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NAVAL AEROSPACE MEDICAL RESEARCH LABORATORY S U CIENCE PDATE NAMRL MISSION: TO CONDUCT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION IN AEROSPACE MEDICINE AND RELATED SCIENCES TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL READINESS OF NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AND OTHER MILITARY PERSONNEL. WINTER 2009 NAMRL RESEARCHERS WIN AWARD AT AMSUS CONFERENCE SeveralNAMRLresearchersat- absorption,andsideeffectprofileof tendedtheAssociationofMilitarySur- intranasalscopolaminegelasacoun- geonsoftheUnitedStates(AMSUS) termeasureformotionsickness,par- Conferenceduringtheweekof16to20 ticularlyforuseindynamicmilitary November.TheAMSUSConference environments.NAMRLalsorepre- washeldconcurrentlywiththeAssocia- sentedattheUSSWConferencewitha tionofMedicalServiceCorpsOfficers presentationaddressingcognitiveis- oftheNavy(AMSCON)andtheUni- sueswithpilotsinflightandpilotpsy- formedServicesSocialWorkers chologicalprofiles. Thethemeofthe (USSW)Conferences. conferencereflectedtheneedforsocial entificposters.Theexceptional workersinouragenciestodevelop TheAMSCONConferenceheldits qualityofNAMRL’sresearchwas newmodelsofpracticeandnewskill- combinedAnnualCorpsChiefs’Recep- recognizedwhentheyreceivedthe skillsetstoprovidequalitysocialwork tionandAnnualPosterSessionhosted “BestinResearch”awardfortheir servicesinnon-traditionalsettingsand bytheformerdirectoroftheNavy submission“TheEfficacyofLow- withinnon-traditionalorganizational MedicalServiceCorp. NAMRLmadea DoseIntranasalScopolamine structures. particularlystrongshowingattheAM- forMotionSickness.”Thisstudy SCONPosterSession,enteringsixsci- addressedtheefficacy,medication RDML TOURS NAMRL visitoneofNMRC’ssubordinatelabo- INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ratories. NAMRL’sOICandsenior staffpresentedacommandoverview HFES, HFETAG 2 whichincludedbriefingsonNAMRL’s CONFERENCES mission,currentresearchprograms, productlines,technologytransferac- BRAC UPDATE 2 complishments,aswellasBRACplans andmajormilestones.RDMLtoured CDR’S CORNER 3 thefacilityanditslaboratoriesandre- ceivedafirst-handlookathowNAMRL RDMLtouringNAMRL’s supportsthefleetandwarfightermis- HypoxiaLab sion. RDMLemphasizedtheimpor- RDMLoftheNavyMedicine tanceoftheuniqueresearchconducted SupportCommand(NMSC)and atNAMRL,andatalltheNavyMedi- Chief,MedicalServiceCorps, cinelaboratoriesshehasvisited.She visitedtheNavalAerospaceMedi- andherstaffintendtomarkettheop- NavalAerospaceMedicalResearchLaboratory calResearchLaboratory erationalmedicineresearchenterprise 280FredBauerSt.Pensacola,FL32508 (NAMRL)on07December. It andincreasevisibilityatbothBUMED wasRDML’sfirstopportunityto andintheFleet. 850-452-3486 www.med.navy.mil/sites/nhrc/namrl PAGE 2 SCIENCE UPDATE NAMRL RESEARCHERS PRESENT AT HFES, HFETAG TheHumanFactors ance(CAST)andCross- representsanewcore andEngineeringSociety CulturalStressPhysiol- capabilityforNAMRL, (HFES)heldits53rdannual ogy(CCSP)projects, includingtheabilityto meetinginOctober,where respectively. First,a monitor,recordandana- aprincipalinvestigator summarizationwasgiven lyzeavarietyofphysiol- fromNAMRLpresented of howtheCASTpro- ogicdatainacontrolled theirmostrecenthypoxia jectdevelopedmeasures environmentincluding, research. Thepresentation andscoringalgorithmsto EGG,EKG,GSR,respira- broughttolightnovelfind- aidtheNavalAerospace tion,eye-tracking,and ingsregardinghypoxiaand