The Official USU Newsletter

Learning to Care for Those in Harm’s Way

Volume 11, Issue 8 n May 31, 2016

www.usuhs.edu

RESEARCH DAYS
2 the pulse May 31, 2016

On the cover

Sharon Holland

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Christopher Austin

Writer and Interim Editor

MC3 Laura Bailey

Writer and Photographer

Tom Balfour

Photographer

 

Production

Editorial content is edited, prepared and 

provided by the USU Office of External 

Affairs unless otherwise indicated. The 

Pulse staff may include or exclude articles based upon news value, impact on 

the university and space availability.

Submissions

The Pulse is published biweekly on 

Mondays. The deadline for submissions 

is at 4 p.m. Tuesday prior to the publication date. Submissions can be sent to 

christopher.austin.ctr@usuhs.edu or by 

calling 301-295-3338.

Schaefer Earns Wu Award

By MC3 Laura Bailey

Students sit in on the fourth annual Faye G. Abdellah Lecture for the 

Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School 

of Nursing as part of the Research 

Days event that ran from May 16-19. 

The event showcases achievements in 

clinical and basic scientific research. 

See story on pg. 7. (Photo by Tom 

Balfour)

The Uniformed 

Services University of 

the Health Sciences 

(USU) presented an 

award to the 2016 winner of the Henry Wu 

Award for Excellence in 

Basic Research, May 4, 

2016. 

Brian C. Schaefer, Ph.D., an associate 

professor in the Department of Microbiology 

and Immunology at 

the F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine at 

USU, received the Henry Wu Award for his 

paper entitled, “Selective Autophagy of the 

Adapter Protein Bcl10 

Modulates T Cell Receptor Activation of NFκB,” published in Immunity, June 29, 2012. 

Dr. Schaefer and his research 

group discovered that the cellular 

autophagy mechanism is responsible for regulating the activity of a 

type of blood cell called T cells. 

“Autophagy literally means 

self-eating,” said Schaefer. “At the 

time of the study, the autophagy 

pathway was known primarily as a 

mechanism used to non-specifically 

digest and recycle parts of a cell to 

fuel survival during starvation conditions.” 

This study was among the 

first to show that autophagy can also 

be used in a highly selective way to 

regulate a specific cellular function 

(activation of T cell immunity, in 

this case) by degrading a specific 

target protein. His work has resulted in an improved understanding 

of how the immune system is regulated at the cellular level and it may 

suggest new strategies for designing 

drugs to enhance or reduce immune 

responses for treatment of an array 

of human diseases, he said. 

The Wu Award is presented 

annually to peer-selected USU faculty members who have published 

a paper within the previous three 

years that has made a unique and 

fundamental contribution to their 

field of research. The awarded receives $2,000, and delivers a keynote 

lecture as part of the annual USU 

Research Week conference. 

Brian C. Schaefer, Ph.D., associate professor in 

the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine. 

(Photo by Tom Balfour)
3 the pulse May 31, 2016

The Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences 

(USU) awarded the 2016 Leonard 

Award for Excellence in Translational or Clinical Research to 

Christopher Broder, Ph.D. of the 

Department of Microbiology and 

Immunology. 

Broder, a professor in the 

F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, was awarded for his work in 

the paper “Therapeutic Treatment 

of Nipah Virus Infection in Nonhuman Primates with a Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibody,” 

published in Science Translational 

Medicine, June 25, 2014.

This therapy, using monoclonal antibody m102.4, was approved for a phase one human clinical trial which launched in April 

2015 and is nearing completion this 

year. This is the first phase one safety trial of any anti-Hendra or Nipah 

virus therapeutic or vaccine.

Nipah and Hendra viruses 

are newly emerging viruses of the 

paramyxovirus family that are transmitted from fruit bats to horses, pigs 

and occasionally humans, which 

can lead to epidemic outbreaks. 

While the Hendra virus is 

endemic to Australia, the Nipah virus is endemic to several regions of 

Southeast Asia, India and Bangladesh. Both lead to encephalitis with 

a case mortality rates between 40 to 

100 percent.

