Top minds in military health research received coveted awards at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium for their commitment to improving warfighter health.

Dr. Lester Martinez-López, the Department of Defense’s assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, presented the awards to the winning individuals and teams. Their research spanned diverse topics, such as advancing cancer care for service members, exploring the unique health needs of active duty service women, and traumatic brain injury assessment and care.

Individual Distinguished Service Award Winners

Two researchers in the military medical community were recognized for significant career contributions to the success of Military Health System medical research as it impacts the warfighter.

In the research category “Military Exposures and Subsequent Long-term Outcomes,” Dr. Craig D. Shriver, professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, and director of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, was honored for his leadership and dedication to improving cancer care and outcomes for DOD beneficiaries diagnosed and treated for cancer in the MHS.

Shriver has been a leader in advancing cancer care and research in the DOD for active duty service members, retirees, and their families; increasing the visibility of DOD cancer care and cancer research to federal, public, and private partners; and contributing substantially to the knowledge and understanding of cancer biology, treatment, outcomes, and survivorship not only for military service members and their families, but to people across the nation.

Over 1,000 active duty service members are diagnosed with cancer each year, noted Shriver.

“That's a huge amount,” he said. “Over 15,000 active duty service members are serving right now as we speak on active duty with cancer. Attention to the cancer problem as it affects readiness, and the health of the total force has really been my focus for the entirety of my career.”

Roxana Lescano, director of the research administration program, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH, in Lima, Peru, was honored for her work in the research category “Global Health Engagement Research in Combatant Commands.”

Lescano’s work resulted in model programs that exceed regulatory compliance and ethical guidelines of the United States and host nations for a total of 77 DOD medical research studies taking place in eight Central and South America countries. She was responsible for bolstering research integrity within the MHS through the establishment of institutional review board member training program and numerous research publications. Lescano spearheaded the establishment of the NAMRU SOUTH IRB in 2005—since then, NAMRU SOUTH Human Research Protections Program has followed international standards and has the capacity to approve its own research studies without dependence on U.S. IRBs.

Lescano praised NAMRU leadership for their commitment and vision.

“The NAMRU leaders in former administrations, officers in charge and commanding officers who listened, who provided guidance and insight and who were completely committed to doing the right thing have certainly paved the way through which a solid research administration program can evolve,” she said.

Individual Award for Outstanding Research Accomplishment

Individual awards were given to two researchers for outstanding research contributions supporting the warfighter with significant accomplishment of high impact achieved since February 2023.

Lynette Hamlin, professor, and associate dean for faculty affairs, USU, in Bethesda, Maryland, was recognized for her work in the category “Women's Health and Readiness: Health Focused Updates.”

Hamlin’s research efforts explored the unique health needs of active duty service women through prior and current research. As the inaugural director of the USU Military Women’s Health Research Program, Hamlin's leadership advanced research directly supporting the well-being of active duty service women and women veterans, informed policy formation, and drove evidence-based health care improvements for this population.

Hamlin feels her work is making a difference in health and health care policy.

“I've been given a great gift to be able to advocate for not just women, but women's health and women's health policies,” she said.

Alyssa Davidson, research audiologist at the WRNMMC in Bethesda, Maryland, was recognized in the category “Novel Treatments, Strategies and Technologies in Hearing and Balance Health.”

Davidson said she regularly sees patients with normal hearing tests who are still experiencing a problem.

“We're here to help them and better diagnose their problems and then figure out ways to not just evaluate them, but find the best treatment option,” she said.

Davidson’s skill for leveraging new technologies to improve clinical practices led to major advances in audiology treatment within the DOD. This includes her work to analyze data from more than 22,583 service members collected as part of a Defense Health Agency grant to develop normative values for the hearing subscale of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey. This research provided clinicians with a quick and reliable way to identify patients with hearing thresholds in the normal range who may require additional audiological evaluation and management.

