Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC) at Fort Liberty, the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC), the North Carolina Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) and Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) are gearing up for the Military Medical Innovation Operational (MIO) Forum this Thursday, Dec. 7, at FTCC in Fayetteville, NC. 

The purpose of the MIO Forum is to forge collaborations between WAMC and academia, industry, and military partners to yield actionable results, including joint submissions for federal grant funding. This forum will bring together subject matter experts (SMEs) with years of research and grant experience to discuss research opportunities within the specialty areas of behavioral health, traumatic brain injury, prolonged field care, automation, human performance, musculoskeletal injuries, large observational data, pain and others.

“The MIO Forum will offer a unique opportunity for industry- and academia-based researchers to network directly with military medical SMEs in order to form partnerships to pursue joint grant applications for research that will directly impact warfighter health, medical readiness, battlefield medicine and national security,” said Scott Dorney, Executive Director of the NCMBC, in a press release.

The key component of the MIO Forum, which will follow introductory remarks by each military medical SME, will be the opportunity for attendees to rotate between specialty-specific networking tables hosted by the respective SMEs. 

“Having an opportunity for attendees to spend substantive time with our SMEs should be most fruitful. It will also be insightful for our SMEs to understand at a deeper level the needs of our collaborative partners,” said Dr. Y. Sammy Choi, Senior Research Advisor at WAMC, in a press release.

SME speakers and their respective specialties include:

• COL Ty Harris, MD; Orthopaedic Surgery; Chief, Department of Research; Surgical Specialty Advisor to the Army Central Simulation Committee: augmented reality, artificial intelligence, non-invasive monitoring, prolonged field care, contested logistics, simulation, electromagnetic signature, clinical trials.
• COL Min Ho Chang, MD; Certified Pain Specialist; Director, Pain Clinic: non-opioid pain management, alternative medicine, clinical trials.
• CAPT (RET) Vicki Ingram, PhD; Neuropsychology; Senior Scientist, Intrepid Spirit Brain Injury Center: behavioral health, mild traumatic brain injury, brain biomarkers, clinical trials.
• Tim Mauntel, PhD; Human Movement Science/Biomechanics; Defense Health Program Musculoskeletal Injury Portfolio Manager: wearable sensors, modeling/simulation, human performance optimization, injury prevention.
• CJ Maldonado, PhD; Cell Biology; Deputy Director, Department of Research: bench and animal science, large data analytics, exposome approach to human disease, infectious diseases.
• Jess White-Phillip, PhD; Molecular Biology; Senior Scientist, Department of Research: basic science, clinical trials, animal research, large database research.
• Y. Sammy Choi, MD; Internal Medicine and Pediatrics; Senior Advisor, Department of Research: diabetes, metabolic health, human performance optimization, large database research, biosensors.

Following the MIO Forum, industry, academic and military partners may submit research proposals to WAMC by Mar. 8, 2024 via dha.liberty.womack-amc.mbx.me-dci-triage@health.mil. This email box can also be used to ask questions during this submission phase. WAMC will review all proposals and respond to submitters within 45 days.

The Forum will be held from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. at the Tony Rand Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room (building #7) at 2201 Hull Road in Fayetteville.

All medical-focused researchers are encouraged to attend this free Forum.  For more information on the MIO Forum, including registration and the post-Forum submission process, visit: http://go.pardot.com/e/934193/ovation-operational-mio-forum-/gybz1/419901672/h/d4QWKHjFndqzKRmioH1byzOX92892NtfZwp1upSkZe8.