Broder’s research into the 

viruses over the past decade have 

led to several discoveries including 

structural determination of the attachment and fusion glycoproteins 

of the pathogens, the development 

of a commercially available Hendra 

virus equine vaccine, and the discovery and validation of the only 

known therapeutic agent against 

Hendra and Nipah virus infection. 

“There is no doubt in my 

mind that Dr. Broder is an outstanding scientist,” said Chou-Zen Giam, 

Ph.D., professor and vice chair of 

the Department of Microbiology 

and Immunology. “He has made 

important contributions to our understanding of viral entry. Through 

his works on HIV, and Hendra and 

Nipah viruses, Dr. Broder has established himself as an internationally 

known virologist.”

Past accomplishment by 

Broder include aiding in the discovery of the chemokine receptor, 

CXCR4, as the co-receptor for HIV 

into T lymphocytes. This was made 

while he was on a team of investigators led by Dr. Edward Berger of 

NIH. 

Broder received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in 

Marine and Molecular Biology from 

Florida Tech University. He obtained his Ph. D. from the University of Florida, Gainesville in 1989. 

In 1996, Broder joined the faculty 

of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as an assistant 

professor. 

Broder Receives Leonard Award 

for Research

By Christopher Austin

 Dr. Christopher Broder, Ph.D., gives a lecture entitled ' Studies on Nipah and 

Hendra Virus Infection Lead to an Effective Human Monoclonal Antibody 

Therapy,' at the recipient presentation for The Leonard Award as part of the 

Research Days event on May 12, 2016. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
4 the pulse May 31, 2016

A future military physician is 

combining his pride 

in Service with his 

passion for baseball. 

Army 2nd Lt. Brian 

Merrigan, a fourthyear medical student 

at the Uniformed 

Services University of 

the Health Sciences 

(USU), recently made 

the U.S. Military AllStar Team and will 

play as an outfielder 

this summer. 

A Boston native, Merrigan has 

been playing ball 

since he was four, 

and had heard of 

the Military All-Star 

Team before he was 

commissioned by the 

Army in 2013, he said. After starting school at USU that same year, 

he knew he wanted to go out for 

the All-Star Team, made up service 

members from the Army, Navy, Air 

Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. 

His first two years of medical school 

kept him busy, though, so he tried 

out for the team in his third year. 

When he recently learned he made 

the team, he was ecstatic.

“I’m excited to play baseball 

again, especially for a military team 

that combines two things I love 

most,” he said, referring to the military and his favorite sport. “It’s a really exciting opportunity, to be able 

to [play for the All-Star team] while 

in medical school ... It’s also cool to 

represent USU and the Army.” 

Merrigan brings an extensive 

“brag sheet” to the All-Star baseball 

team. He was a lead off hitter for one 

of the top baseball programs in the 

state of Massachusetts – Boston College High School. There, he earned 

an offensive player of the year award 

and made captain during his senior 

year, leading the team to the state 

semi-final game. He went on to attend Amherst College, also in Boston, where he played on their team 

as a four-year starter and left fielder. 

He also made captain there, during 

his senior year, and was one of the 

school’s few baseball players to have 

more than 100 hits and 100 runs 

scored in their career. He graduated 

from Amherst in 2011 with a .307 

batting average and a .404 on base 

percentage – along with his degree 

in pre-med and economics. 

After college, Merrigan 

spent some time coaching baseball for his high school and college 

alma maters. At that time, he hadn’t 

thought about going into the military, but then several of his friends 

and a fellow coach joined – they 

piqued his interest. Meanwhile, he 

knew he wanted to go to medical 

school and learned about USU. He 

visited the University for his admissions interview and “just fell in love 

with this place,” he said. 

Merrigan was commissioned by the Army right before 

starting at USU, and as he embarks 

on his fourth year with the class of 

2017, he hopes to specialize in either 

family medicine or sports medicine. 

He plans to make a career practicing 

From the Ballfield to the Battlefield 

USU Student Makes All-Star Military Baseball Team 

Army 2nd Lt. Brian Merrigan practices with his fiance, Air Force 2nd Lt. Carolina Stark. 

