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The Defense Health Agency launched a transformative partnership with VelocityTX, a premier nonprofit bioscience innovation campus in San Antonio’s Innovation District. This partnership aims to accelerate modernization research and development efforts across military medicine.
This strategic partnership, led by DHA’s Research and Engineering Directorate, positions VelocityTX as a trusted operational hub for translational science, agile infrastructure deployment, and cross-sector collaboration. The agreement consolidates existing independent research and development efforts — including those with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and the 59th Medical Wing — under a unified, mission-aligned framework.
Structured under the Federal Technology Transfer Act, the agreement sets forth three primary assurances:
• Intellectual property safeguards: robust protections for all parties, while preserving government purpose rights
• Modular collaboration pathways: scalable sub-agreements enable adaptive deployments across regions
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-compliant integration: ethical and secure frameworks for future research operations
“This agreement transforms how military medicine innovates,” said Dr. Diana del Mónaco, DHA’s Regional Research Support Center project lead. “It unlocks the governance, intellectual property safeguards, and translational agility needed to drive mission-focused results at scale.”
San Antonio: A strategic nexus for military medicine
Known as “Military City, USA,” San Antonio is home to Joint Base San Antonio — comprised of Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, and Randolph Air Force Base — and Brooke Army Medical Center, the Department of Defense’s only Level I trauma center. VelocityTX’s proximity to these institutions enables seamless collaboration between military and civilian research ecosystems.
"San Antonio has long been at the forefront of military medical research, with an unmatched concentration of expertise, infrastructure, and mission-driven collaboration," said Rene Dominguez, chief executive officer of VelocityTX. "This agreement builds on that legacy by connecting our city’s world-class military medical assets with cutting-edge private sector innovation to address critical capability gaps. Together with DHA, we are creating a pathway to rapidly translate new discoveries into solutions that strengthen warfighter readiness and improve care for military families and civilians alike."
Enhancing partnerships, accelerating innovation
In May 2025, the two agencies hosted the second annual Promoting Professional Engagement Among Military Medical Laboratories, or ProPEL, at the VelocityTX campus. They also worked together on the AIM Health R&D Summit, which convenes military, academic, and industry leaders from across the country to share research and explore opportunities for collaboration.
“Events like ProPEL and AIM enhance research collaborations and synergy between the public and private sectors,” said del Mónaco. “By leveraging the scientific ecosystems VelocityTX is building in the Innovation District of San Antonio, military medical researchers are able to drive advancements and health care solutions aligned with DHA priorities with the ultimate goal of enabling warfighter and military family readiness, catalyze dual-use innovations, and reinforce DHA’s commitment to real-time, real-world readiness.”
The DHA Research and Engineering Directorate leads the discovery of innovative medical solutions responsive to the needs of combatant commands, the military services, and the Military Health System. More information is available at https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Research-and-Innovation/DHA-Research-and-Engineering-Directorate.
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2025 13:02 |
| Story ID: | 549049 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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