The Official USU Newsletter

Volume 8, Issue 6 • April 29, 2013

www.usuhs.edu
2 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

On the cover

The Ettenhofer Neurocognitive Research Lab 

is using cutting-edge technology, including 

virtual reality simulation and eye trackers, 

to study traumatic brain injury at the 

Uniformed Services University. Read more 

about the groundbreaking work happening 

in this lab on page 4.

Sharon Willis

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Gwendolyn Smalls

Chief, Media Affairs

Tech. Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson

Deputy Chief, Media Affairs

Christine Creenan-Jones

Editor

MC2 Brittney Cannady

Writer

Lori Fields

Layout and Design

The Pulse is printed by USU’s Duplicating Center.

Production

The Pulse is funded by the Department of Defense and 

published by the Uniformed Services University. It is 

authorized for members of the U.S. military services, 

USU alumni, faculty and staff. Contents of the Pulse are 

not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, 

the DoD or USU. Appearance of anything resembling 

advertising in this publication does not constitute 

endorsement by the DoD, USU or Pulse staff members.

The contents of this publication shall be made 

available for use or patronage without regard to race, 

color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, 

physical handicap, political affiliation or any other 

non-merit factor of the user or patron.

Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by 

the USU Office of External Affairs. The editor reserves 

the right to edit articles to conform to DoD policy 

and Associated Press style. All photos are DoD photos 

unless otherwise indicated. 

The Pulse will be published bi-weekly on Mondays. 

The deadline for submissions is at 4 p.m. Tuesday prior 

to the publication date. Submissions can be sent to 

christine.creenan-jones@usuhs.edu or 301-295-3338.

Photo by Thomas Balfour

Graphic by Henry M. Jackson Foundation

The Center for the Study of 

Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed 

Services University cohosted the 8th 

Annual Conference on Amygdala, 

Stress and PTSD with the Walter Reed 

National Military Medical Center on 

April 23. 

The event – which included platform 

presentations and panel discussions – 

focused on fear extinction, this year’s 

conference theme, to better understand 

and solve the biological basis of stress, 

fear and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Several renowned experts shared their 

research findings about these topics, 

including ways to strengthen extinction, 

methods for erasing or 

modifying fear memories, 

and other techniques that 

can improve resilience 

against stress disorders 

like PTSD.

Besides showcasing 

novel discoveries, the 

Amygdala Conference 

was also organized to 

foster new collaborations 

and jumpstart important conversations about 

traumatic stress.

“How do you bring the cell to meet 

the organ to meet the person to meet 

the community?” asked Dr. Robert 

Ursano, founder and director of the 

CSTS, and chair of USU’s Department 

of Psychiatry. “These interfaces are 

most important to us.”

Conference attendees had several 

opportunities to collaborate with health 

care professionals beyond their network. 

More than 300 practitioners and researchers attended the event, and many of them 

participated in small group discussions 

before the formal presentations began. 

These open forum talks brought 

multidisciplinary experts from many 

different workplaces 

together for candid, multidimensional discussions 

about PTSD.

“The Amygdala Conference encourages attendees to move beyond their 

typical knowledge content 

and reach toward science 

from related disciplines 

where they are less familiar,” said Air Force Col. 

(Dr.) Daniel Balog, chair of 

the Amygdala Conference.

Health care professionals from across the National Capital Region participated in small group 

discussions about PTSD at the 8th Annual Conference on Amygdala, Stress and PTSD sponsored 

by the Uniformed Services University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

USU hosts Annual Conference on 

Amygdala, Stress and PTSD

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor

Photo by Christine Creenan-Jones
April 29, 2013 3

The Uniformed Services University announced the 2013 winners of 

the prestigious Henry Wu Award for 

Excellence in Basic Research and the 

James Leonard Award for Excellence in 

Clinical Research.

Galina Petukhova, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of 

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 

earned the Wu award for her study, 

“PRDM9 directs genetic recombination away from functional genomic 

elements,” published in Nature. 