Merrigan recently made the U.S. Military All-Star Baseball Team. (photo by Sarah Marshall)

By Sarah Marshall

continued on pg. 6
5 the pulse May 31, 2016

By MC3 Laura Bailey

Woodson Addresses Health Care Strategies During 

Research Days Lecture

The Honorable (Dr.) Jonathan Woodson, former Assistant 

Secretary of Defense for Health 

Affairs, addressed a number of interdisciplinary researchers, medical students, faculty and staff as he 

delivered the Presidential Lecture at 

the Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences (USU) annual Research Days on May 19. 

In Woodson’s lecture, “The 

Military Health System: Honoring 

Our Past, Shaping Our Future,” he 

talked about acknowledged past 

successes and outlined a strategy for 

change. 

“It’s important to remember that the Military Health System 

has been at the forefront of medical 

advances since our nation’s beginning,” said Woodson. “From the 

time of the Civil War, the Military 

Health System (MHS) has always 

been about force health protection 

and that remains the cornerstone of 

what we do today, but we also need 

to look to the future because there 

are a lot of imperatives that are reshaping the world in dramatic ways.”

Changes to national security strategies – due to threats such as 

the Ebola and Zika viruses, natural 

catastrophes and other threats, need 

to be addressed by the MHS, he said. 

“National security is really 

about the government’s responsibility to protect the state from all kinds 

of national crises,” said Woodson. 

“The number of initiatives being 

added to the national security equation are growing – fiscal, economical, cyber, intellectual and now 

health needs to be added to that. 

Our imperatives and challenges are 

about sustaining our readiness and 

ensuring that we maintain the value 

and the quality of expectations as we 

responsibly manage our costs."

"Radical, seismic changes 

are coming to the Military Health 

System as part of massive health 

care reform legislation, he said – 

with more joint entities and operational control of the hospitals, 

and eliminating waste by shrinking 

headquarters. They’re taking a system that they know can work better 

and forcing it to change," he added. 

“This is all about pivoting to 

the future, which means a better use 

of data and technology as well as addressing the continuum of care and 

the issue of high value,” said Woodson. “These changes aren’t things 

that Health Affairs decided needed 

to happen on a whim. They looked 

at the data and at other stakeholders and health systems. They heard 

from health economists and a lot of 

different folks to craft this legislation.

With the overhaul of the 

Military Health System, there will 

be increased accountability measures implemented to ensure a drive 

towards change, he said. 

“The key is don’t take this 

personally,” said Woodson. “While 

there’s some critical things being 

said here about the Military Health 

System, much of what they’re saying 

is effecting American health care at 

large. This presents an opportunity 

for us to lead because in fact we control most of the variables. Socrates 

said 'The secret to change is to focus 

all of your energy, not on fighting 

the old, but on building the new.' 

Accept change as an important challenge that will allow us to once again 

lead the nation.”

The Honorable (Dr.) Jonathan Woodson, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, delivers the Presidential Lecture at the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) annual Research Days on 

May 19. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
With more than 36.9 million 

people infected globally, HIV continues to be a major public health 

issue. Those living with the virus are 

at an increased risk for other nonAIDS diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and though 

it’s not entirely clear why, this has 

been associated with inflammation 

and abnormal blood clotting. A new 

study – the largest of its kind – involving researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences (USU), published 

recently in PLOS ONE, provides 

direct evidence that altered coagulation caused by the HIV virus, which 

can be related to inflammation, is 

not fully halted by HIV treatment 

and is associated with increased risk 

of non-AIDS diseases.

Previously, though not definitively proven, researchers have 

believed individuals with HIV are 

at an increased risk for non-AIDS 

diseases because of inflammation, 

reflected for example by an increase 

in D-dimer levels. These can be detected through a blood test, and are 

used to help diagnose abnormal 

blood clotting or other acute conditions. Researchers have also shown 

that medications used to suppress 

and slow the progress of the virus – 

antiretroviral therapy (ART) – could 

play a role in lowering D-dimer levels and decreasing patients’ risk for 

non-AIDS diseases. What has been 

unknown is whether ART treatment 

returns D-dimer to pre-HIV infection levels or if there is still residual 

elevation and thus risk.

