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Stephen Plymate (08/23/21)
VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Main area of study: prostate cancer
Keep exploring, move the research forward, and provide the best care possible for our Veterans. Now is not the time to quit."
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Dr. Edward Freis (08/02/21)
Washington DC VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Hypertension
Dr. Edward Freis led a landmark study that inspired a revolution in the care of people with hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure.
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Tim Strebel (05/19/21)
Washington DC VA Medical Center
Main area of study: health informatics, artificial intelligence
"Life's greatest successes are usually hiding behind vast amounts failure. If you live to avoid failure, you also live to avoid your greatest successes."
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Dr. Millie Hughes-Fulford (03/01/21)
San Francisco VA Health Care System
Main area of study: Molecular biologist
VA scientist, molecular biologist, blazed new trails in space
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Dr. Matthew Kinnard (02/23/21)
VA Office of Research and Development
Main area of study: viruses, viral diseases
"I felt quite honored and useful knowing that my laboratory research and my research administrative activities directly impacted and benefitted active duty personnel and Veterans."
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Nicholas Gatto (01/20/21)
Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Main area of study: Pneumatic technology
"The possibility of making life better for Veterans through research at HERL is exactly what I wanted out of a career. I am grateful every day for the opportunity."
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Dr. Michael E. DeBakey (11/17/20)
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Cardiovascular surgery
Dr. Michael DeBakey, the father of modern cardiovascular surgery, was a chief proponent of VA research following World War II.
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Dr. Donald Gleason (10/27/20)
Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Main area of study: prostate cancer, pathology
Dr. Donald Gleason created the "Gleason score," which has long been considered the most reliable indicator of the potential for prostate cancer to grow and spread.
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Dr. Ernest Bors (10/05/20)
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Main area of study: Spinal cord injury, neuro-urology
Dr. Ernest "Pappy" Bors pioneered many of VA's post-World War II advancements in treating patients with spinal cord injury.
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Dr. Bertrand Huber (09/23/20)
VA Boston Healthcare System
Main area of study: Neuropathology, PTSD, traumatic brain injury
"The secret to my success is an unwillingness to listen to the little voice that says I cannot do it. We are our own greatest enemies when it comes to accomplishing things."
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Dr. Michael Lyons (08/28/20)
Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging
Main area of study: psychiatric epidemiology, behavioral genetics
"Persistence is a key element for success. It is important to set goals and to persist in pursuit of them."
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Karen Lohmann Siegel (07/29/20)
VA Office of Research and Development
Main area of study: Biomechanics and rehabilitation
“I strive to exemplify the definition of integrity put forth by author C.S. Lewis: 'Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.’ These values have guided my actions throughout my career and have been key to my success.”
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James Joseph (06/26/20)
Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Main area of study: Physical and mental disabilities
“I am inspired by President John F. Kennedy, who said, "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." That is a foundation I have believed in my whole life. ”
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Dr. Molly Klote (06/17/20)
VA Office of Research and Development
Main area of study: Vaccines and immunodeficiency
“My favorite saying is attributed to Hannibal, the Carthaginian general: 'I will find a way, or I will make one.' For the research community, that translates to, 'How do we get to yes.' ”
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Dr. Mark Riddle (06/04/20)
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System
Main area of study: Infectious and gastrointestinal diseases
“I probably owe most of my success to my mom and dad. From them, I learned humility, hard work, and empathy—the three core values and guiding aspects of my life.”
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Dr. Lisa Sternke (05/07/20)
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Women’s health
“I feel like VA is where I was always supposed to be. It’s like being part of a family again.”
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Dr. Gary Gilkeson (04/14/20)
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Rheumatology
"I find that Veterans appreciate seeing a physician who is also a Veteran and has a handle on the challenges of serving in the military."
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Dr. Paul King (09/06/19)
VA Western New York Healthcare System
Main area of study: Psychology
"Detours and failures are likely. But instead of viewing them as barriers to success, characterize them as opportunities for growth."
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Josh Marino (08/09/19)
Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Main area of study: Education, mentoring
"The perseverance to achieve in the face of adversity is something that we all possess. Sometimes, it just takes a helping hand to realize that."
