In the wake of spiking traumatic brain injury case numbers across the Armed Forces, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Combat Casualty Care Research Program announced a TBI research agreement with the University of Michigan on Jan. 22 before a crowd of military and academic leaders in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Massey Foundation TBI Grand Challenge will fund new research efforts geared towards addressing the way cases of severe traumatic brain injury are diagnosed and treated. The overall initiative will invite researchers to both engage and partner in groundbreaking research on severe TBI, with the CCCRP providing substantial expertise and guidance.

"It's an exciting time for this kind of research, especially since it affects so many of our Service Members," said Alicia Crowder, Ph.D., keynote speaker for the event and manager of the Neurotrauma and Traumatic Brain Injury Portfolio for the CCCRP.

Since 2000, more than 300,000 U.S. Service Members have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. Nationally, TBI is responsible for more than 52,000 deaths per year in the U.S., making it the fourth leading cause of death in the country.

According to initiative guidelines, projects submittals will be funded from a pool of up to $500,000 for a 12-month timeframe and will be reviewed by the Massey Grand Challenge Steering Committee, which includes researchers, physicians, University of Michigan academics and leadership from the CCCRP.

"The fact we are able to partner with the Department of Defense on this project is a force multiplier for both organizations," said Kevin Ward, M.D., professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan.