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John S. Davis, M.D. |
UNMC will take part in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National VA Research Week, beginning today and running through Friday.
“VA research is a national asset that benefits veteran patients and the entire nation by moving medical science forward,” said John S. Davis, Ph.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UNMC and a VA senior research career scientist.
“VA investigators played key roles in developing devices and techniques that revolutionized health care — including the cardiac pacemaker, the CAT scan, shingles vaccine, liver and kidney transplants, and much more,” Dr. Davis said. “Today, VA is a leader in many areas of research, such as AIDS, mental health, genomics, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases and spinal cord injury.”
The event acknowledges the VA’s contributions to research in partnership with its academic affiliates, such as UNMC, Dr. Davis said. It also recognizes the participation of veterans in research that ultimately helps develop new therapies to help fellow veterans.
An Omaha VA research exhibit will be on display on the morning of Friday, May 23, at the Omaha VA Medical Center at 42nd and Center streets.
As part of the nationwide observance, the Omaha VA will conduct a Research Day event on Friday, May 23. Events will include:
- 8 to 11:30 a.m.: Poster exhibits of research-related activities, including projects from UNMC researchers.
- 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Keynote address on “Engineering a Learning VA Healthcare System: Research Opportunities,” by Mary Brophy, M.D., staff physician, VA Boston Health Care System and director, Genetic Tissue Core Lab, VA Cooperative Studies Program DNA Bank.
- 9:40 a.m.: Friends of Omaha VA Research Award Presentation to Mary Jetton, previous technician and research administrative officer at the Omaha VA.
- 10:30-11 a.m.: Briefing and tour: Dr. Fredrick Hamel, deputy assistant chief of staff for research, will meet with federal and state representatives, commanders, heads and members of voluntary and veterans’ organizations, and representative from affiliated universities.
R.K. Rao, Ph.D., professor in the department of physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, also will be in Omaha for the event. He will deliver two presentations, at noon on Wednesday, May 21, at the Wittson Hall Amphitheater on the UNMC campus, and at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, at the VA Medical Center, third-floor research conference room.
I had the pleasure of being treated a few times at this VA medical facility and I firmly believe that better service and better treatment cannot exist anywhere else. The facilities I have visited in California are very nice too but not one bit better than the one in Omaha. Keep up the great work. It was worth fighting for!