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Dr. John Callaghan (05/29/19)
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Clinical pharmacology
"Drug safety and effective drug treatment are best achieved through personalized medical research and precision health care."
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Dr. Edward Jones (04/10/19)
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Main area of study: general and endoscopic surgery
"I feel a close kinship with my patients. I've served with them and experienced life with them as a reservist and active duty surgeon."
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Dr. Mark Logue (02/04/19)
VA Boston Healthcare System
Main area of study: Psychiatry, neurology, genetics
"Seeing Veterans every day when I enter and leave the building is very motivating...I want to keep doing research that can help them lead healthier and happier lives."
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Dr. Erik von Rosenvinge (01/16/19)
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Gastroenterology
"The military will lose battles and research experiments will fail, but through determination and persistence, success will be achieved."
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Dr. Edward Chan (12/26/18)
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Main area of study: Lung disease
"I think that being mindful, having perseverance, and above all, being kind to all, which is not always easy to do, are important keys to success."
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Dr. Jean-Pierre Raufman (11/2/18)
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Gastroenterology and internal medicine
"It's difficult to express the joy of true discovery–learning something that no one else knows."
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Matt Landis (10/18/18)
Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Main area of study: Computer engineering
"I can see the impact of thoughtful, well-designed technologies on disabled people...I can see directly how life-changing these innovations can be, and that everything we do can potentially increase a person's freedom."
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Dr. Philip Owens (10/18/18)
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Main area of study: Metastatic breast and prostate cancer
"If one Veteran has a better life because of any of the things that I study, then to me my life is a success."
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Dr. Elizabeth Hill (08/24/18)
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System
Main area of study: Nursing
"I found that being involved in research is what I love the most to do, whether it's doing research myself, mentoring others, or managing clinical trials."
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Dr. Peter M. Elias (07/27/18)
San Francisco VA Health Care System
Main area of study: Dermatology
"Much of my research has focused on the problems of aging skin, which is a growing problem within VA because of the changing demographics of our Veteran patient population."
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Dr. Gail Cresci (07/16/18)
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Gastroenterology
"As an active-duty dietitian in the Army, I was able to experience firsthand the exposures that service members and Veterans have to many nutritionally related digestive disorders."
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Dr. C. Scott Smith (06/21/18)
Boise VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Medical education
"Service to country has been a tradition in my family. My father was a tank commander in the Korean War."
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Dr. Yani Leyva (06/11/18)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Main area of study: Clinical psychology
"My military involvement has taught me a lot about my strengths, my capabilities, and my ability to work efficiently and effectively with people on and outside of my team."
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Dr. Jeffrey Jones (05/29/18)
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Urology
"I have always wanted to 'push the envelope' with patient care to improve the lives of our patients, especially those afflicted with the devastation of cancer."
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Dr. John Ney (05/25/18)
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
Main area of study: Neurology
"I learned how to conduct medicine in very austere conditions, without access to nursing, lab work, or blood in a very up-tempo combat environment."
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Dr. Jeff Smith (05/17/18)
Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital
Main area of study: Prostate cancer
"I can honestly say that my military experience, albeit brief, is something that I cherish to this very day."
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Dr. Kenneth Heilman (04/10/18)
Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Neurology
"My first mentor [my high school geometry teacher] taught me the joyful reward of solving a problem."
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Dr. Matthew Bair (04/05/18)
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Pain management
"I truly loved caring for military personnel and their families. Working and conducting research in VA feels like 'home.'"
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Dr. Michael Russell (04/04/18)
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Main area of study: Mental health
"Without the right data, we weren't going to succeed. So I set out to be the Army's suicide expert."
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Dr. Justin Benzer (03/12/18)
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Main area of study: Industrial-organizational psychology
"I've seen that VA researchers, and in particular those in VA research centers, are really collaborative and supportive. They want to mentor junior researchers."
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Dr. Kiersten Downs (03/07/18)
James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital
Main area of study: Community reintegration
"As I set out on a path to become a VA researcher, I feverishly consumed the work of VA anthropologists like Erin Finley, Sarah Ono, and Ann Cheney. These incredible women made me realize that there is a place for the kind of work I want to do in VA."
