whose ultimate goal is to improve the QoL for individuals
with limb loss, especially those who cannot tolerate conven-
tional, socket-based prostheses.
These RM therapeutics and innovative surgical approaches
offer immense potential to promote tissue restoration, improved
function, and/or enhanced QoL; however, they vary in their
stage of development, with relatively few technologies having
reached commercialization and/or widespread clinical imple-
mentation. Thus, continued investment by the DoD in future
research and development activities is needed to realize true
clinical success in re-establishing optimal function and QoL for
service members and veterans with severe extremity trauma
injuries. These future directions should encompass activities
that span the full spectrum of the research continuum
—from
basic science to preclinical animal models to human clinical
trials conducted by teams of clinicians and researchers from
multidisciplinary
fields including orthopedic surgery, regenera-
tive medicine, bioengineering, and rehabilitation.
CONCLUSION
Military medical research often paves the way for changes
in civilian and global clinical practice, partly because of the
nature of high-impact innovations and discoveries. At the
time of establishment, the EACE entered richly developed
clinical and research environments comprised of federal, aca-
demic, clinical, and industry leaders. Through its R&S Divi-
sion, the EACE is able to leverage and expand upon existing
research efforts, funding, and infrastructure to establish research
in four key focus areas. Together with their collaborators and
partners, the R&S Division strives to conduct research that
in
fluences clinical practice guidelines throughout the Military
Health System, VA, and civilian health care networks. The
EACE researchers actively compete for intramural and extra-
mural research funding to execute scienti
fic investigations that
improve the clinical outcomes of our injured service members
and veterans as they return to the highest-possible level of
physical, psychological, and emotional function. The EACE
R&S Division will continue to conduct relevant research and
translate
findings into clinical practice to improve QoL for ser-
vice members and veterans. The EACE will continue to inno-
vate and discover so that our nation
’s service members and
veterans are provided the highest level of care.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank former directors of the EACE R&S Division: COL
Rachel Evans (Ret.) and CAPT Lanny L. Boswell for mentorship and lead-
ership. We also thank LTC Jane Cronk (Ret.), COL Andrea Crunkhorn
(Ret.), Dr. Susan L. Eskridge, Dr. Ted Melcer, COL James Mundy (Ret.),
COL Billie Jane Randolph (Ret.), CAPT Michael D. Rosenthal, COL John
Shero (Ret.), and Dr. Brian Schulz for providing text edits, fact checks, and
advisements during the writing of this article. Finally, we would like to
recognize COL Rebecca Hooper (Ret.), COL Charles Scoville (Ret.), and
CAPT Jennifer Town (Ret.) for their leadership and direction during the
development of the Armed Forces Amputee Patient Care Program and
Military Amputee Research Program.
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EACE: Overview of the Research and Surveillance Division