RTI International has joined a Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Consortium to better understand the long-term effects of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or concussions that may be affecting U.S military personnel and veterans.
The consortium established by DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs includes seven veteran hospitals, ten universities, and six active duty military treatment facilities. The Consortium received $62.2 million to study the chronic effects of neurotrauma.
The consortium is doing research to find ways to improve TBI’s diagnostic and treatment options. This is being done by examining factors influencing the chronic effects of mild TBI and common comorbidities resulting in molecular changes in the brain that can increase the potential for neurodegenerative disease.
RTI scientists will use a portion of the initial funding to manage the operations and data management functions for the teams at the various research sites. In addition, the company will do biostatistical design and data analysis for the consortium and be responsible for coordinating the biostatistical activities carried out at the research sites.
Primarily designed to focus on service members and veterans that were in Iraq and Afghanistan, the consortium will also conduct studies on veterans from previous conflicts, including Korea or Vietnam and then potentially focus on victims of care accidents, sports injuries, and falls.