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Dr. Gina McCaskill (03/07/18)
Birmingham, Alabama VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Geriatric research
"I'm especially interested in improving the quality of life and well-being of older Veterans who have multiple chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and osteoarthritis."
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Dr. Roy Bloebaum (02/28/18)
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
Main area of study: Prosthetics
"If it's easy, you're in the wrong job."
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Dr. Gabriel Gonzalez (02/27/18)
VA Boston Healthcare System
Main area of study: Regenerative medicine
"My research career was inspired [in part] by science-fiction literature and television programming that focused on science and technology, such as the Discovery Channel network."
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Dr. Racine Brown (02/14/18)
James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital
Main area of study: Traumatic brain injury
"My military and Veteran experience amplifies in my mind the importance of health research to benefit Veterans."
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Dr. Jeff Pyne (01/18/18)
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
Main area of study: PTSD
"I asked one of my mentors how he chose problems to study. He said he chose problems that made him angry."
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Dr. Sol Solomon (01/12/18)
Memphis VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Diabetes
"When the Air Force told me I'd be stationed at Ramstein outside of Munich, Germany, I declined because the entire Polish side of my family had perished in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz."
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Dr. John Davis (12/27/17)
VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System
Main area of study: Reproductive health
"I've always felt that my military experience allows me to relate more directly to patients and staff at VA medical centers."
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Dr. Daniel Bikle (12/13/17)
San Francisco VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Bone and mineral metabolism
"It's very important to believe in yourself, strive to understand, respond positively to critiques, and to seek out others with whom you can collaborate to advance in your work."
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Dr. Joshua Lipschutz (11/28/17)
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Kidney disease
"I had always wanted to serve, and 9-11 just propelled me to be in the military. It was something I had to do."
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Dr. Michael Simberkoff (11/16/17)
VA New York Harbor Healthcare System
Main area of study: Infectious diseases
"I enjoyed and continue to enjoy working with Veterans. They are the most deserving group of patients we can serve."
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Dr. Stuart Johnson (11/7/17)
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital
Main area of study: Infectious diseases
"My experience in the military, particularly at a time when it was unpopular and when no one was saying 'thank you for your service' after we came home, helps me bond with many Veterans disaffected by wars and society."
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Dr. Rory Cooper (10/2/17)
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Main area of study: Wheelchair and other adaptive technology
"After my injury, I had to plot a new course in life. I don't think that it matters anymore. I've found my calling...."
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Dr. Ronald Riechers (8/25/17)
Louis Stokes VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Traumatic brain injury
"Whether it is simply having the shared experience of shining and wearing combat boots, carrying a rucksack, eating a ready-to-eat meal, or having seen the acute effects of an IED...all of these experiences provide familiarity to patients and can be key to establishing rapport."
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Dr. Dennis Stevens (8/24/17)
Boise VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Infectious diseases
"Being a Veteran has improved my compassion for other Veterans and has provided more insight into current and future needs for our Veterans."
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Dr. Arnold Postlethwaite (8/2/17)
Memphis VA Medical Center
Main area of study: Arthritis and related disorders
"Being a Vet myself creates a connection to Veterans that is different from the connections I have to patients who are not Veterans."
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Dr. Mary Jo Pugh (7/31/17)
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
Main area of study: Diabetes, epilepsy, and geriatric care
"Being a Veteran definitely fuels my passion to find answers."
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Dr. Paul Arthur (6/22/17)
North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System
Main area of study: Dementia and caregiving
"It is an extraordinary task to pull Veterans from the military mindset of 'adapt and overcome.'"
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Dr. Frank Greco (6/6/17)
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
Main area of study: Application of physical and mathematical methods to solve medical problems
"My research involves applying mathematical and physical methods to solve medical problems."
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April Ahrendt (5/25/17)
Sioux Falls VA Health Care System
Main area of study: Weight management
"I feel that being a Vet gives me some insight into military-connected health conditions that need more research for prevention and treatment."
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Q&As with VA investigators who served in the military about what inspired their military and research careers, and how their work today is helping their fellow Veterans
