Building a united front to improve the future of traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Massey TBI Regional Conference lays the foundation for a new research network poised to transform brain injury diagnosis and management.
Contact:
Katelyn Murphy,
Marketing & Communications Specialist, Weil Institute
mukately@med.umich.edu
ANN ARBOR, MI – On October 19, experts in brain injury from across the Midwest converged at Michigan Stadium’s Junge Family Champions Center for the 2023 Massey TBI Regional Conference. A program of the U-M Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation, the conference seeks to improve TBI outcomes by sharing the latest in the field and sparking meaningful conversations around the present and future states of TBI research and care. Among the inspiring presentations, heartfelt survivor stories and productive networking sessions, the 2023 conference also held a new purpose from that of years prior: announcing the development of a future Massey TBI research network.
“Much of what we do today for brain injury is unchanged from what we were doing decades ago,” said Dr. Frederick Korley, Scientific Director of the Massey TBI Grand Challenge and Professor of Emergency Medicine at U-M, who also served as emcee for the conference. “The Massey TBI research network that we envision will foster collaboration among regional hospitals to innovate and advance TBI diagnosis and management. This concerted effort has the potential to revolutionize treatment for patients locally, nationally, and globally. Our goal is to set new records in the rapid translation of groundbreaking TBI research innovations from the bench to the bedside.”
“This concerted effort has the potential to revolutionize treatment for patients [with traumatic brain injury] locally, nationally, and globally.”
Frederick Korley, MD, PhD
Professor, Emergency Medicine
Scientific Director, Massey TBI Grand Challenge
Dr. Susan Rowell, Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago, provided the keynote presentation exploring current methods of TBI management and lessons learned from previous clinical trials. The second half of the conference was devoted to a panel discussion, during which seven specialists across academia and industry discussed how the proposed regional research network should be built. Topics included what areas of TBI the Massey network should target and who should be involved. The experts who participated in the panel included Dr. Rowell herself alongside Dr. Florian Schmitzberger representing Hurley Medical Center, Dr. Brian J. O’Neil from Wayne State University, Dr. JB Phillips from the United States Department of Defense (DoD), Dr. Joe Miller from Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, and Drs. Robert Neumar and William Barsan from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Phillips, who serves as Neurotrauma Portfolio Manager for the US Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) Combat Casualty Care Research Program, observed that regardless of the network’s focus, experts from different fields would be instrumental to its success. Having represented the DoD at multiple Massey events, Dr. Phillips spoke about the strong multidisciplinary presence he has witnessed both at the Weil institute as well as first-hand throughout the Massey program’s eight-year lifespan. At the 2023 conference alone, over half of the more than 70 guests in attendance came from non-medical backgrounds such as engineering and product development, as well as from various non-profit organizations such as the Toyota Way Forward Fund. All shared a keen interest in applying their unique areas of expertise to transform TBI care and outcomes.
“Based on what I’ve seen, if there’s any network that could do it, it would be this one,” said Dr. Phillips.“Based on what I’ve seen, if there’s any network that could do it, it would be this one,” said Dr. Phillips.
Development of the Massey TBI Network is now underway, with the discussions held at the Regional Conference serving as its foundation. The Weil Institute is actively seeking participants of all stripes who are interested in getting involved. Participants are encouraged to reach out to Weil.Institute.info@umich.edu for more information.
The Massey TBI Regional Conference is made possible through a generous gift from the Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation. As part of the Massey TBI program, the Weil Institute also hosts a biennial summit as well as a Grand Challenge that supports research and technology development in TBI. The 2024 Massey Grand Challenge is scheduled to kick off in March.
About the Weil Institute, formerly MCIRCC
The team at the Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation (formerly the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care) is dedicated to pushing the leading edge of research to develop new technologies and novel therapies for the most critically ill and injured patients. Through a unique formula of innovation, integration and entrepreneurship that was first imagined by Weil, their multi-disciplinary teams of health providers, basic scientists, engineers, data scientists, commercialization coaches, donors and industry partners are taking a boundless approach to re-imagining every aspect of critical care medicine. For more information, visit weilinstitute.med.umich.edu.