Acting Deputy Assistant Director, Research & Engineering

Dr. Sean Biggerstaff is the Acting Director for the Research & Engineering Directorate, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, VA. He leads a professional team that works to advance collaborative, innovative medical research and development to improve military community health and save lives on and off the battlefield.

The directorate supports the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)) in the oversight, management and execution of the Defense Health Program’s Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) program. The program funds science and technology and advanced development efforts to deliver material and knowledge products to the Joint force. The program investments include research in Combat Casualty Care, Military Operational Medicine, Regenerative Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Infectious Diseases. The directorate also provides state of the science evaluations and evidenced- based clinical practice guidelines and support to the field via the congressionally directed Centers of Excellence in Psychological Health, Traumatic Brain Injury, Vision and Hearing.

Prior to his role as the Deputy R&D Director, Dr. Biggerstaff served 24 years on active duty as an Aerospace Experimental Psychologist in the U. S. Navy Medical Service Corps. Half of his career was spent working in biomedical research and research management, the other half working on human systems research, engineering and program management.