Skip to main content

Military Health System

Test of Sitewide Banner

This is a test of the sitewide banner capability. In the case of an emergency, site visitors would be able to visit the news page for addition information.

Genome Sequencing Assists Research at Naval Health Research Center

Image of Lab technicians doing genome research. Technicians at the Naval Health Research Center test blood samples for antibodies. The effort is part of the DOD SARS-CoV-2 Whole Genome Sequencing Action Plan, which brings together laboratories to conduct whole genome sequencing across the Military Health System in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Credit: NHRC John Marciano)

Editor’s note: This is the sixth installment in a 7-part series that highlights the work of the Military Health System laboratories and the technicians who worked to identify COVID-19 variants using special sequencing technology.

The staff at Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) added whole genome sequencing capability to their surveillance program. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NHRC brought on scientists and lab technicians to support this work and bioinformatics, which enriched their data collection and analysis capabilities.

“Coordination was a team effort. Lab technicians worked together to test samples, identify candidates for WGS, and ultimately perform the sequencing reactions. This data was handed off to NHRC scientists for process and analysis,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michelle H. Lane, who holds a doctorate in biomedical science and is the director of operational infectious diseases at NHRC.

The U.S. Navy laboratory has access to a number of unique samples from naval vessels, U.S. and Mexico border populations, Department of Defense (DOD) beneficiaries, as well as recruits and trainees across all DOD services. These samples have been important to the DOD across multiple areas of responsibilities during the pandemic. NHRC continues to provide critical sequencing and epidemiological support for the COVID-19 efforts and have even developed a new serological quantitative assay that enables the differentiation between the immune response generated by natural infection compared to immunity generated through vaccination. Serology, in conjunction with molecular, sequencing, and bioinformatics data, will collectively inform a better understanding about vaccine efficacy metrics.

The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division Global Emerging Infections Surveillance’s Next Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Consortium supported their efforts.

“In addition to the financial support, the consortium has shared knowledge and offered support in troubleshooting new protocols and procedures. These resources were critical in initiating the new WGS program,” said Lane.

She believes that this work is important to military and local civilian populations, adding, “Knowledge of diseases circulating in any population, military or civilian, is critical to keeping that population healthy. WGS offers a more precise, close-up look at these diseases and allows doctors and scientists to monitor disease evolution at a molecular level. All of this information contributes to more precise diagnoses and better treatment decisions.”

You also may be interested in...

TriService Nursing Research Program Cultivates Medical Innovative Solution Through Evidence-Based Practice and Research

Article Around MHS
6/9/2023
The TriService Nursing Research Program held its annual Research and Evidence-Based Dissemination Course from April 4-6, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Sgt. Kelsey Martinez)

The TriService Nursing Research Program held its annual Research and Evidence-Based Dissemination Course from April 4-6, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. This course included keynote lectures by military leaders and nationally known clinical experts, along with plenary sessions featuring research and presentations from tri-service active, National Guard and Reserve, and retired military nurse scientists and researchers.

Virtual Medical Center Awarded for Ground-Breaking Technologies

Article Around MHS
6/6/2023
Zekelia Rembert and Anna Moore, virtual health nurse care coordinators, coordinate virtual health projects and outline participating military hospitals and clinics at the Virtual Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on May 16, 2019. Virtual health nurse care coordinators train nurses at varying military hospitals and clinics while providing each nurse with 3.5 hours of continued education. Moore created the program. (Photo by Jason W. Edwards, U.S. Army)

The Virtual Medical Center at Brooke Army Medical Center will be recognized for four groundbreaking programs at the 2023 FORUM Information Technology Innovation Awards on June 7 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

How COVID-19 Public Health Emergency’s End Affects TRICARE

Article Around MHS
5/16/2023
Immunization Clinic photo

The Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 expired at the end of May 11. You might be wondering what this means about the state of COVID-19 or if there are changes to your TRICARE coverage.

Protecting the Warfighter's Health and Readiness, Now and Into the Future

Article Around MHS
3/30/2023
An anopheles mosquito specimen sample sits under the microscope during a demonstration of the U.S. Army’s medical technology development and modernization efforts, Fort Detrick, Maryland, on Feb. 23. (Photo by Summer Abdoh, U.S. Army)

A cure for a debilitating and sometimes deadly disease, new treatments for working military dogs, a snakebite antidote, and a treatment for respiratory disease! See how years of research collaborations are providing protections for warfighters in remote places like never before.

