Research
Explore VA Detroit's research initiatives with specialty programs. You may also volunteer to participate in a research study.
Mission
The mission of VA Research is fourfold:
- To improve Veterans' health and well-being via basic, translational, clinical, health services, and rehabilitative research;
- To apply scientific knowledge to develop effective individualized care solutions for Veterans;
- To attract, train, and retain the highest-caliber investigators, and nurture their development as leaders in their fields; and
- To assure a culture of professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and the highest regard for research volunteers' safety and privacy.
VA Research is unique because of its focus on health issues that affect Veterans. It is part of an integrated health care system with a state-of-the-art electronic health record and has come to be viewed as a model for superior bench-to-bedside research.
Research Programs
Million Veteran Program
The Million Veteran Program (MVP) is a national, voluntary research program designed to help researchers better understand how genes affect health and illness, with the goal of improving health care for Veterans. Since launching in 2011, 1 million Veterans have joined MVP. It's the largest research effort at VA to improve health care for Veterans and one of the largest research programs in the world studying genes and health.
Clinical Research
The clinical research process in VA starts with a laser focus on the everyday health needs and concerns of Veterans, and with consultation with local, national and regional VA clinical leaders. Solutions are identified and developed through careful, rigorous research in labs and clinics, and sometimes in the community. These solutions are then applied to patient care, or translated into new or improved programs, as rapidly as possible. Veterans themselves play an integral role in the VA research program. Thousands of VA patients volunteer each year to participate in VA research studies, both to address their own health challenges and to help their fellow Veterans, now and in the future.
Basic Science Research
Basic Science research has crucial benefit to veterans, by providing the foundation for scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and improved medical treatments. It helps us understand biological conditions and processes, which is essential for tackling complex problems like disease and environmental challenges unique to veterans.
Information for Veteran Participants
Veterans who are participating in studies can find available studies below, as well as preparing for your visit to Detroit VA ORD.
What to Expect
Veteran participants can prepare for their visit at the Detroit VA by visiting our Prepare for Your Visit section. Research study participants will arrive to the research waiting room where they will meet a clinician or researcher who will advise Veterans of what to expect, timeframe, study duration and more.
Current Research Studies
Information for Investigators and Staff
Find below information for researchers on contacting Detroit VA ORD and current research job openings.
Contact Points
Monthly Open Office Hours are the first Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. and the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m.
EMAIL: VHADetResearchOffice@va.gov
PHONE:
Research 101: What does a PI do?
In VA research, a PI (Principal Investigator) is the lead researcher responsible for overseeing the entire research project, including its scientific direction, day-to-day management, compliance with regulations, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and reporting, essentially holding ultimate accountability for the study's success and ethical conduct within the VA system.
Key responsibilities of a VHA PI include:
- Designing the research protocol: Developing the study plan, including research questions, methodology, and data collection methods.
- Obtaining funding: Writing grant proposals and securing necessary funding for the research project.
- IRB submission and oversight: Ensuring the research complies with Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines for human subject protection.
- Recruiting and managing research team: Selecting and supervising research staff, including study coordinators and data analysts.
- Patient recruitment and consent: Identifying eligible patients, obtaining informed consent, and enrolling them in the study.
- Data collection and analysis: Monitoring data quality, ensuring proper data collection procedures, and performing statistical analysis.
- Reporting results: Disseminating findings through publications, presentations, and required reports to funding agencies.
- Maintaining compliance: Adhering to all VA and federal regulations regarding research conduct, including data privacy and safety standards.
Research Job Openings
Anyone engaging in VA Research must have a VA Appointment. Hiring is typically handled directly through the Research Principal Investigator (PI), as they receive direct funding to hire for their own individual studies, or may hire without compensation or another VA approved employment agreement. Most researchers are appointed through our Without Compensation (WOC) process or through an Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement (IPA). The hiring process is initiated when a PI reaches out to the Research Office to notify of the intent to have a new member join their study team.
Current Research
VA Detroit's ORD has 28 research principal investigators who focus on areas including cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, spinal cord injury, cardiovascular disease, Gulf War related disorders, traumatic brain injury, hearing and balance disorders, and the Million Veteran Program.
Active Research Studies
There are currently 55 Active research studies, including 34 clinical studies and 21 basic science studies.
Funding
Funding for current studies is provided by VA, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, pharmaceutical companies, foundations and other organizations.
VA research is different from research sponsored by other federal research agencies:
- VA Research is the only research program focused entirely on Veterans' needs.
- VA Research is intramural, meaning only VA employees can conduct research under VA's sponsorship. Typically, VA researchers collaborate with academic institutions. This is an exceptional benefit because it allows VA Research to identify the direct needs of patients at chair and bed side, and to find discoveries and innovations directly in-step with these needs—keeping the Veteran at the center of health care from the very beginning.
- More than 60 percent of VA researchers are also clinicians who provide direct patient care, which is important because it allows VA Research to quickly move scientific discovery from the research setting to advancements in health care and to recruit the best and brightest healthcare professionals.
A VA-based investigator may be supported by funding from the Congressionally appropriated VA Medical and Prosthetic Research appropriation, or through a non-VA funding source (e.g. private foundations, industry, or from other federal agencies under interagency agreements or through grants administered by VA nonprofit corporations or university affiliates).
Investigators, Scientific Review and Management (ISRM) is VA Office of Research and Development's organizational unit for review and management of funded medical research across the continuum, from preclinical to clinical and health services research. The VHA ORD ISRM (Investigators, Scientific Review & Management) assists Principal Investigators (PIs) by providing comprehensive support throughout the research process, including guidance on study design, grant writing, review of research proposals, access to specialized expertise, and oversight of research ethics, ultimately enabling PIs to conduct high-quality research within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system focused on improving Veteran care.