Through this new study, researchers analyzed 249 HIV positive 

participants from the U.S. Military 

HIV Natural History Study, a prospective multicenter observational 

cohort of more than 5,600 active 

duty military personnel and beneficiaries living with HIV. They measured blood samples at three different stages of HIV infection: first, 

before an individual was infected; 

second, just after HIV infection, prior to receiving ART; finally, at more 

than six months after ART with successful suppression of the HIV virus. They evaluated the changes in 

D-dimer levels between each stage, 

measuring the association between 

these changes and future non-AIDS 

events.

At each stage of HIV infection, they found D-dimer levels remained elevated. This, for the first 

time, demonstrates that successful 

ART and HIV viral suppression 

are not adequate to resolve changes 

caused by HIV and prevent nonAIDS diseases for those living with 

HIV.

"This study confirms what 

was believed, that HIV infection 

causes elevation of D-dimer and 

ART is not sufficient to fully protect 

individuals with HIV from development of non-AIDS diseases. While 

ART is essential in the treatment 

of HIV and certainly reduces the 

risk of HIV-associated non-AIDS 

diseases, it appears that additional 

types of treatments targeting this 

residual pathology will be needed 

and should be studied,” according to 

study author Dr. Brian Agan, of the 

Infectious Disease Clinical Research 

Program, in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics at 

USU.

The researchers suggest further research is needed to help determine other factors associated 

with an increased risk for non-AIDS 

diseases, for those with HIV. They 

also encourage future research to focus on screening and management 

strategies for the prevention of nonAIDS diseases, even among healthy 

individuals who achieve HIV viral 

suppression.

By Sarah Marshall

Residual Inflammation, Abnormal Blood Coagulation Place Individuals 

with HIV at Increased Risk for Non-AIDS Diseases

6 the pulse May 31, 2016

medicine in the military, caring for 

his fellow troops – his “family.”

For now, until the end of 

July, Merrigan will travel the country with the All-Star baseball team, 

playing more than 30 games in 

North Carolina, Florida, Missouri, 

Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, 

and South Dakota. Made up of 

about 25 players, the team will also 

attend a number of military-related 

events and parades this season to 

show their support for other troops 

and veterans. 

“I love the patriotic aspect of 

it ... I’m really looking forward to 

that aspect,” he said. 

Along with the team’s patriotism and support for troops, 

each player chose a service-related 

slogan to wear on the back of their 

military-style camouflage uniforms. 

Above Merrigan’s number, 9, he will 

proudly wear the words “In Harm’s 

Way.” He said he wanted to sport 

this meaningful phrase because it’s 

part of USU’s mission, “Learning to 

Care for Those in Harm’s Way.” He 

hopes to represent the institution as 

he’s hitting home runs on the ball 

field and, one day, on the battlefield. 

Baseball, continued from Pg. 4
7 the pulse May 31, 2016

USU Kicks Off 101 Days of Summer Safety Drive

By Eric Ritter We’ve reached the “101 Days 

of Summer” – considered to be the 

riskiest time of the year, between 

Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“We’ve identified the summer time period as a higher-risk 

time period ... because people are 

looking to get outside more after 

being cooped up in their houses 

during the winter,” said Master Sgt. 

Danny Vitek, NCOIC of the Safety 

Division for the Environmental and 

Occupational Health Department at 

the Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences (USU). 

Planning ahead and managing risk factors can help keep people 

safe, Vitek added.

For those venturing out on a 

road trip this season, Vitek recommends planning the trip ahead of 

time, making time for rest stops as 

well as making sure your vehicle is 

safe and ready for a long ride.

This is also a time when people are out doing more physical activities that they might not be used 

to doing, he added. He suggests 

making sure you’re physically ready, 

before jumping into an activity, to 

help avoid injuries.

