U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command

Two thirds of Service Members do not get enough sleep every night, a rate that's twice that of the civilian population. Sleep researchers at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command’s Walter Reed Army Institute of Research are investigating how gentle electrical pulses can be used to stimulate the production of restorative brainwaves that during sleep may help boost alertness and cognitive performance.

Read the full story here: https://www.army.mil/article/278186

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Welcome to MRDC MG Paula Lodi and CSM Michael Dills!

We look forward to your leadership and the ways you will impact our research, development, and acquisition priorities, which will protect Warfighters now and in the future.



U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory
US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center
U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA)
US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD)
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - USAMRIID
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
U.S. Army Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center - TATRC
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - CDMRP

This week, we say farewell to BG Ned Bailey and CSM Kyle Brunell, two dedicated leaders who have guided MRDC and its efforts in many impactful ways.

Thank you, BG Bailey and CSM Brunell, for leading this organization and making MRDC a part of your hearts and homes. We wish you both the best!

Making connections with investors and manufacturers is one of the ways the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command’s Medical Technology Transfer Office helps ideas for innovative biomedical products become reality.

Find out how MTT showcased new devices available for commercial licensing and discussed collaborative opportunities at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s annual convention in San Diego, California, June 3-6: https://www.army.mil/article/277234

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Happy 249th birthday U.S. Army! We continue to uphold the storied symbol of honor, strength and limitless possibilities that come with service to our country.

No matter how MRDC changes, our mission will remain the same as we continue to defend the nation. 🇺🇸

| Fort Detrick USAG

In honor of the command’s meritorious service and commitment to supporting the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic response, MRDC has earned the Army Superior Unit Award!

Each part of MRDC played a significant role in the agile ability to shift COVID-19 resources. Those efforts resulted in the numerous advancements in medical research, testing, screening and equipment fielding toward COVID-19, while helping the nation be well-postured to combat future pandemics and emerging diseases.

MRDC, continue all that you do to support our Warfighters and the nation!



U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory
US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center
U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA)
US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD)
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - USAMRIID
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
U.S. Army Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center - TATRC
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Did you know that it can take less than five minutes for a person to die from severe blood loss? It’s the number-one cause of preventable death in traumatic accidents.

The National Stop the Bleed Program, co-developed by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command’s Combat Casualty Care Research Program, teaches people how to recognize and stop traumatic bleeding in everyday situations.

Capt. Travis Polk, CCCRP’s director, discusses the most effective means of stopping traumatic bleeding, even when the proper equipment is not available: https://www.army.mil/article/276783

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Last week, we had the opportunity to showcase our work to 200+ DOD leaders, congressional staffers, and industry representatives at .

The discussions and demonstrations that took place highlighted the critical impact that military medical research has for our Warfighters and the nation.

We are honored to share our work and grateful to everyone who attended!

| Defense Health Agency

U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory
US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center
U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA)
US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD)
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - USAMRIID
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
U.S. Army Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center - TATRC
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Announcing the MRDC winners of the Medical Readiness Command, East and MRDC 2024 Best Leader Competition:

Best Squad - Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Staff Sgt. Tristin Dalphonse, Sgt. Nathan Sosa, Cpl. Jacob Masecampo, Cpl. Anthony Goclowski, and Pfc. James Geering

Individual title winners from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - USAMRIID

NCO of the Year - Sgt. 1st Class David Haugh

Soldier of the Year - Spc. Luis Pintor-Garcia

Congratulations Soldiers! Thank you to all competitors for never giving up and defining what it is to have a team of true battle partners.

MRDC winners will now go on to compete at the U.S. Army Futures Command Best Squad Competition in June!

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US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory

Together they train, compete, and win. Soldiers pushed through a tough competition over the weekend, but the unbreakable bonds forged through hardship are the memories they will never forget.

Which MRDC team/competitor do you think will walk away victoriously from the Best Leader Competition?

Competitive hunger and the Warfighting spirit - a perfect combination for MRDC competitors heading into the Best Leader Competition and the nighttime Expert Physical Fitness Assessment and an afternoon of weapons and signals testing.

The 2024 Best Leader Competition is here for MRDC and the Medical Readiness Command, East happening at Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield!

Over the next challenging days, four teams across MRDC will compete to demonstrate their commitment to the and represent the best of Army Medicine. The competition will recognize MRDC's Best Squad, Noncomissioned Officer and Solider of the Year.

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U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - USAMRIID
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory

As part of its mission to identify and close capability gaps in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences provides comprehensive biosurveillance in support of military exercises throughout Asia and Oceania.

Read how AFRIMS supported Cobra Gold 2024 by providing combatant commanders and medical personnel with real-time data to protect their personnel against Zika, rickettsia, leptospirosis and dengue: https://www.army.mil/article/276248

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Congratulations to SGT Andy Valdes of the US Army Institute of Surgical Research - ISR & ISR Burn Center who successfully challenged and earned the coveted Expert Field Medical Badge with zero no-gos! EFMB is the utmost challenge to the professional competence and physical endurance of the Soldier medic, and we are proud of SGT Valdes.

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Interesting work our researchers at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) are doing with extremities and cold-weather research!

RSVP today for Capability Days 2024 held 21-22 May 2024 at Fort Detrick, Maryland!

