a moderate, severe, or penetrating traumatic brain injury, or TBI, are at a greater risk for subsequently developing brain cancer, according to a collaborative study led by researchers at the Uniformed Services University (USU) published February 15, 2024, in JAMA Open Network. On the other hand, those who have suffered mild TBI, or concussion – which is much more common – may not be associated with later brain cancer diagnoses, the study finds.
Army Lieutenant Colonel (Dr.) Robert Vietor, was named the new Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology for the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
Dr. James “Jamie” Mancuso, a retired Army physician with significant expertise in tropical medicine, preventive medicine, and occupational medicine, was selected to chair the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics in the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). USU is the nation’s only Federal health sciences university, located adjacent to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Board-certified emergency medicine physician Dr. Michael Zanker has been named deputy director of the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Since 9/11, more than 30,000 service members and veterans have taken their own lives – a devastating toll that represents four times the number of those killed in post-911 military operations. To help reduce and eliminate suicide, the Uniformed Services University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) has partnered with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a muti-study program designed to target and optimize brain circuits associated with suicide.
CSTS, part of USU’s Department of Psychiatry, will provide consultation and support to DARPA and study teams for the new program – Strengthening Resilient Emotions and Nimble Cognitions through Engineering Neuroplasticity, or STRENGTHEN. STRENGTHEN will involve a multitude of studies led by Columbia and Harvard universities, McLean Hospital, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Ultimately, this research aims to develop treatments that will enhance cognitive flexibility – the skill of adapting one’s t
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has awarded its 2023 Careers in Medicine (CiM) Excellence in Medical Student Career Advising Faculty Award to Air Force Col. (Dr.) Pamela Williams. Williams, currently the associate dean for Student Affairs at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), received the prestigious recognition for her unwavering commitment to supporting the success of medical students.
Among those who experience a sudden and violent loss of a loved one, as many as 40 percent may struggle with Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). To help clinicians understand and treat those suffering from this crippling condition – which is much longer-lasting and all-consuming compared to typical bereavement – experts from the Uniformed Services University (USU) have collaboratively published a new book, Grief and Prolonged Grief Disorder.
A biochemist who got her start at the Uniformed Services University (USU), Dr. Katalin Karikó, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine on Oct. 2 for her key discoveries that led to the development of the mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
A single-dose therapy has been developed that is highly effective against lyssavirus infection (rabies), one of the deadliest known viral infections of humans.
Dr. Patricia Deuster dedicated her 40-year career to the military and optimizing performance for the warfighter. Now, the Human Performance Lab (HPL) at the Uniformed Services University (USU) is dedicated to her. USU renamed the lab in her honor, and commemorated her service and the lab’s renaming with a ceremony Sept. 25.
A renowned infectious disease clinician, researcher, and leader in the battle against antimicrobial resistance, Dr. Paige Waterman, has been named the next chair of the Department of Medicine at the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
Musculoskeletal injuries – like low back and knee pain – account for the most lost duty days in the military and are one the main reasons service members and veterans seek medical care.
The Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Dr. Thomas Davis, professor and vice chair of Research in the Department of Surgery, was bestowed the Military Health System Research Symposium’s (MHSRS) Distinguished Service Award during a ceremony Aug. 14, recognizing his significant contributions to research, focused specifically on the unique medical needs of the warfighter.
The Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine is changing its name to better reflect its specialized expertise in traumatic brain injury. The USU Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative, or MTBI2, is the only program within the Department of Defense that conducts clinical and translational research that spans all traumatic brain injury severities, paying special focus on the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months after injury – moments that are crucial to lessening the long-term impact of these injuries.
Children who experience discrimination based on weight, race, or sexual orientation have significantly greater odds of being suicidal one year later, according to a new study in the Journal of Pediatrics led by researchers at the Uniformed Services University.
Whether on the battlefield or within local communities, the minutes following a traumatic injury are crucial in saving lives. Army 2nd Lt. Matthew McDonough and ret. Army Col. (Dr.) Kyle Remick, from the Uniformed Services University (USU), sought to further close the time gap between injury and treatment within the National Capital Area with the potential addition of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) to the Maryland trauma system, testing its inclusion with their new study, “Geospatial Assessment to Improve Time to Treatment (GAITT)” published online ahead of print in the Journal of Surgical Research.
Military and civilian trauma experts from around the country convened for a three-day training event to reinforce vascular, plastic and orthopedic surgical skills for advanced combat surgical readiness. The program provided an opportunity to share trauma rehabilitation best practices, both within the military and civilian sectors.
In the wake of rising global disasters and their impact on the population, the Uniformed Services University (USU), in conjunction with the American Psychiatric Association (APA), has created a first-of-its-kind course to ready understanding of and preparedness for such crises.
The Uniformed Services University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress podcast, “Let’s Talk About Your Guns,” which offers practical and non-judgmental ways to have conversations about safe firearm storage in tough situations, has received a Telly Award this week for its impactful content.
The National Guard (NG) played a crucial role in the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting communities nationwide with emergency outreach, setting up care facilities, working at testing sites, and distributing supplies, among many other demands. Simultaneously, these service members faced their own personal and family responses to the crisis. Still, they remained psychologically resilient, according to a new study led by the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS).
The Uniformed Services University (USU) has been awarded a $404,703 grant to implement a WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO), designed to increase WIC enrollment in active duty military families.
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) will confer an honorary Doctor of Science degree to former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci on May 21, Armed Forces Day, during the University’s commencement ceremony.
