April 19, 2024 (Virginia Beach, Va.) - LifeNet Health, a global leader in regenerative medicine and the largest nonprofit organ procurement organization, biologics, and Life Sciences company in the United States, today announced an award from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation – the Bethesda, MD-based not-for-profit dedicated to advancing military medicine. The award is for LifeNet Health to recover biospecimens for the Foundation’s study on the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in deceased military personnel.

This research aims to characterize the acute and long-term effects of military traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ultimately further the advancement of diagnostic and therapeutic options available to U.S. service members and veterans suffering from progressively debilitating brain injuries. 

With more than 40 years of experience and global expertise in tissue transplantation, LifeNet Health is uniquely positioned to support this research based on its existing tissue banking structure. The study is being directed by Daniel Perl, MD at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). This partnership is further deepened through USUHS’s connection to the University of California, San Francisco, and 1997 Nobel Laureate, Dr. Stanley Prusiner.

"Through our established biospecimens recovery program and deep well of institutional knowledge, LifeNet Health is fully committed and superbly equipped to contribute to this pivotal research benefiting our service members and veterans,” said Rony Thomas, CEO of LifeNet Health. “We believe that this research will help illuminate the complexities of this condition along with its causes and pave the way for enhanced understanding and care.”

CTE is a disabling condition with symptoms commonly including dementia, mood problems, and various psychiatric disorders, with these symptoms often not presenting themselves for years or even decades after the trauma that caused the condition. It can currently only be diagnosed after death; during an autopsy, a pathologist looks for parts of the brain that have elevated concentrations of a toxic form of tau, which is also associated with other brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. This is why this project is so vital: to further the development of diagnostic tools and future therapies for living individuals. 

“The research further deepens our relationship with the Henry Jackson Foundation,” said Bud Brame, GM of LifeNet Health’s LifeSciences Biospecimen Franchise. “This first-of-its-kind project has the potential to identify clinical markers that lead to earlier diagnosis. The impact on vets and military personnel that may develop CTE or other traumatic brain injuries is enormous.” 

Founded in 1983, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing military medicine, serving as a vital link between the military medical community and its federal and private partners.

Media Contact:
Daniel Sher
Daniel_sher@lifenethealth.org
757-609-4330
 

About LifeNet Health
As a global leader in regenerative medicine, LifeNet Health continues to push the boundaries to give healing every advantage. The organization offers groundbreaking organ, tissue transplantation and cellular solutions that support healthcare providers and power new discoveries by scientific researchers. This forward-focused approach has improved life for millions of patients, all while honoring donor heroes and their families. For more information, go to www.lifenethealth.org.