Petukhova’s research examines 

the role PRDM9 protein plays in 

recombination, the process by which 

new gene combinations are formed. 

In a landmark paper, Petukhova’s 

team, in collaboration with computational scientists at the National 

Institutes of Health, identified all 

of the recombination hotspots in 

mice – places where DNA exchanges 

happen most – and provided further 

scientific evidence that PRDM9 

creates hotspots, directing recombination away from functional 

genomic elements.

Petukhova’s groundbreaking work 

is contributing important knowledge 

to a vital scientific area, since faulty 

recombination during gametogenesis

can lead to birth defects and miscarriage. 

“I’m excited to talk about our 

studies,” said Petukhova, who will 

deliver a keynote lecture during 

USU’s annual Research Days. “It’s a 

great opportunity to share information about our work, generate more 

interest in this scientific field, and 

hopefully form new research collaborations on campus.”

The Leonard Award winner, Air 

Force Col. (Dr.) Michael Xydakis, a 

professor in the Department of Surgery 

at USU, will share his findings during 

Research Days as well.

His study, “Epidemiologic Aspects 

of Traumatic Brain Injury in Acute 

Combat Casualties at a Major Military 

Medical Center: A Cohort Study,” was 

the lead article in a 2012 issue of the 

Annals of Neurology. In addition, a 

companion editorial in support of his 

study was written by the editor-inchief and president of the American 

Neurological Association. 

The proper, most effective method 

for diagnosing traumatic brain injury 

is a source of great debate within the 

Military Health System. In an effort 

to bring more clarity and consistency 

to the process, Xydakis’s research 

evaluated the efficacy of the current 

diagnostic rubric, developed by the 

American Congress of Rehabilitation 

Medicine, to identify mild TBI 

in troops with complex, combatrelated injuries. 

The 10-year-old rubric – which 

relies mostly on an autobiographical self-report history of loss of 

consciousness or alteration in 

consciousness at the trauma scene– 

is used by most providers to identify 

mild TBI in wounded troops. When 

applied to troops with complex, 

combat-related injuries, Xydakis’s 

study concluded that ACRM’s 

diagnostic rubric is flawed, because it 

has an indeterminate ability to differentiate physical injury to the brain 

from responses sustained in conjunction with other body-wide injuries.

As a result, his team is recommending that health care providers use a 

more longitudinal approach when 

diagnosing mild TBI, so head wounds 

can be evaluated over time and treatment can be tailored to meet each 

patient’s specific needs. This will help 

optimize the clinical screening and 

diagnoses procedures for war fighters 

with TBI or concussion.

“It’s the old rule of physics: an 

object will stay in motion until acted 

on by an opposing force,” Xydakis 

said. “Our paper is the opposing 

force that should modify the way we 

diagnose polytrauma patients with 

mild traumatic brain injury.”

Petukhova and Xydakis will 

expound on their pivotal research 

May 15. Other university faculty and 

students will also share their findings 

during Research Days, which begins 

May 14 and includes showcases of 

many significant research projects 

happening across USU and collaborating agencies.

USU announces 2013 Wu and Leonard Award winners 

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor

Photo by Thomas BalfourPhoto by Thomas Balfour

Galina Petukhova, PhD Air Force Col. (Dr.) Michael Xydakis
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

Army Capt. David Barry, a graduate student in USU’s clinical psychology program, took a giant leap in a 

new direction when he arrived on 

campus three years ago. Until then, 

he’d spent his entire professional life 

working as an engineer officer in a 

mechanized infantry brigade. 

Although Barry’s excited about 

his new career, he also loved being 

an engineer, even in Iraq, where he 

spent most of 2008 removing live 

bombs from the heavily travelled 

roads that weaved their way through 

eastern Baghdad. 

It was dangerous, unforgiving work. 

A single misstep could take a limb or 

his life, and the stress of his job could 

be overwhelming at times. Luckily, 

Barry and his platoon had great leaders, 

strong unit cohesion, and access to 

many helpful resources, which helped 

them cope with their stressful jobs. 