The director of the Defense Health Agency, Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, will address more than 360 uniformed and civilian health professionals on May 20, Armed Forces Day, as they receive their medical, graduate nursing and dental, biomedical science, public health, and clinical psychology degrees from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), the nation’s only federal health sciences university.
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, renown scientist and chief executive officer of NantWorks, will present “Activating Natural Killer and T cells to Induce T Cell Memory for the Treatment of Cancer: The Cancer Moonshot” when he delivers the 2023 David Packard Award Lecture at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Army Col. (Dr). Benjamin “Kyle” Potter, Norman M. Rich Chair of the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Department of Surgery and internationally recognized leader in combat casualty care, has been awarded the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine’s (HJF) Army Hero of Military Medicine Award. The annual award is bestowed upon medical professionals for their remarkable contributions to military medicine and for enhancing the lives of service members, veterans, their families, and civilians.
Researchers from the Uniformed Services University (USU) have shed light on a fatal neurodegenerative disease that has long afflicted the native Chamorro people living on Guam – a unique and mystifying disorder that has baffled scientists for decades.
Jeffrey D. Freeman, PhD, MPH, has been selected as the new director of the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. USU President, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, made the announcement March 10, 2023. Dr. Freeman succeeds Dr. Thomas Kirsch in the position.
Dr. Carol Romano, dean of the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing (GSN), was recently recognized for her leadership and lasting contributions to the military, federal health care, science, and the nation, receiving this year’s AMSUS Lifetime Achievement Award.
Infectious diseases like COVID, HIV, and battlefield wound infections cause illness and disruptions that threaten health and military readiness across the nation. To help foster collaboration in the field and share best practices, the Uniformed Service University’s (USU) Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program (IDCRP) is hosting its first annual Science Symposium March 6-10.
The Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Val G. Hemming Simulation Center – one of the nation’s most advanced medical education centers – has earned re-accreditation as a Comprehensive Education Institute from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The five-year accreditation recognizes exemplary institutes for their best practices and delivery of the highest quality surgical education. The ACS also recognized USU’s Surgical Education and Simulation Fellowship with a three-year reaccreditation.
Tracy Sbrocco, PhD, has been selected as the next Chair of the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology (MPS) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). An outstanding researcher, educator, and research administrator, and tenured professor of MPS at USU, Sbrocco assumed the responsibilities of department Chair on January 29.
Survivors of sudden and violent deaths, such as those that occurred on 9/11, are at higher risk for prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a newly-defined clinical condition of persistent grief in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), defined by profound feelings of loss, significant emotional distress, and changes to a person’s level of functioning. A new collaborative study, led by the Uniformed Services University, will start enrolling subjects this spring to better understand PGD and how grief is impacting quality of life within this population.
A genetic mutation in the SPTSSA gene is identified as the cause of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, a rare disease that causes progressive weakness, stiffness and spasticity in the lower extremities, according to a study, "SPTSSA variants alter sphingolipid synthesis and cause a complex hereditary spastic paraplegia," published in Brain on on Jan. 30. The SPTSSA gene is responsible for stimulating serine palmitoyltransferase, or SPT, an enzyme with critical functions within the nervous system.
To support a culture shift around the topic of suicide prevention, a new podcast was launched Jan. 25 by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS). Through a series of interviews and stories, the podcast, “Brain Hijack,” intends to encourage support-seeking behaviors and connectedness through expert interviews, debunking myths, and normalizing topics in mental health.
To ensure that surgeons worldwide, particularly military surgeons, keep their skills sharp and maintain their clinical readiness, the Uniformed Services University (USU), in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the Military Health System Strategic Partnership American College of Surgeons (MHSSPACS), and the University of California, Davis, has developed a new resource – the Military Clinical Readiness Curriculum, or “mCurriculum.”
In recognition of their outstanding research that has brought visibility to issues impacting the Armed Forces and their families, several behavioral health professionals from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) were the recipients of the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University (MFRI)’s 2022 Barbara Thompson Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families Award. The award is based on their scientific publication, "The role of posttraumatic stress symptoms and negative affect in predicting substantiated intimate partner violence incidents among military personnel,” published in the journal Military Behavioral Health in August 2021.
During a ceremony steeped in tradition and academic pageantry, Dr. Jonathan Woodson was inaugurated as the seventh president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) on Nov. 30.
Uniformed Services University (USU) alumnus Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut, will answer a series of thought-provoking questions from students and military personnel live from the International Space Station as part of a NASA Downlink on Nov. 21.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally and a top cause of cancer deaths in the Military Health System. However, the ability to determine which of these patients have aggressive tumors and which will respond better to certain treatments – could soon be available through the collective analysis of proteins and genomes, according to a new study published Nov. 15 in Cell Reports Medicine, led by researchers at the Uniformed Services University (USU).
How can we have open-minded talks about guns and safety? A new podcast, launched this week by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS), hopes to address this question. Through a series of interviews and stories, the podcast, “Let’s Talk About Your Guns,” will offer practical and non-judgmental ways to talk about safe storage of firearms in tough situations.
If in fact there is or has been life on Mars, it would likely still be there today, billions of years later, according to a new study published Oct. 25 in Astrobiology led by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) bid fair winds and following seas to its facility dog, Navy Cmdr. Shetland, after 21 (dog) years of service to students, faculty and staff. Cmdr. Shetland retired from active duty on Aug. 16 in a traditional Navy ceremony, where he was recognized for his ‘pawsitive’ influence on the university’s community.
Medical and nursing students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) can now add U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Health Service Corps (IHSC) to the list of sites where they conduct clinical rotations, thanks to an agreement between the university and IHSC.