“We are a collaborative organization. We can solve these problems together much faster than we can alone.”
Magali Haas, MD, PhD
CEO & President
|
|
|
|
Dear Friends, Family, and Colleagues,
 As 2022 comes to a close, we reflect on the research we’ve advanced, the partnerships we’ve built, and the new initiatives we’ve set into motion.
Each December our team comes together in New York to discuss our progress and plan for the year ahead. As our program managers discuss this year’s milestones, including advancements in genetics, wearable devices, resting state electroencephalography and biomarkers, I’m inspired by the theme that threads our progress together.
Momentum.
Momentum that will propel us toward realizing our goal to make a positive impact on all people suffering from the devastating effects of brain trauma.
Over the past year our achievements have accelerated our progress, by strengthening foundational research methods, advancing our understanding of brain trauma, and joining forces with the best and brightest in the field.
In the impact report below, I’m excited to share what we’ve achieved and the ways you can add to the growing momentum surrounding our mission.
As we look forward to the year ahead, energized and ready to drive our momentum toward our goal, we invite you to join us. Become a member of our TBI Action Coalition (individuals can join for free), and lend your voice to the process. Help raise awareness by volunteering your personal story, or donate to help advance our research.
With your support, we will turn our momentum into solutions for brain trauma.
Strength and Honor,
Magali Haas, MD, PhD
CEO & President
Cohen Veterans Bioscience
|
|
Leading the Charge to Advance
Solutions for Brain Trauma
|
|
“I think Cohen Veterans Bioscience has done a remarkable job bringing together the various players, so that we are all working on the same blueprint, instead of our independent efforts.”
Rachel Ramoni, DMD, ScD
Chief Research and Development Officer
at the Veterans Health Administration
|
|
|
|
Held in October 2022, the Action Summit was a critical first step toward realizing the TBI Precision Research Roadmap through collective public and private action.
We brought together national stakeholder groups across government, academia, foundations, industry, and individuals with lived experience to fast-track solutions for traumatic brain injury.
Watch highlights from the event.
|
|
"There's no better partner for us to have from a science perspective than CVB... We know that if we partner and come together effectively... we are going to make a difference, and we're going to save lives."
Shannon Finn Connell, PhD
CEO, David R. Metcalf Invisible Wounds Foundation
|
|
|
|
We need to work together to accelerate a first generation of diagnostics and treatments for traumatic brain injury.
We are at a crossroads of TBI Research. While there has been increased awareness and funding, we have not made enough progress.
The time is now to embark on a new model of research, where researchers, the government, industry and those with lived experiences come together to focus on achieving specific and measurable objectives that will transform the lives of people who suffer a TBI.
We ask that you join us in this critical fight for our Veterans and others who have suffered long enough and become a Member of the TBI Action Coalition.
|
|
“Research in brain disorders often shows sex differences in the prevalence, progression, and responses to treatment. By determining how males and females are both similar and different across biological systems, we drive the discovery of health solutions that better fit the entire population.”
Chantelle Ferland-Beckham, PhD
Senior Director, External Affairs
|
|
|
|
|
In 2022 we released an unprecedented new video series that provides the practical knowledge necessary for researchers to incorporate sex as a biological variable into their current and future research.
The free 18-part video program was created in response to a 2015 National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy aiming to transform research design, analysis, and reporting in the preclinical sphere by ensuring that both male and female organisms were included in early-stage animal research. The series focuses on sex as a biological variable in preclinical research to address knowledge gaps in scientific inquiry and accuracy.
Learn More
|
|
"Biomarkers are necessary for many contexts, both in terms of prognosis, diagnosis, and long-term monitoring, but also to improve stratification in clinical trials and assessing treatment efficacy."
Elisabeth Wilde, PhD
Professor, University of Utah / VA Salt Lake City
|
|
|
|
|
In the fifth publication of six manuscripts resulting from our Brain Trauma Blueprint framework program, we focused on the pressing need for multi-modal biomarkers (e.g., imaging, blood-based, physiologic) for traumatic brain injury, to guide the development of diagnostics and personalized therapies.
