Research and analysis on optimal protection strategies for preventing traumatic brain injury in members of the Armed Forces

(a) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with a multi-university research center focused on physics-based neutralization of threats to human tissues and organs to conduct research on understanding and preventing traumatic brain injuries in members of the Armed Forces. (b) Elements The research conducted under subsection (a) shall seek to achieve the following: (1) Determine critical cell-based injury thresholds in the brain due to blunt, blast, or directed energy exposures. (2) Identify critical molecular injury pathways for developing a holistic understanding of brain injury and its neurodegenerative sequelae. (3) