AFRL, Ohio State team up on medical research

  • Published
  • By 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Oh. --  The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Department of Athletics announced a research and development collaboration with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on Sept. 25 to improve the physical and mental performance and health of military personnel, athletes and patients.

The four-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement will focus on developing innovative human sensor technologies to detect, measure, analyze and improve the overall health, physical and cognitive function across these populations.

This includes patients with conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injury, stroke, sleep disorders and chronic pain. Ohio State athletes in individual and team sports and Air Force personnel will also be targeted for physical and cognitive performance optimization.

AFRL, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is dedicated to leading the discovery, development and integration of warfighting technologies for the nation's air, space and cyberspace forces. The lab, with more than 5,700 civilian and military employees, is responsible for all aspects of Air Force science and   technology, including basic research, applied research and advanced technology development.

"We look forward to partnering with Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center to conduct physiologic studies looking at cardiac activity, sleep patterns, blood pressure, respiration, maximum oxygen consumption and neuromodulation," said Dr. Scott Galster, chief of the Applied Neuroscience   Branch at AFRL.

"Ohio State athletes contend with some of the same physical demands special forces face," Galster said. "These are ideal environments in which to test some of the sensing capabilities and improve performance."

The collaboration will include:

› The development of wearable sensors, biomarkers, assessment tools and analytics for measuring   and monitoring stress, anxiety, sleep and other physiological functions at home, work and clinical settings;

› Improvement of quality-of-life outcomes and reduction of disability in those with neurological disorders;

› Development of Ohio-based technologies and commercialization products via the Neurotechnology Innovations Translator, an Ohio Third Frontier-funded center linking The Ohio State University, AFRL and other Ohio-based and national public and private partners.

Technology developed through this program would apply to medical patients through at-home and inpatient monitoring, diagnosis and treatment.

Some of the studies will involve elite Ohio State athletes, who will be monitored for target biomarkers that play a role in limiting physical performance or controlling stress. This would involve development of external wearable sensors and monitors to help detect and correct performance issues and optimize outcomes.

"This exciting research and development partnership has the potential to benefit everyone," said Dr. Ali Rezai, director of Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center's Neurological Institute, who is leading this initiative, along with Galster. "The knowledge we acquire and the technology we develop will improve the safety, health and wellness of our patients, military personnel, athletes and the general population."