2012 Report to the Community - VISN 8

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innovationWorking on aCure for DiabetesDr. Robert V. Farese, M.D., aresearcher at the Tampa VAHospital since 1973, receivedthe 2012 William S. MiddletonAward for outstandingachievement in biomedicalresearch. The MiddletonAward is the BiomedicalLaboratory Research andDevelopment’s highest honorfor scientific achievement. The award recognizesDr. Farese’s service to the VA and to thebiomedical profession as well as his contributionsto the scientific body of knowledge about insulinaction and the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes.Among Dr. Farese’s research is a potential curefor Type 2 diabetes that blocks production of aprotein, using compounds found in treatments forrheumatoid arthritis.Million VeteransProjectThe VA healthcare systems of Bay Pines,Miami and North Florida are currentlyparticipating in the Million Veterans Project(MVP) with plans for Orlando, Tampaand VA Caribbean to be involvedas well. The Million Veteransprogram is a national, VA-runvoluntary research programthat partners with Veteransreceiving VA health careto study how genes affecthealth. To do this, MVP willbuild one of the world’slargest medical databases bysafely collecting blood samplesand health information fromone million Veteran volunteers.Data collected from MVP will bestored anonymously for research ondiseases like diabetes and cancer,and military-related illnesses suchas post-traumatic stress disorder.22$33.4MillionResearch FundingAnnual Report 2012 » www.visn8.va.govHonoring a Lifetime of Research Achievement:the Miami VA’s Dr. Andrew SchalleyHe’s a Nobel Prize Winner tacklingcancer, heart disease and otherresearch while devoting fivedecades to serving medicinewith VA. What Dr. Andrew Schallyhas done with those 50 years isnothing short of extraordinary. Thisextraordinary man has publishedmore than 2,400 papers, hostedhundreds of professional lectures,discovered new techniques inmedicine and, to cap it off, received the Nobel Prize inMedicine in 1977.Surrounded by fellow researchers and VA officials fromaround the world, the Miami VA Medical Center hosteda commemoration of Dr. Schally’s 50th anniversary withthe VA on Oct. 19, 2012. And although the celebrationwas a look back at a career of achievement, what mostpeople are talking about isn’t Dr. Schally’s award-winningbreakthroughs. Rather, it was the excitement over what hewill discover next. Just this year, he has published paperson seven different kinds of cancer and heart disease.innovative researchFOCuSES On IMPROVInG VETERAnS HEALTHSignificant areas of research added over the lasttwo years in VISN 8 include aging, ambulatorycare, behavioral science, clinical epidemiology,diabetes, genetics, health economics, neurobiology,neuropsychology, obesity, ophthalmology, PTSD,pulmonary diseases, respiratory, rheumatology, traumaticbrain injury, vascular surgery, virology, and wound repair.The network has three ResearchCenters of Excellence (COE). TheJames A. Haley Veterans Hospital’sCOE is “Maximizing RehabilitationOutcomes.” Also, the Malcolm RandallVA Medical Center has two COEs: theBrain Rehabilitation Research Center andthe Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center.Additional information on these centers can befound at http://www.research.va.gov/programs/default.cfm#rrd-ctr693Active Research Projects
“The CAREat theWest Palm Beach VAis suPerB.The servicecouldn’t getany better.”Major General Wayne P. Jackson, U.S. Army retiredMilitary Service: 1946-1984, World War II & KoreaGeneral JacksonTampa to Host Veterans Wheelchair GamesWould you like to be involved in an exciting event todraw more than 500 Veterans from across the UnitedStates, Puerto Rico and Great Britain? If so, thousandsof volunteers are needed for the 33rd National VeteransWheelchair Games (NVWG), the largest annualwheelchair sports event in the world. The Games willbe held in Tampa July 13 to 18, 2013. This is only thesecond time the Games have been held in Florida; Miamihosted the event in 1991.During the Games, Veterans participate in 18 competitiverehabilitative sport events which include air guns, archery,basketball, boccia, bowling, field events, handcycling, amotorized wheelchair rally, nineball, power soccer, quadrugby, slalom, softball, swimming, table tennis, track,trapshooting and weightlifting. The event is open to allU.S. military Veterans who use wheelchairs for sportscompetition due to spinal cord injuries, neurologicalconditions, amputations or other mobility impairments. Allevents are free and open to the public.With the theme,“Seize the Day inTampa Bay,” the33rd Games will behosted by the JamesA. Haley Veterans’Hospital along withthe Paralyzed Veteransof America’s Florida GulfCoast Chapter.Volunteers are needed in all areas and can be asyoung as 14 to participate. Anyone interestedin serving as a volunteer during the week of theGames, please visit James A. Haley’s homepage atwww.tampa.va.gov. You can also contact CamillaThompson, Tampa Volunteer Coordinator at (813)972-2000, ext. 6580 for additional information.If you or a Veteran you know may be interested incompeting, go to www.wheelchairgames.va.gov.www.visn8.va.gov23
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