Davidson feels her research is just one part of the vital work WRNMMC does to support the warfighter.

“The work that we do here at Walter Reed at the National Audiology and Speech Center is extremely important to the military population,” said Davidson.

Team Awards in Outstanding Research Accomplishment

Four teams were awarded for their outstanding research contributions supporting the warfighter with significant accomplishment of high impact achieved since February 2023.

The Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative team from the University of Colorado, Anschutz, led by Emmy Betz, was honored in the research category “Moving the Needle on Preventing Harmful Behaviors in the Military Community – Implementing Cross Agency Research Priorities – Current and Future State.”

The FIPI team’s research focused on preventing firearm related military suicides. They integrated innovative safety strategies within the DOD, influenced significant policy changes, and pioneered community-based interventions, including Project Safe Guard. Their work not only enhanced immediate firearm safety but shaped long-term preventive measures in military health, demonstrating a profound and sustainable impact on service members’ welfare.

The “Long-term Immunity against Novel and Known Strains of SARS-CoV-2 (LINKS-COVID)” study team from the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit INDO PACIFIC team, led by U.S. Navy Lt. Huy Nguyen, was recognized for their work in the category “Update in Emerging Infectious Diseases of Military Importance: Predicting and Preventing Future Outbreaks in Military Settings.”

From July 2023-February 2024, the team conducted the Long-term Immunity against Novel and Known Strains of SARS-CoV-2 (LINKS-COVID) study, the largest and most in-depth analysis regarding the need for COVID-19 boosters among active duty personnel. The team evaluated immunologic responses from 169 Yokosuka-based sailors and shared the results with Combatant Command and Public Health Leaders, followed by acceptance of a manuscript in the Journal of Infectious Disease. The team’s findings demonstrated the power of the MHS to engage rapidly in research that improved force health protection.

The Medical Assessment and Readiness System team from Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Liberty, North Carolina, led by Dr. Y. Sammy Choi, was awarded for their work in the category “Big Data and Machine Learning for Full Spectrum Military Health Readiness, Performance and Care.”

The MARS team produced large data analyses for senior leaders, rapid regulatory approval via “exempt” research status benefiting learners, and proven high potential to affect policy and procedure. Since February 2023, MARS has produced 32 peer-reviewed publications or presentations that include seven publications (includes one acceptance), two manuscripts under review or submission; 15 (10 oral, 5 poster) presentations given at the 2023 MHSRS; DHA Young Investigator Award, February 2023; Top 3 DHA Young Investigator Award, February 2024; and the 2024 Cape Fear Research Consortium’s VIII Annual Research Symposium’s Learner Research Award.

Team Awards in Outstanding Program Management

One team was honored for outstanding medical product program management. The award focused on the accomplishments of a team charged with further maturing a medical research and development or a commercial effort.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Biomarker team from U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, led by Damien Hoffman, was recognized in the category “Advances in Diagnosis of TBI: Biomarkers and Beyond.”

The team successfully achieved a major programmatic milestone with the March 2024 Food and Drug Administration clearance of a first-of-its-kind portable blood-based biomarker test is a significant advancement in the ability to assess and triage warfighters suspected of having a TBI.

The PMS 408 Expeditionary Medical team from Washington, D.C., led by Montrell Smith, was given an honorable mention for their work in the category “Casualty Care During Multi-Domain Operations, Large Scale Combat Operations, and Prolonged Care.”

The team was recognized for developing the U.S. Navy's first official requirements document supporting casualty care during multi-domain operations, large scale combat operations, and prolonged care. Their work established a crucial framework for acquiring and evaluating essential expeditionary medical capabilities.

Several other awards will be presented during the week-long symposium. The Young Investigator Competition will be held during the conference to honor three top investigators during an awards program. More than 1,400 scientific posters will be presented during MHSRS, and top poster presenters will be recognized by their peers.

For more about MHSRS, the research being presented, and additional areas of interest, visit the MHSRS webpage.