Leading military health researchers received prestigious awards at the 2024 Military Health Systems Research Symposium for their efforts to improve the health of warfighters.
Under Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martinez Lopez presented the awards to the recipients and their teams, whose research ranges from advancing cancer care for military personnel to exploring the unique health needs of active-duty female military personnel and assessing and treating traumatic brain injury.
Individual Achievement Award Recipients
Two researchers from the military medical community have been recognized for their significant contributions to the success of medical research in the military health care system that impacts the warfighter.
In the “Military Exposure and Long-Term Consequences” research division, Uniformed Services University Bethesda, Maryland John P. Murtha Cancer Center in Walter Reed National Military Medical Centerwas honored for his leadership and dedication to improving cancer care and outcomes for Department of Defense beneficiaries diagnosed with and treated for cancer at MHS.
Mr. Shriver has led the advancement of cancer care and research for active duty military members, veterans and their families in the Department of Defense, increased awareness of DoD cancer care and research to federal, public and private partners, and contributed significantly to the knowledge and understanding of cancer biology, treatment, outcomes and survival rates for military members and their families as well as people across the nation.
Shriver noted that more than 1,000 active-duty military members are diagnosed with cancer each year.
“That’s a huge number,” he said. “As we speak, there are over 15,000 active duty military members serving with cancer. Attention to the issue of cancer affecting readiness and the health of the entire force has been a focus throughout my career.”
Roxana Lezcano, Program Director of Research Management United States Naval Medical Research Unit SouthBased in Lima, Peru, received the award for its work in the research category “Global Health Engagement Research in Combatant Forces.”
Mr. Lescano’s work resulted in a model program that exceeded U.S. and host country regulatory compliance and ethical guidelines for a total of 77 Department of Defense medical studies conducted in eight Latin American countries. Mr. Lescano was responsible for strengthening research integrity within MHS through the establishment of an Institutional Review Board member training program and numerous research publications. Mr. Lescano led the establishment of the NAMRU SOUTH IRB in 2005. Since then, the NAMRU SOUTH Human Research Protection Program follows international standards and has the ability to approve its own research without reliance on a U.S. IRB.
Mr. Lescano commended NAMRU’s leadership for its commitment and vision.
“NAMRU’s leaders, directors and commanders in successive administrations have been committed to listening, providing guidance and insight and doing the right thing. They have certainly paved the way for developing a robust research management program,” she said.
Outstanding Research Achievement Individual Award
Starting in February 2023, two researchers were presented with individual awards for outstanding research contributions supporting the warfighter that have achieved significant results with significant impact.
Lynette Hamlin, professor and associate dean for faculty affairs at the University of Southern California (USU) in Bethesda, Maryland, was recognized for her work in the category “Women’s Health and Preparedness: A Health-Focused Update.”
Hamlin’s research explored the unique health needs of active-duty female military personnel through past and current research. USU Military Women’s Health Research ProgramHamlin’s leadership has advanced research that directly supports the well-being of active duty female military personnel and female veterans, informed policy formation, and promoted evidence-based improvements in health care for this population.
Hamlin feels her work is making a difference in health and health policy.
“I’ve been given the incredible gift of being able to advocate not only for women, but for women’s health and women’s health policy,” she said.
Alyssa Davidson, a research audiologist at WRNMMC in Bethesda, Maryland, was recognized in the category of “New Treatments, Strategies and Technologies in Hearing and Balance Health.”
Davidson said he regularly sees patients whose hearing tests are normal but who still have problems.
“We’re here to help patients, to better diagnose their problems and figure out how to best treat them, not just evaluate them,” she said.
Davidson’s skills in leveraging new technologies to improve clinical practice have led to significant advancements in hearing care within the Department of Defense. This includes her work analyzing data from over 22,583 military personnel collected as part of a Defense Health Agency grant to develop normative values for the hearing subscale of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey. This work has enabled clinicians to quickly and reliably identify patients whose hearing thresholds are within the normal range but who may require additional hearing evaluation and management.
