Photo By Joe Wiggins | Dr. Rene Alvarez (right) head of the Applied Laboratory Sciences Division, Department...... read more read more
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Navy’s top doctor visited the Alamo City’s newest biomedical research labs, June 25, and left impressed with what he saw.
Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan, U.S. Navy surgeon general and chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, recently visited the Naval Medical Research Unit-San Antonio, receiving briefings and hands-on tours of many of the unit’s latest developments.
These developments included new and ongoing projects in the core missions of directed energy, dental and combat casualty care biomedical research.
NAMRU-SA operates in two facilities, the Battlefield Health and Trauma Research Institute building and the Tri-Services Research Laboratory. The admiral had the opportunity to visit both facilities.
While touring the labs, the admiral watched a demonstration of new tourniquet testing using the HapMed Combat Medic Trainer being conducted by NAMRU-SA, and spoke with the researchers about their work.
The trainer simulates pulse and other bodily functions, and shows when circulation is controlled using a tourniquet. NAMRU-SA is the lead laboratory for the Tri-Service test and evaluation study “Joint Operational Evaluation of Field Tourniquets.” The principle investigator on that study and several members of her team briefed the admiral.
“The testing we demonstrated for Adm. Nathan included evaluating the parameters of the tourniquet currently used in the field, along with other alternatives being considered,” said Lt. Cmdr. Anne McKeague, head of the Expeditionary Medicine Division, Combat Casualty Care Department of NAMRU-SA.
“I can remember in the Boy Scouts being trained on the use of improvised tourniquets,” Nathan said. “Some time later, their use became sort of blasé in the medical community, but now they are critical in combat conditions. After my tour in Kandahar Providence Afghanistan, I know these devices are saving lives.”
Combat casualty care is a very important issue to the surgeon general. In a tour last January of the Naval Expeditionary Medical Training Institute at Camp Pendleton preparing Sailors to go forward, the surgeon general discussed the importance of this part of the Navy’s medical mission.
“Care for the warfighter is why we exist,” he said. “This is our top priority. Our combat casualty care capability represents a continuum of training from battlefield to bedside to rehabilitative care and support.”
During a discussion on the latest and ongoing dental and biomedical research projects, the admiral was very interested in how the research was conceived, as well as how it affects other areas of the medical mission.
When briefed on research dealing with targeting drug-resistant bacteria, the admiral had several questions for the research staff.
“I’m certain that biogenetics is the next big thing in medicine,” said the admiral, after learning of their work and current findings. “Cracking this code in one area like dental and biomedical research will affect many other areas of medicine for the Navy and all warfighters.”
“I was very impressed with his interest in our dental and biomedical research, as well as his depth of understanding of the importance of what we are doing,” said Dr. Nancy Millenbaugh, a research chemist in the Dental and Biomedical Research Department.
“He was very interested in how we conceived our areas of research, the results we are seeing, as well as how what we do here could affect other areas of military medicine.”
“It was an honor to have Adm. Nathan see what we are doing, and hear his thoughts about our ongoing research and development efforts,” said Capt Vincent DeInnocentiis, commanding officer of Naval Medical Research Unit-San Antonio.
“His comments, questions and observations truly inspired our staff. He also gave us a clear picture of how our mission fits into the overall Navy Medicine picture and supports the warfighters in the field.”
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2012 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 91825 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 279 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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