WRNMMC, Bethesda, Md.  –   Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is pleased to announce that researchers from the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) will present a groundbreaking study on diagnosing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) during the 2023 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) taking place Aug. 14-17, 2023 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida.

Elevating Diagnostic Research, Improving Outcomes for Patients with Mild TBIs
Presentation Title: Brain white matter alterations in military service members after a remote mild traumatic brain injury
Abstract ID: MHSRS-23-10510
Session Title: Battlefield Biomarkers for TBI: Diagnostic and Prognostic Indicators
Presenter: Ping-Hong Yeh, Ph.D., National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Poster Session Date and Time: Wednesday, August 15th, 15:30-17:30 p.m. EDT
Medical Research: A High Calling, Serving Those Who Serve Our Country

Dr. Ping-Hong Yeh, who completed his post-doctoral studies at the University of California, San Francisco, has spent more than a decade studying biomarkers that inform health care workers with vital information in diagnosing and treating TBIs. “I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work in an environment that allows me to help injured warriors,” Yeh emphasized. He’s determined to improve outcomes for those overcoming brain trauma caused by the concussive strength of the weapons of war, especially improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the current lag in TBI incidence and hospitalization can be reduced if digital biomarkers such as hard fall detection are standardized and used as a mechanism to alert paramedics to an unresponsive trauma patient. Yeh and his colleagues are on a mission to turn the tide on mild TBIs, which may cause a wide range of debilitating outcomes - including headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, loss of memory and major mood swings.