Davidson believes her research is just a small part of the important work WRNMMC does to support the warfighter.
“The work we do here at Walter Reed National Hearing and Speech Center is vitally important to our military members,” Davidson said.
Team Award for Outstanding Research Achievement
Since February 2023, four teams have been recognized for their outstanding research contributions supporting the warfighter, achieving significant results with significant impact.
The University of Colorado Anschutz Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative team, led by Amy Betts, was recognized in the research category for “Working to Prevent Harmful Behaviors in the Military Community – Implementing Interagency Research Priorities – Current and Future.”
The FIPI team’s research focused on preventing firearm-related military suicide. They integrated innovative safety strategies within the Department of Defense, influenced significant policy change, and pioneered community-based interventions. Project SafeguardsTheir work has not only improved the immediate safety of firearms, but has also shaped long-term preventative measures in military health, demonstrating a significant and lasting impact on the well-being of service members.
The “Long-Term Immunity Against Novel and Known Strains of SARS-CoV-2 (LINKS-COVID)” research team United States Naval Medical Research Unit Indo-Pacific A team led by U.S. Navy Lt. Huy Nguyen was recognized for their research in the category “Update on Emerging Infectious Diseases of Military Importance: Predicting and Preventing Future Epidemics in Military Settings.”
From July 2023 to February 2024, the team conducted the Long-Term Immunity to Novel and Known Strains of SARS-CoV-2 (LINKS-COVID) study, the largest and most detailed analysis of COVID-19 booster vaccination needs in active duty military personnel. The team evaluated the immune responses of 169 Sailors based in Yokosuka and shared their findings with combatant commands and public health leaders, which were subsequently accepted for publication in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The team’s findings demonstrated the power of MHS to move quickly on research to improve military health protections.
Medical Assessment and Preparedness Systems Team Womack Army Medical Center, Fort LibertyA team led by Dr. Y. Sammy Choi of North Carolina State University won the award for their research in the category of “Big Data and Machine Learning for Full-Spectrum Military Health Readiness, Performance and Care.”
The MARS team has demonstrated large-scale data analysis for senior leadership, expedited regulatory approval with “exempt” research status benefiting learners, and high potential to influence policies and procedures. Since February 2023, MARS has produced 32 peer-reviewed publications or presentations, including seven publications (including one accepted), two manuscripts under review or submission, 15 presentations (10 oral, five posters) at the 2023 MHSRS, a DHA Young Investigator Award in February 2023, a top three DHA Young Investigator Award in February 2024, and a Learner Research Award at the 2024 Cape Fear Research Consortium’s 8th Annual Research Symposium.
Team Award for Excellence in Program Management
One team was recognized for Outstanding Medical Product Program Management. The award highlighted the team’s achievements in furthering the maturation of medical research and development or commercial activities.
the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity Traumatic Brain Injury Biomarker Team; Fort DetrickA Maryland research team led by Damien Hoffman was recognized in the category “Advances in TBI Diagnosis: Biomarkers and Beyond.”
The team achieved a major program milestone in March 2024. Food and Drug Administration The approval of the first portable blood biomarker test marks a major advancement in our ability to assess and triage warfighters with suspected TBI.
of PMS 408 Expeditionary Medicine The Washington DC team, led by Montrell Smith, received the Award of Excellence for their work in the category of “Multi-Domain Operations, Large-Scale Combat Operations and Casualty Care During Long-Term Care.”
The team was recognized for developing the U.S. Navy’s first official requirements document to support multi-domain operations, large-scale combat operations, and casualty care during extended periods of treatment. Their work established a critical framework for acquiring and evaluating critical expeditionary medical capabilities.
Several other awards will be given out during the week-long symposium. A Young Investigator Competition will be held during the conference and three outstanding researchers will be recognized during the Awards Program. Over 1,400 scientific posters will be presented at the MHSRS and outstanding poster presenters will be recognized by their peers.
For more information about MHSRS, published research, and other areas of interest, please visit the MHSRS webpage.