Hydration is also important this time of year. Heat stroke is 

extremely dangerous, and it can be 

misleading – by that point, the body 

has stopped sweating, and that’s 

a sign the body is shutting down, 

unable to cool itself. Remember 

to keep drinking water and avoid 

heat-related injuries, he said.

While enjoying the summer 

sun, don’t forget to wear sunblock, 

to avoid serious short- and longterm sun damage. Consult your 

primary care provider to determine 

which sunscreen is best for you.

If you’re grilling outside, 

never bring the barbeque into the 

garage, even if it starts raining.

“Sometimes people think it’s 

okay to bring a barbeque in the garage. However... it can be filling the 

garage full of odorless and deadly 

carbon monoxide. Even if the door 

is open, the carbon monoxide is absorbed quicker into the body than 

oxygen,” Vitek said.

He went on to note that staying safe in the summer also means 

taking precautions while swimming, when using fireworks, and 

when consuming alcohol. 

“Make sure you always have 

a sober battle buddy, shipmate or 

wingman,” he said. 

Summer safety is important 

to the USU community, he added, 

and everyone here plays a vital role.

“We cannot afford to lose 

[anyone] for any reason,” Vitek said. 

Take time to plan your activities this 

summer, and come back to us. We 

are only as strong as the members of 

our organization," he said.

The Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health 

Sciences will be hosting its second 

Summer Institute, June 6-10, at 

USU.

The “CDP Summer Institute: 

Preparing for a Military-Focused 

Internship” is an intensive five-day 

course designed for graduate level clinical or counseling psychology students interested in applying 

for Department of Defense internships. The program helps trainees 

strengthen their military knowledge 

and clinical skills to be more competitive for the DoD internships. 

The CDP received nearly 100 applications for this year’s 

Summer Institute. Thirty doctoral 

students, including seven Armed 

Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program students, representing 

23 different institutions will participate. 

“A career as a military psychologist can be very rewarding, but 

graduate students interested in this 

career path may not feel adequately prepared to succeed at a military 

internship site,” said Dr. Paula Domenici, director of CDP’s Civilian 

Training Programs. “They also may 

lack an adequate background in 

military behavioral health. Attending the Summer Institute will hopefully give them the tools they need 

to apply for a military internship 

and start the process for becoming 

a military psychologist.”

The focused course will provide attendees practical information 

about working with Service members and veterans through didactics, 

experiential exercises and panel discussions. Participants will receive 

training on a number of topics including:

•	 Advanced military culture and 

the deployment cycle

•	 Military behavioral health providers’ work experiences

•	 Cognitive behavioral strategies 

used in a military setting

•	 Military PTSD with a focus on 

combat trauma

•	 Ethical dilemmas unique to military settings

By Sharon Holland

Center for Deployment Psychology Hosts Summer Institute
8 the pulse May 31, 2016 9 the pulse May 31, 2016

USU Holds Annual Research Days

The Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences 

(USU) recently held its annual Research Days as a way to highlight 

clinical and basic science research 

achievements while at USU. 

Photos By Tom Balfour

Navy Ensign Ethan Bernstein displays his poster about a student shadow program.

Navy Ensign Alisha Smith explains her Research Days poster.

Winners of the poster presentations proudly display their plaques for each of 

their respective categories.

Dr. Kent Sabey, program director for Advanced Eduction in Endodontics at 

Louisiana State University, gives a keynote lecture entitled "Dental Resident 

Research Can Impact Patient Care!"

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) James Cullen 

presents the Master of Science in Oral 

Biology Research Presentation: "The 

Effects of 8.25% Sodium Hypochlorite 

on Dental Pulp Dissolution and 

Dentin Flexural Strength and 

Modulus for the USU Postgraduate 

Dental School."

Neuroscience Graduate Student Christina Marion gives a talk at the 

Graduate Student Colloquium: "Myelin Plasticity Supports Recovery of Nerve 

Conduction Velocity After Experimental TBI."
10 the pulse May 31, 2016

Final Frame

Air Force General (retired) Edward A. Rice, Jr., former Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint 

Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, addresses the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine Class of 2019, May 24, 2016. 

(Photo by MC3 Laura Bailey)