TRIGA Reactor, Photo credit: General Atomics
AFRRI

 

ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (AFRRI)

MISSION

The mission of AFRRI is to defend the Nation from nuclear and radiological threats through research, leadership, training, and education.

VISION

AFRRI is committed to be medically and operationally prepared to preserve operational force resilience and fighting strength in the event of adversarial employment of nuclear weapons.

VALUES

We emphasize and embody professionalism, safety, honor, integrity, innovation, excellence, and teamwork.  We are dedicated to fostering a healthy, open, and respectful work environment while maintaining the highest standards of accountability and responsibility of our resources.

 

 

afrri reach back support

Please contact one of these entities to address your specific needs within the
radionuclear domain:

1) For general or administrative inquiries, kindly reach out to the ASD office via email at admin-team-ggg@usuhs.edu

2) Emergency: Medical Radiobiology Advisory Team (MRAT); Call (301) 295-0316

3) Technical, non-emergency: Scientific Research Department (SRD); Email
AFRRIreachback@usuhs.edu

 

IN THE NEWS

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Hosts Representatives from Germany, India
A Student Scholar’s Retrospective on the USU Summer Scholars Program
AFRRI Brings MEIR Course Expertise to Thailand for Cobra Gold Exercise
AFRRI Hosts Representatives From Italy, Japan

Education

Research

INCIDENT RESPONSE

The Medical Radiobiology Advisory Team (MRAT) is a deployable team responsible for providing expert advice to incident commanders and staff during a radiological incident. The MRAT is a two-person team, usually consisting of 1 health physicist and 1 physician, specializing in the health effects of radiation, biodosimetry, and treatment of radiation casualties. The MRAT can be deployed to augment the DTRA CMAT or operate independently, and is available for reachback support to DoD personnel.

Learn More >

 

AFRRI Safety Culture Work Environment (SCWE)

AFRRI leadership is committed to establishing and maintaining a safety conscious work environment (SCWE) by providing all AFRRI personnel (Federal civilian, military and contractor) with various mechanisms to raise nuclear safety concerns.  We are promoting SCWE by establishing the Employee Concerns Program (ECP), which is intended to function as an alternative mechanism for AFRRI personnel to raise nuclear safety concerns if and when they choose not to use the normal process of notifying their supervisors and managers.  The documents are provided here (USU/AFRRI employees only).

Finding Solutions

Cellular and Molecular Methodologies

Modern biological methodologies at AFRRI include genomics, proteomics, assays for mRNA, small RNA and protein expression, manipulation of gene expression in specific cell types to investigate mechanistic hypotheses, advanced flow cytometric characterization of cell phenotypes, cellular functional assays, and culture and co-culture of various cell lineages to study injury and recovery processes as well as to elucidate cell-cell signaling mechanisms.

Novel Countermeasures

An important resource for AFRRI’s countermeasure development program has been the supplementing of our internal panel of candidates with compounds or cellular therapies suggested by outside companies or government agencies. A substantial portion of AFRRI’s resources is devoted to screening attractive countermeasure candidates in collaborations with private companies, universities and government agencies.

1300

DOD personnel in MEIR course annually, in locations around the world

2011

participated in the response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

2001

involved in the response to the anthrax attacks in Washington DC

1st

FDA approvals of medical countermeasures against ARS: Neupogen® (G-CSF) and Neulasta® (pegylated G-CSF)