Navy Medicine researchers from around the globe are attending the Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) which kicked off Aug. 15.

MHSRS is a scientific meeting focused on the unique medical research needs of the U.S. armed forces. Scientists from across the Department of Defense share information about current research initiatives for new treatments, and prevention measures for injuries and diseases that improve mission readiness and protect the health of warfighters on and off the battlefield.

"The Navy Medicine Research and Development Enterprise, with eight labs worldwide, engages in a wide array of studies that supports the operational health and mission readiness of our service members," said Capt. Jacqueline Rychnovsky, commanding officer of Naval Medical Research Center, Navy Medicine's lead organization for providing operationally relevant health and medical research solutions.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Karen Guice, who emphasized military medicine is about readiness.

"We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous, and ever-accelerated world, and research is important for us to anticipate what these challenges will be," said Guice. "Military medical research is quite simple -- we produce a medical ready force."

The Director of Research, Development, and Acquisition for Defense Health Agency Rear Adm. Colin Chinn discussed the groundbreaking and innovative work done by military researchers from the past and present.

"Military medical research has been on the forefront, not just in the last 10 years, but throughout our history," he said.

Researchers from across Navy Medicine are doing their part to continue the legacy of innovation by conducting studies that help maintain a fit and ready, 21st century force. Scientists from Navy Medicine research labs presented findings on a broad spectrum of topics during the symposium that highlight the cutting-edge work being done, including:

* Malaria vaccine development
* Development of phage therapy to treat multi-drug resistant bacterial infections
* Psychological resiliency programs
* Validating mobile EEG systems for cognitive monitoring
* Immunology and pathogenesis of Dengue virus infections
* Survivability and physical performance testing
* DoD body composition assessment
* Post-traumatic tissue regeneration

"Attending MHSRS provides our scientists with opportunities to engage, partner, and share knowledge with our fellow researchers, ensuring the Military Health System continues to be at the forefront of innovation when it comes to keeping our warfighters and their families healthy and ready for the challenges of the future," said Rychnovsky.

Navy Medicine's research and development laboratories engage in a broad spectrum of activity, from basic laboratory science to field studies at sites in remote areas of the world and in operational environments. Research topics include infectious diseases; biological warfare detection and defense; combat casualty care; environment health concerns; bone marrow research and registry; aerospace and undersea medicine; medical modeling, simulation and operational mission support; and epidemiology and behavioral sciences. The capabilities and global reach reflect the broad mission of Navy Medicine's Research and Development Enterprise.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Medical Research Center, visit www.navy.mil/.