For 66 years, MRDC has led the advancement of military medicine through research-based battlefield solutions. We remain committed to solving the unique military medical challenges of today and tomorrow.

Staying at the forefront of advanced medical capabilities requires constant transformation. At Capability Days, you will see the future military medicine and how we are aligning to respond to the joint warfighting environment.

This event will include discussions on topics across the joint space as well as targeted breakout sessions for DOD and industry attendees and interactive displays featuring the latest advancements in trauma care and evacuation, brain health, infectious disease research, and the tools and techniques our warfighters will use to survive on future battlefields.

RSVP to secure your spot at : https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=822153&k=0A6340087E54

| Defense Health Agency

MRDC scientists Dr. Mei Sun of the Military Operational Medicine Research Program and Dr. Alexander Bobrov of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Walter Reed Army Institute of Research are developing new tools and technologies to help Warfighters heal from neurological injuries caused by blast shock waves.

Learn about the latest research presented at the 8th International Forum on Blast Injury Countermeasures May 1 here: https://mrdc.health.mil/index.cfm/media/articles/2024/innovations_in_blast_injury_treatment_spotlighted_at_BIRCO_conference

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MRDC hosted hundreds of local federal officials, industry representatives, academia and scientists last week at the 2024 Spring Research Festival. We are proud to announce the festival’s award winners recognizing their achievements in science!

Find out what attendees saw at the premier conference and trade show serving the military medical research and development community: https://www.army.mil/article/275775.

Spring Research Festival is underway this week! Featuring over 60 companies and organizations showcasing products and services related to military medicine and emerging technologies, poster exhibits from nearly 100 researchers, and much more. Day One featured Dr. Kedar Narayan of the NCI Center for Molecular Microscopy discussing an exciting breakthrough in cellular imaging at the nanoscale called volume electron microscopy, which will help scientists better understand how diseases develop, grow, and spread.

Soon we will announce the 2024 Spring Research Festival winners.

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“Character is probably the most important thing you need to be successful. Character really is just doing the right thing, and that's what allows you to influence people. At the end of the day, you want people to follow you even when you're not there.”

Read the advice that Brig. Gen. Edward H. Bailey and Command Sgt. Maj. Kyle S. Brunell shared with Hood College ROTC cadets earlier this week: https://www.army.mil/article/275398

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The annual Spring Research Festival, hosted by MRDC and the Military & Health Research Foundation, is right around the corner! SRF is an exciting opportunity for students, scientists, and the local community to collaborate and learn about the research at Fort Detrick and the National Cancer Institute at Frederick.

Join us next week, April 24 and 25, as we celebrate local scientific achievements!

Visit https://springresearchfestival.health.mil/ to learn more and see how you can participate.

MRDC’s Medical Technology Transfer Office is one of nine DOD organizations to take home an award at the 2024 Federal Laboratory Consortium!

MTT received the Technology Transfer Innovation Award recognizing the Assistive Technology Transfer process and their efforts to move technologies from concept to product in support of the Warfighter.

Thank you to the MTT team for making this achievement possible. Learn about this award: https://www.army.mil/article/273187

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We are proud to announce Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Dr. Vamsi Vasireddy as MRDC’s 2023 Employee of the Year!

Always leading with excellence, Dr. Vasireddy was also recognized for winning the Employee of the Quarter for Q1 2023 for his efforts in leading WRAIR’s medical research efforts in Uganda. WRAIR’s Col. Shannon Lacy had this to say: “Dr. Vamsi Vasireddy's superior duty performance exemplifies his superb competence and commitment to advancing the worldwide mission of MRDC and WRAIR.”

Congratulations Dr. Vasireddy!

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Teachers, applications are still open for the 2024 Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS)! GEMS is an educational outreach program makes learning fun and accessible, and you can help guide other educators on their STEM journey.

Take it from Cecily Smith, a 10-year veteran of the GEMS program and local English teacher, who said, "What I appreciate about this particular course is that I get to see that light bulb turn on when something finally makes sense, when the kids start to understand the science. That's when I get excited."

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until June 7. Use https://www.usaeop.com/program/frederick/ to learn more. You can click the Teacher link under “Application Timelines” to apply, or use this link to go directly to the application: https://apps.ideal-logic.com/aeop?key=JKR5-G7ZD1_K9KH-5PTF_de9d4ab6ee8e

He’s more than a computer engineer, Ethan Quist is our 4th Employee of the Quarter for 2023!

Nominated by Nathan Fisher, Division Chief of the Medical Robotics & Autonomous Systems at the U.S. Army Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center - TATRC, Ethan’s work is regarded as, “Mr. Quist’s contributions to our organization in quarter three are remarkable in several ways. I am confident that without Mr. Quist’s contributions that TATRC would have been unable to deliver on several mission critical commitments.”

Congratulations Ethan on this and all your achievements.

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Change through unity:

Today marks the official proclamation of April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, signed by BG Ned Bailey and CSM Kyle Brunell.

Remember it takes each one of us to build a culture of safety, care and respect, while honoring the core duties and of our workplace.

: Researchers from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) shared their latest cutting-edge research in resilience and nutrition at !

Get the details here: https://www.army.mil/article/274607

| | U.S. Army Futures Command