DGMC hosts third annual research symposium Published June 19, 2015 By Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 60th Medical Group at Travis Air Force Base, California, hosted its third annual research symposium, "Innovations in Combat Casualty Care," June 15 in the auditorium of David Grant USAF Medical Center. The symposium allowed researchers to present information about past and current research projects to advance the field of medicine at DGMC and concluded with keynote address on Translational Research in Combat Casualty Care by Dr. Sylvain Cardin, U.S. Army Forward Surgical and Intensive Critical Care portfolio manager. "Part of our continuing efforts to make medical care better involves an annual research symposium where current research projects are shared and discussed," said Dr. Bradley Williams, 60th Medical Group clinical research facility administrator and medical education assistant director. "This discussion helps encourage new ideas and focus hospital staff on what to try next that may be helpful." The presentations also assist patients interested in joining research studies addressing diseases or conditions they may have. Cardin explained how military research has been effective in reducing fatality rates during combat due to advances in medicine. "Our research is requirements driven and exists as the centerpiece of the Department of Defense's continuously learning health system," Cardin said. "There has been a decrease in fatality rates over the years; more lives have been saved in Iraq and Afghanistan." The CIF is currently working on over 60 projects ranging from health and fitness to heart disease and diabetes. "Most of the research projects are available to active duty, dependents and retirees, though some of the studies require specific medical conditions," Bradley said. "Participation is free and commitment ranges from a few office visits to daily research appointments over a couple months." Several studies are now accepting participants wanting to lose weight, improve their fitness level and learn their cardiovascular risk. "Research is important because without it, doctors and nurses would have no way of knowing what kinds of treatment work for different areas of medicine," Bradley said. "Without new research, there will be no way to take care of people better than we did yesterday." This years' focus at the research symposium was on combat casualty care and making advances in that area, but Bradley explained the Air Force's research has generated advances that are improving trauma care. "This work has not only improved the survival of deployed active duty personnel, but it has led to changes in how civilian hospitals respond to mass casualties," Bradley said. "Care learned from military medical research greatly increased the survival rate for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing." With this years' focus on combat casualty care, it has led to improving the survival of deployed active duty personnel and to changes in how civilian hospitals respond to mass casualties. For more information about available research projects, contact the Clinical Investigation Facility at 423-7263.