Navy COVID-19 Research Team Named Etter Award Recipients

Photo By Regena Kowitz | Capt. Carl Goforth, a researcher from Naval Medical Research Center located in Silver Spring, Md., collects a biological specimen using a nasal swab from a Marine participating in the COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines (CHARM) study, May 24. Goforth and other scientists were at at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton's 13 Area clinic to follow up with Marines participating in the study, which started last year at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, during the height of the pandemic. Researchers aim to understand the long-term health impact of COVID-19 infection by following participants over time. The stop at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton was just one among many as scientists from NMRC travel around the country to follow up with original study volunteers who were recruits when they first volunteered. (U.S. Navy photo by Regena Kowitz/released)  

BETHESDA, MD, UNITED STATES

06.25.2021

Story by Denise alford 

Naval Medical Research Command

BETHESDA, Md. NNS- A team of researchers from Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) were recognized June 25, at the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development and Acquisition Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Awards Ceremony, held at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Cardeock Division. The research team has been studying the effects of COVID-19 on Marine Corps recruits.

The study known as the COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines (CHARM) began in May 2020 at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island (MCRDPI) and focused on identifying COVID-19 symptoms among a volunteer cohort.

The award named after former U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Dr. Delores M. Etter is presented annually to scientists and engineers who have clearly demonstrated superior accomplishments during the year.

The team’s efforts gained recognition in the group award category for technical excellence.

“The entire team and I are thrilled to receive this honor,” said Cmdr. Andrew Letiza, principal investigator and deputy director of NMRC’s Infectious Disease Directorate. “This team collected over 56,000 [COVID-19] samples in just six months and displayed an incredible amount of resilience, creativity, and commitment.”

According to the official award announcement, the selection process is highly competitive. Each submission impressively demonstrated high levels of professionalism and scientific or engineering achievement.

“To receive this award is an acknowledgment of the ability of Navy medical research to move at the speed of relevance to safely and efficiently help make Marines at MCRDPI,” added Letizia.

NMRC’s CHARM team, comprised of medical officers and hospital corpsmen from various research components have traveled, equipment in tow to Marine Corps bases in support of this research.

“When it’s time to unpack or pack up at a location you really get to see teamwork in action and it’s awesome,” said NMRC’s Chief Hospital Corpsman Amethyst Marrone. “It takes a lot of work to make this study mobile, lots of behind the scenes efforts led by enlisted team members.”

The study is currently in its second phase, traveling across the U.S. conducting follow-up research with study participants in order to gain a better understanding of COVID-19 patterns and the long term clinical effects after COVID-19 infection among a young population, many of whom never had symptoms after infection.

NMRC's eight laboratories are engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies at sites in austere and remote areas of the world to operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint U.S. warfighters, researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, medical modeling, simulation and operational mission support, and epidemiology and behavioral sciences.

• Date Taken: 06.25.2021
• Date Posted: 06.25.2021 14:29
• Story ID: 399769
• Location: BETHESDA, MD, US