Improving Trauma Care through Collaborative Research: Department of Defense, UT System, and TRC4 Team Up in San Antonio

The Department of Defense and the entire UT System are collaborating with TRC4, a research center at UT Health San Antonio, to improve trauma care. Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death among people aged one through 45 years, and they are the third leading cause of death across all age groups in the U.S. James Bynum, PhD, who serves as the vice chair of research for the Department of Surgery at UT Health San Antonio and is also the executive director of TRC4, emphasizes the importance of developing better treatment and resuscitation strategies, as well as skin substitutes for wound healing.

San Antonio is an ideal location for TRC4’s research initiatives due to its reputation as a health research hub for the military. Bynum has over 20 years of experience as a Department of Defense researcher and views this collaboration as a significant opportunity to make a difference from a civilian perspective after years of service with the Army. He is dedicated to improving the lives of those who put themselves in harm’s way so that everyone can enjoy freedom as a country.

Science & Medicine is a collaborative project between TPR and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio that highlights how scientific discoveries in San Antonio are transforming medical practices worldwide.