VCOM View Magazine Vol. 14 | No. 1

Department of Defense Awards VCOM and the Center for Health Services Research

By Brittany Lilla and Amy Ostroth a $3.5 Million Grant I n February 2025, VCOM, in partnership with the Center for Health Services Research (CHSR) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), launched a transformative project aimed at enhancing surveillance of biothreats. This project is supported by a $3.5 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD), which will advance the development of a cutting-edge, AI-driven public health dashboard. The dashboard will enable real-time monitoring and response to emerging biothreats, strengthening both military and civilian public health systems.

The project focuses on expanding syndromic surveillance capabilities—an early warning system designed to detect emerging health threats before clinical or laboratory confirmation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, syndromic surveillance systems played a vital role in early detection and response, helping to mitigate the spread of the virus. The new system developed by VCOM promises to provide even faster, more efficient responses, offering immediate insights into potential public health threats. P. Gunnar Brolinson, DO, FAOASM, FACOFP, FAAFP, the vice president for research at VCOM,

12