These support systems worked. 

The soldiers in Barry’s unit left Iraq 

feeling like they’d accomplished 

something important. Other veterans, 

however, were not returning home 

with the same optimism. Bothered by 

their suffering, Barry began exploring careers in military health care and 

chose USU to begin his new path.

“I’m so grateful to be a part of 

this learning community,” he said. 

“USU is the epicenter of military 

and government. The best of the best 

work here, which means that, even 

as students, we can build relationships with key personnel and organizations, setting conditions toward 

solving national challenges.”

Barry’s professional skills are 

growing swiftly with guidance from 

USU’s faculty, especially Mark Ettenhofer, PhD, assistant professor in the 

Department of Medical and Clinical 

Psychology and director of the 

Ettenhofer Neurocognitive Research 

Laboratory.

Ettenhofer took Barry under his 

wing several years ago, and the team 

has been making huge scientific 

gains ever since. They even developed a computer program that uses 

eye-trackers—devices that measure 

ocular movements with acute precision—to study brain injuries.

“The goal of our research is to 

create a novel performance assessment tool that can identify people 

with mild TBIs and other conditions that impact cognitive functioning. We are doing this by tracking 

eye movements and response times 

during computer assessment tests,” 

Barry said. “Using this technology, 

we can measure a lot of information 

in a short period of time, including 

a person’s decision-making abilities, 

higher-order planning and attention.”

The technology, born from two 

creative minds with engineering 

experience and clinical psychology 

expertise, is already showing significant promise as a useful diagnostic 

supplement. Barry and Ettenhofer 

have presented their work at multiple conferences, including the 

Military Health System Research 

Symposium, the DoD/VA Trauma 

Spectrum Conference and the 

Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine’s Annual Meeting. 

They will also be speaking at an 

eye-tracking symposium at the 

upcoming Association of Psychological Science convention in Washington, D.C., this year.

If the research maintains its current 

trajectory, Ettenhofer and Barry’s 

system could help mental health professionals diagnose brain injuries sooner, 

which will improve treatment and 

recovery for the same vexing wounds 

that led Barry to USU in the first place.

Army engineer begins new path at USU

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor

Photo by Thomas Balfour

Mark Ettenhofer, PhD, director of the Ettenhofer Neurocognitive Research Laboratory 

at the Uniformed Services University, and Army Capt. David Barry, a graduate student 

in USU’s clinical psychology program, developed an eye-tracking device to study 

traumatic brain injuries.
Dr. Jonathan Woodson, 

assistant secretary of defense 

for Health Affairs, delivered 

the keynote address at the 

Uniformed Services University’s Diversity Celebration held 

on April 16. 

Woodson’s emotional 

speech paid homage to prolific 

American leaders while also 

providing a retrospective look 

at the personal struggles he 

endured as a young African 

American growing up during 

the civil rights movement. 

Although racial disparity prevailed in those days, 

Woodson was a gifted scholar 

who attended the New York 

University School of Medicine. 

He was one of only four 

African American students 

accepted into the program. 

After graduating, Woodson 

continued breaking racial barriers at Harvard Medical School, 

when he became the first African 

American physician to complete 

residency training in medicine, 

surgery and vascular surgery.

Unfortunately, his pioneering accomplishments did not 

shield him from bigotry or racism, 

even on the hospital wards, where a 

patient with a gunshot wound refused 

to be treated by Woodson at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“He said, ‘no offense doc, but I don’t 

want a black man taking care of me,’” 

Woodson recalled.

The painful experience did not 

stave Woodson’s ambition. He joined 

the U.S. Army Reserves and was 

eventually promoted to brigadier 

general before President Barack 

Obama nominated him for the top 

job in the Military Health System.

Woodson’s success, however, came 

on the heels of many sacrifices, he said. 