Brooke Army Medical Center Interventional Radiology Offers Less-Invasive Option for Patients with Disc Degeneration

Article Around MHS
3/21/2023
U.S. Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Matthew Taon, interventional radiologist, demonstrates a minimally invasive image guided procedure at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jason W. Edwards, Brooke Army Medical Center)

You may not have to go "under the knife" to ease debilitating back issues, thanks to a new technology. Find out how surgeons at Brooke Army Medical Center are relieving patients from pain where surgery was once the only option.

Belvoir Hospital Reaches Milestone with Robotic-Assisted Joint Replacement Surgery

Article Around MHS
3/20/2023
Fort Belvoir Community Hospital is the first military hospital in the Defense Health Agency to employ this robotic-assisted platform, and the cutting-edge technology provides the joint replacement surgeons an unparalleled amount of real-time surgical data.  (Photo by Reese Brown, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital)

Would you trust your surgical procedure to a robot? See the cutting-edge technology that's taking Belvoir Hospital's joint replacement surgery into a new era.

USU President Encourages Attendees to “Think Outside the Box” at Infectious Disease Symposium

Article Around MHS
3/17/2023
Uniformed Services University President Dr. Jonathan Woodson delivered opening remarks during IDCRP's first annual Science Symposium March 6-10. The event was held in collaboration with the Defense Health Agency Infectious Disease Working Group Subcommittee. (Photo by  HJF communications)

Infectious diseases like COVID-19, HIV, and battlefield wound infections cause illness and disruptions that threaten health and military readiness around the world. To help foster collaboration in the field and share best practices, the Uniformed Services University’s Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program hosted its first Science Symposium March 6-10.

Walter Reed Audiology and Speech Pathology Center Focuses on Improving Quality of Life for Military Health System Beneficiaries

Article Around MHS
3/15/2023
World Hearing Day is observed annually on March 3, and this year’s theme is “Ear and Hearing Care for All.”  (Courtesy photo)

Although World Hearing Day is observed just one day during the year, the Audiology and Speech Pathology Center at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center focuses on improving the health and quality of life for MHS beneficiaries nearly every day of the year.

How This USU Student's Daughter Inspired His Surgery Invention

Article Around MHS
3/13/2023
U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Harvey Harper and his daughter, Niyah, who was integral to the development of the Harper Innovative Safety Suture Kit. (Photo by U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Harvey Harper)

A surgical tool inspired by a child's toy? The father-daughter collaboration that gave us the Harper Innovative Safety Suture Kit.

Brooke Army Medical Center Using New Robotic Guidance System for Spine Surgery

Article Around MHS
2/7/2023
Military medical personnel performing spinal surgery

Groundbreaking innovations at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) are taking spinal surgery to a whole new level. Hear from a surgeon and his patient about the incredible benefits of BAMC's new robotic guidance system.

Frontline Expeditionary Dental Care is Near-Time Reality

Article Around MHS
1/26/2023
Field Portable Dental System

U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity’s Warfighter Deployed Medical Systems is working to modernize several field deployable dental treatment systems to provide dental treatments to warfighters in a not-so typical way.

U.S. Army Medical Laboratory Forges Relationship with Australian Defence Force Institute

Article Around MHS
1/25/2023
Military personnel in medical laoratory

American soldiers from the 1st Area Medical Laboratory were hosted by their counterparts at the Australian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute in Brisbane, Australia. Find out what was discussed at this meeting to strengthen critical relationships, save lives, and enable both sides' mission readiness.

DOD Aims to Shield Warfighters From Novel Biological Agents

Article Around MHS
1/11/2023
Military personnel in chemical cloud

Newer and more complicated biological battlefield threats are prompting the need for stronger countermeasures. We explain the DOD's new advances in medical countermeasures - including cutting edge technology and artificial intelligence - to keep the warfighters operational and combat ready.

Uniformed Services University Professor Develops Self-Diagnosis, Treatment Kit for Common Female Infections

Article Around MHS
1/4/2023
USU infographic with Dr. Elizabeth Kostas-Polston

It's a major research advancement in women's health and females serving in the U.S. military may soon have access to it. See how a new, self-diagnosis and self-treatment kit can help deployed women overseas or in austere environments.

Air Force Research Laboratory Launches Wearable Biomolecular Sensors Program

Article Around MHS
12/29/2022
Military personnel demonstrating a wearable human performance monitoring device

It's like an aircraft's "black box" - that Soldiers wear. Learn about the research collaboration that will literally "arm" warfighters with a sensor to track their well-being during critical missions, predicting performance and health issues before they occur.

Page 1 of 4 , showing items 1 - 15
First < 1 2 3 4 > Last 
Refine your search
Last Updated: May 02, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery