Laboratory Coordinator:
Kenneth C. Earhart
Naval Health Research Center
140 Sylvester Road
San Diego, CA 92106-3521
Kenneth.c.earhart.civ@health.mil

 

The Naval Health Research Center conducts applied medical research in Epidemiology, Mental and Behavioral Health, Medical Mission Support, Operational Infectious Diseases, and Human Performance that is directly supporting naval and joint military requirements and operational needs.

NHRC’s Core Capabilities are: Physical Health and Wellness; Behavioral and Psychological Health; Injury, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation; Physical and Cognitive Performance; Medical Modeling and Decision Support; Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Research

Military Population Health Directorate – Conducts long term and targeted studies to assess and address the effects of military service on service members and their families. Brings together multiple large databases to leverage existing DoD data sets in order to answer questions affecting service members and their families.

Deployment Health Research Department – Conducts epidemiological research to investigate the longitudinal health experience of previously deployed military personnel. Leads the development and evaluation of health surveillance strategies and provides policy recommendations to improve the health and well-being of US military populations. Executes the Millennium Cohort Study which is the largest prospective health study in the military. The project is perfectly positioned to address health outcomes related to these operations. As force health protection continues to be a priority for the future of the United States military, the Millennium Cohort Study will be providing critical information towards enhancing the long-term health of future generations of military members. Research includes studies of medical and behavioral health conditions, hospitalizations, reproductive outcomes, mortality, and other health related factors. Included among the core programs are the Millennium Cohort Study (MILCO), the Millennium Cohort Family Study (MILCO-FS), the Birth and Infant Health Registry (BIHR), and the Recruit Assessment Program (RAP).

Psychological Health and Readiness Department​ - Promotes the behavioral and psychological health of military personnel and their families through scientific research exploring risk and protective factors for adverse health outcomes ( e.g., substance abuse, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, mental health problems, misconduct, and aggressive behavior). Investigates the effects of combat, operational, and other stressors, and provides policy recommendations to improve the readiness of operating forces. Examines factors associated with resilience and develops translational research products ( e.g., workbooks, apps, and training tools) in support of service member well-being.

Infectious Diseases Directorate – Focuses on in-depth population-based surveillance for operational infectious diseases, including respiratory and enteric pathogens. Operates a College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited laboratory for the diagnosis and characterization of infectious pathogens of operational concern in support of the Defense Health Agency Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division (AFHSD).

Bio-Surveillance Department – Performs research and conducts active, laboratory-based surveillance for infectious diseases that affect military personnel or their dependents. Maintains laboratory accreditation through the CAP. Provides laboratory research support services and oversight for logistics, inspections, equipment maintenance, and regulatory permits that ensures compliance with applicable command, USG and DoD regulatory requirements.

Clinical Trials Department – Leverages surveillance studies to address the safety and efficacy of drugs, vaccines, and new diagnostics as they affect operational health concerns. Serves as the single point of contact for all departmental clinical trial protocols (e.g., Pre-clinical, Biologic and Devices). Ensures compliance with all applicable command, United States Government (USG) and DoD clinical trials requirements.

Operational Readiness Directorate – Provides tools to support the medical planners and operational leaders in their decisions regarding medical logistics, medical personnel requirements, and operational risk assessment. Strives to enhance the performance of the warfighter, both physically and cognitively, strengthen their resilience, and develop novel rehabilitation treatments to return them to duty, should they become injured.

Medical Modeling, Simulation and Mission Support Department – Conducts analyses and develops models to provide medical decision support to operational commanders, medical logisticians, and field medical personnel as they seek to determine the resources required to support combat and peacetime deployments. The department works with medical planners, providers, and logisticians to develop and evaluate theater scenarios that assist in field medical services planning, systems analysis, operational risk assessment, and to determine the best course of action for treating a particular patient stream using the available resources.

Warfighter Performance Department – Conducts research related to the measurement, maintenance, restoration, enhancement, and modeling of human performance in military operational environments. Emphasis is on the measurement and understanding of the processes that lead to physical and mental performance degradation, development of countermeasures to maintain or enhance performance, and the development of standards which will allow safe and effective performance of Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

Epidemiology and Data Management Sciences Department - Uses advanced analytical techniques, machine learning, and artificial intelligence methodologies to conduct experimental data analysis and epidemiological research investigating short-term and longitudinal health outcomes of Service Members focusing on physical and psychological injury, prevention, rehabilitative strategies, service member resiliency, physiological, cognitive, and mental performance, health economics, and long-term quality of life and outcomes.