Learn More
|
|
“The goal of the 40Winks study is to evaluate and improve methods of measuring sleep at home, which may help inform the development of diagnostics and treatments that are user-friendly, cost-effective, and reliable.”
Allyson Gage, PhD
Chief Medical Officer
|
|
|
|
|
In our new wearables sleep study, participants can learn about their sleep health from the comfort of their home, while helping improve and simplify how we measure sleep.
Learn More
|
|
“Through this combination of wearables and AI, we are one step closer to monitoring individual healthcare-related activity, such as motor function outside the clinic, unleashing the potential for early detection and diagnosis of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.”
Lee Lancashire, PhD
Chief Information Officer
|
|
|
|
|
The results of a novel machine-learning analysis led by CVB with support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), demonstrate the potential of using sensors, human activity recognition, and deep-learning to aid in the classification of Parkinson’s Disease.
Learn More
|
|
|
Strength in numbers: This year, The Coalition to Heal Invisible Wounds announced four new members joining the organization in its efforts to create a comprehensive advocacy agenda to address the invisible wounds of war. The Navy SEAL Foundation, Green Beret Foundation, Global SOF Foundation, and Special Forces Charitable Trust joined current members Cohen Veterans Bioscience, the Montana chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and the Military Veterans Project.
Advocating for precision medicine: The VA announced the launch of the Scott Hannon Initiative for Precision Mental Health to drive biomarker research focused on mental health conditions, promote data sharing, and speed the translation of research findings to care for Veterans. We're proud to have advocated for this important step toward precision medicine for Veterans' health.
Supporting the Honoring our PACT Act: CVB applauds the signing of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 into law, which will provide expanded health care benefits to millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances including presumptive coverage for brain health conditions such as brain cancer, head cancer and Glioblastoma. CVB was proud to advocate for the passage of this important bill, particularly section 508, which will direct the National Academies to study the possible relationship between toxic exposures and mental health outcomes such as TBI and PTSD.
Unifying TBI programming in the Department of Defense: Enhancing, maintaining, and restoring the cognitive performance of members of the Armed Forces who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is essential to CVB's mission. CVB is proud to have worked with Representative Bacon's office to ensure TBI programming and efforts are unified across the Department of Defense and we applaud the leadership of Representative Bacon for ensuring this important language was included in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Supporting the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act: We're proud to join The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and 25 other organizations signing on to a letter to Congress in support of the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (H.R.8585/S.4851). The Act will, for the first time, create an integrated national plan to prevent and cure Parkinson’s for the more than one million people in the United States living with the disease, including 110,000 military veterans. CVB is proud to be a partner in action for the plan.
|
|
From the Frontlines of Awareness
|
|
"I'm honored to fundraise for CVB, an organization that recognizes the need to develop new treatment options for the millions of Veterans and civilians who suffer from TBIs and other mental health issues to finally combat the epidemic of Veterans suicide."
Tristan Wimmer
Marine Veteran & Founder of 22 Jumps
|
|
|
|
In 2022, we’re proud to have had the support of everyday heroes who raised funds to accelerate our research:
Parachuting to help end Veterans suicide. From Arizona’s Camelback Mountain to the New River Gorge in West Virginia, the Veterans of 22 Jumps made a big impact this year raising awareness of Veterans suicide and funds to advance CVB’s traumatic brain injury research. Learn More
Announcing 22 Jumps 2023:
Camelback Mountain, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, AZ on February 04, 2023.
Learn More
|
|
“We’re here to help, and we all care about this on a very personal level. We will do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
Magali Haas, MD, PhD
CEO & President
|
|
|
|
Donate Today
Veterans, first responders, and all people suffering from the effects of brain trauma urgently need our help.
Every dollar helps fast-track our research to advance solutions for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Triple Your Impact! Every $1 you donate will be matched by $2.
|
|
From all of us at Cohen Veterans Bioscience,
we wish you happy holidays!
|
|
|
|
