CHAPTER I RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST The U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command conducts a mission-oriented medical research and development program designed to support the soldier in the field and to meet other Army health needs. This program encompasses areas of research directed toward increasing efficiency of manpower through the development of medical knowledge and equipment, recovery from combat wounds, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, providing protection from hazardous environments, and enhancing military performance. All research areas are militarily relevant and are described below. 1. General. The Military Disease Hazards research program consists of basic studies related to either medical defense against worldwide, naturally occurring infectious diseases or medical defense against potential biological warfare (BW) agents. Funding in these two areas is separate, and BW defense proposals do not compete against naturally occurring infectious. disease proposals. In addition, a separate program has been created to address medical protection against Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). 2. Infectious Diseases. Naturally occurring infectious disease research is primarily related to the prevention and, to a lesser extent, the treatment and diagnosis of infectious diseases which would seriously hamper military mobilization and deployment. Diseases of principal interest for consideration under this program are: malaria, diarrheal diseases, dengue fever, and hepatitis A. Some other diseases of interest include leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, P. aeruginosa and E. coli as agents of opportunistic infections, gonorrhea, meningococcal infections, Non A and Non B hepatitis, scrub typhus, epidemic typhus, and arboviral infections. a. Development of preventive measures against infectious diseases include: (1) Basic animal studies applicable to development of vaccines against militarily important diseases, to include an assessment of their safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy. Studies on pathogenesis and immune mechanisms of the above diseases are solicited. (2) Studies applicable to the discovery, design, and development of prophylactic and treatment drugs for relevant |
