VCU news

More than 50 nationally recognized traumatic brain injury researchers from 10 universities, six VA medical centers and three Department of Defense facilities convened last week at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The group met for the inaugural Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium meeting, hosted Aug. 14 and 15 by VCU’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The CENC was established in 2013 with a $62.2 million federal grant to study what happens to service members and veterans who suffer mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions.

David X. Cifu, M.D., chair of the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is the grant’s principal investigator and CENC chairman.

“This first meeting of the CENC program represents an important milestone,” Cifu said. “In addition to providing a summary meeting for a highly successful initial year for the largest TBI research grant in U.S. history, it also represents the kickoff for the $10 million flagship study of the grant, the Combat Concussion Longitudinal Study, which is a five-center prospective study of 1,100 service members and veterans with blast-related concussion led by VCU.”

Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine, and Cifu provided the welcome and opening remarks before VCU School of Medicine departmental chairmen John Povlishock, Ph.D.; F.Gerry Moeller, M.D.; and William Walker, M.D., delivered special topic presentations. Various break-out sessions and large-group discussions made up the rest of the meeting.

Walker is the principal investigator for the Combat Concussion Longitudinal Study, which will commence in September at the McGuire VA Medical Center.

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