His family – a tight-knit group who 

believed in the value of a good education and hard work – endured a lot of 

strife in their lifetimes.

“I remember telling my dad that I 

was going to be commissioned as an 

Army captain,” Woodson said. 

“He had a tear in his eye.”

At first, Woodson mistook 

his father’s emotion for 

sadness. His dad – like many 

African Americans of his 

generation – was a conscript, 

who was treated badly and 

threatened by the military 

officers who supervised 

him. “So it was reasonable 

to expect some rebuke,” 

Woodson told USU personnel who attended the university’s Diversity Celebration.

He was wrong, though. To 

his father, Woodson’s commission represented progress, and 

he shed tears of joy for it.

Woodson believes today’s 

military has continued down 

a path toward inclusivity and 

diversity, citing new policies that 

brought women to the frontlines 

and gave gay men and women 

the right to serve openly.

“The military has been an 

agent for good and for social 

change,” he said. “It needs to 

be recognized for that.”

USU’s Diversity Celebration, sponsored by the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Office, was 

created to encourage tolerance and 

understanding. Guest speakers, like 

Woodson, are invited so personnel 

can learn from their unique experiences and accomplishments.

April 29, 2013 5

Assistant secretary of defense delivers USU’s 

Diversity Celebration keynote

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor

Photo by Thomas Balfour

Dr. Charles Rice, president of the Uniformed Services 

University, thanks Dr. Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary 

of defense for Health Affairs, for delivering the keynote speech 

at USU’s Diversity Celebration.

Save the Date

Education Day, June 11, 2013
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

Joseph Robert 

“Bob” Kerrey, former 

United States senator 

and Congressional 

Medal of Honor 

recipient, has been 

selected to give 

the commencement address for the 

Uniformed Services 

University on Armed 

Forces Day, May 18.

“We are absolutely delighted that 

Senator Kerrey will deliver this year’s 

commencement address,” said USU 

President Charles L. Rice, M.D. “As a 

highly decorated military veteran injured 

in combat, Senator Kerrey has a deep 

appreciation for our mission and we are 

honored to have him as our graduation 

keynote speaker.”

Kerrey, a Vietnam veteran and former 

Navy SEAL, will deliver the commencement address at the Daughters of the 

American Revolution Constitution Hall 

in Washington, D.C. He will speak to 

more than 250 graduating uniformed 

medical and nursing students, and 50 

military and civilian graduate students in 

biomedical sciences, clinical psychology 

and public health programs.

Deployed to Vietnam from January 

to March 1969, Kerrey was awarded the 

Congressional Medal of Honor for his 

courageous actions leading a SEAL unit 

on a daring operation while under fire 

and seriously wounded by enemy grenade. 

After medical retirement from the Navy, 

he parlayed a successful business career 

into politics. He served as governor of 

Nebraska from 1983 until 1987 and as 

U.S. senator from Nebraska from 1989 

until 2001. More recently, he served as 

President of the New School in New York 

City, from 2001 until 2010. 

Congressional 

Medal of Honor 

recipient to address 

USU graduates

By Sharon Willis, managing editor and 

deputy vice president for External Affairs Courtesy Photo

Joseph Robert 

Kerrey

Word on Campus

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor

“In my community, I have worked with 

my daughters to create a program called 

Sustain2Maintain in order to teach kids 

about the importance of recycling and 

leading a sustainable lifestyle.”

Zamora Olin, chief of Research Contracts and Grants Division

“I separate my trash and use a Brita filter.”

Navy Hospital Corpsman Kayla Bristow, 

animal care taker in Laboratory Animal Medicine 

“The university has been organizing a campus 

clean up for the past several years with 

cooperation from the Brigade and the Faculty 

Senate and help from many faculty and staff 

volunteers, including President Charles Rice, 

to pick up trash, plant trees and find other 

ways to beautify USU. This year, Facilities has done a beautiful 

job in the upkeep of our campus surroundings.” 

Arta Mahboubi, assistant vice president for Administration

“I carpool and recycle.”