MedicalInstitute(NAMI) voicestressanalysis.The itseffectoncognitionand intheirmissiontopre- presentationwascon- post-exposurerecovery. dictandreducestudent cludedwithadescription Thesecondmeetingwas attritionduringflight oftheimmediategoalsof the62ndannualmeetingof training.Next,wasan theCCSPprojectwhich theDepartmentofDefense outlineofNAMRL’s includedcomparingthe HumanFactorsTechnical successinstandingupthe differencesincross- EngineeringAdvisory newOperationalStress culturalphysiologicalreac- group(HFETAG). Twoof andResilienceProgram’s tionstostress. NAMRL’s principalinves- (OSRP)Psychophysiol- tigatorsrepresentedwork ogyLab.Therewasa ontheComprehensiveAs- descriptionof howthe sessmentofStressToler- PsychophysiologyLab BRAC UPDATE 06NOV 30NOV ActualProgress: 64% 70% ScheduledProgress: 53% 59% NAMRU-DAYTON(NOV2009) 11%AHEADOFSCHEDULE NAMRLupdateasof06November:  Theroofwasbeinginstalledandtheprecastwasnearingcompletion.  Electricpowerwasexpected15Nov.  TheDisorientationResearchDevicehadconcreteplacedforthefootersystem. SCIENCE UPDATE PAGE 3 COMMANDER’S CORNER ThemonthofDecemberalwaysgivespauseforreflectionandasIconsiderthepastyearatNAMRL, thefirstwordsthatcometomindarechallenge,opportunity,change,andgrowth.Whilechallengecame invariousforms,thestaffatNAMRLrespondedwitheffectiveandinnovativesolutions.Weansweredthe callforexpandedresearchcapabilitiesbyconceptualizingandoutfittingtwonewlaboratorieswithin NAMRL;theContinuousOperationsPerformanceEnhancement(COPE)LabandPsychophysiologyLab. ThenewlaboratoriesprovideNAMRLresearcherswithstate-of-the-arttechnologiestoexploreandsolve theproblemsofoperationalcommunities,andspecifically,thewarfighter.Tosupporttheresearchofthese laboratories,fournewscientistshavebeenaddedtothestaffandseveralnewresearchlineswerefunded, includingthevalidationoftwopotential“readinesstofly”assessmenttoolsforaircrew,andacross-cultural comparisonofthephysiologicalmarkersofstress. TheNAMRLstaffhasalsobeensuccessfullymeetingthe challengeofproductdeliveryandtransition. Intotal,18productswerepublishedortransitionedthisyear.Inthepastsix months,NAMRLresearchersattendedfiveconferencesandmade16researchpresentations,ofwhichonewasbestoweda “BestinResearch”awardattheAMSUSconference. Anotherareaofchallengeandgrowththatmustbementionedisthe BRACmovetoDayton. Thischallengehasbeenembracedandisalreadypayingdividends. NAMRLheldaribboncutting ceremonyfortheopeningofournewBRACWarRoom,designedtobeathinktankforallaspectsoftheBRACtransition. Thesciencetransitionpieceisnoexception.NAMRLhasestablishedresearchcollaborationsandagreementswithuniversities andlaboratoriessuchasAirForceResearchLaboratory(AFRL),AirForceInstituteofTechnology(AFIT),USAFSchoolof AerospaceMedicine(USAFSAM),WrightStateUniversity,UniversityofDayton(UD)andtheUniversityofDaytonResearch Institute(UDRI),allofwhichareseenasessentialtothesuccessofNAMRU-Daytonduring,andafter,thetransition. Lastly, tosolidifyourrelevanceandconnectiontothefleet,acharterwassignedthisyearcreatinganNMR&DFleetLiaisonforAvia- tionwiththeScientificDirectorofNAMRLbeingassignedastheliaison/representativeforNMR&DtotheChiefofNavalAir Forces. Thisdirectlinktoourcustomerplaysavitalroleinkeepingthelaboratories’workgermaneandconsistentwithfleet needs. Theyears’challengesbroughtnecessarychanges,butalso,excellentopportunitiesforgrowthandadvancement. The NAMRLstafflooksforwardtotheupcomingyearandtheuniquechallengesthatwearecertainwillcomeourway. OpeningoftheBRACWarRoom NAMRL’snewPsychophysiologyLab