ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (AFRRI)

MISSION

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) is a unique national asset responsible for preserving and protecting the health and performance of U.S. military personnel that operate in potential radiologically contaminated multi-domain conventional or hybrid battle spaces as well as urban environments.  Through research, education, and operational training, AFRRI helps advance understanding of the effects of ionizing radiation in line with the 21st century dynamic threat landscape and national security threats posed by no-state actors, hostile state actors, and near-peer adversaries.  AFRRI also provides rapidly deployable radiation medicine expertise to a radiological or nuclear event domestically or abroad.   

VISION

AFRRI promulgates and operates with the vested ethos of workforce diversity, integrity, dignity and respect, while engaging in cutting edge strategic research, education and operational reach back.  Our commitment is to be medically prepared to save lives and achieve long term health outcomes as much as possible, while preserving operational forces' resilience and fighting strength in the event of adversarial use of nuclear weapons.  By 2025, we envision a strong committed engagement of valor, agility, dedication and strength to outperform our last 60 years of time sensitive support to DoD Mission.  We will continue our invaluable support by developing easy tactical and strategic reach back tools, applying our knowledge through education, and developing state-of-the-art deployable tools and countermeasures. 

 

 

afrri reach back support

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

1) Emergency: Medical Radiobiology Advisory Team (MRAT); Call (301) 295-0530

2) Training and education: Military Medical Operations (MMO); Email meir_mail-ggg@usuhs.edu

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

 

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)