Edmund Burke,

program support assistant for 

Administrative Support Division

“I bicycle commute to school most days.”

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) John Miles,

a Master of Public Health student

The Uniformed Services University is full of people who work hard to reduce 

their carbon footprint everyday, and since April 22 was Earth Day, Pulse staff 

members asked how USU is supporting environmental protection.
April 29, 2013 7

According to the Department of 

Defense, sexual assault is the most 

under-reported crime in the DoD. 

It destroys trust, it compromises the 

mission, it ruins lives and it won’t 

be tolerated. 

To help combat sexual violence 

within the services, April was designated Sexual Assault Awareness and 

Prevention Month.

“In April, we join the nation in 

observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” said Navy Capt. (Dr.) 

Tanis M. Batsel Stewart, brigade 

commander at the Uniformed Services 

University, in a recent address to 

service members at USU. “This timely 

focus provides an opportunity for 

each and every one of us to renew our 

personal commitment to preventing 

sexual assault and eliminating this 

crime from our military environment and beyond. The Department of 

Defense is observing Sexual Assault 

Awareness and Prevention Month 

with the theme ‘We own it ... we’ll 

solve it ... together.’”

This month, the DoD sexual 

assault prevention and response 

program is focusing on preventing 

sexual assault, improving a victim’s 

access to service, increasing the 

frequency and quality of information provided to the victim regarding all aspects of his or her case and 

expediting the proper handling and 

resolution of a sexual assault case.

“The key to prevention is ensuring everyone understands their role 

and responsibilities in preventing 

sexual assault,” said Navy Information 

Systems Technician Robert Tartaro, a 

telecom technician and brigade Sexual 

Assault Prevention and Response 

representative at USU. “A consistent, vigorous training and education 

element is crucial.”

People wanting to learn more 

or educate others about this year’s 

Sexual Assault Awareness and 

Prevention Month campaign can 

visit the DoD’s official sexual assault 

prevention and response website at 

http://www.sapr.mil/ or the DoD’s 

secure safe helpline at https://www.

safehelpline.org/.

“Sexual assault within our military 

is entirely unacceptable and we must 

all do our part to stop it,” said Batsel 

Stewart. “If you or someone you know 

has experienced a sexual assault, 

please seek assistance immediately. In 

addition to our SAPRs, you might also 

choose to speak to the command JAG, 

our chaplain, a health care provider, or 

someone trusted within your chain of 

command, to include myself.”

Victims of sexual assault at USU 

can also call the DoD SAPR hotline 

at (877) 995-5247, or the university’s 

SAPR at (240) 271-5739.

“Together, we must work every 

day to instill a climate that does not 

tolerate or ignore sexist behavior, 

sexual harassment, or sexual assault,” 

said Secretary of Defense Chuck 

Hagel, in his “Written Letter to the 

Force,” April 3. “These have no place 

in the United States military and 

violate everything we stand for and 

the values we defend. Creating 

a culture free of the scourge 

of sexual assault requires establishing an environment where dignity 

and respect is afforded to all, and 

where diversity is celebrated as one 

of our greatest assets as a force. ... 

Remember, we own it...we’ll solve 

it...together.”

Sexual Assault Awareness: 

“We own it ... we’ll solve it ... together.”

By Tech. Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson, deputy chief of Media Affairs

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

Countdown to 

Commencement

Trivia Question

Answer one

Congratulations to HMC Alexis 

Alvarado for answering last issue’s 

Countdown to Commencement 

Trivia Question: Do you know who 

carries the mace at USU’s graduation each year? 

Alvarado’s response, the Enlisted 

Services Person of the Year, is 

correct. Pulse staff members would 

also like to send a special congratulations to HM1 Daryl Mercado, 

who will carry the mace at this 

year’s commencement.
The Honor Guard for the Uniformed Services University practices 

ceremonial drills in the courtyard.

Final Frame

Photo by MC2 Brittney Cannady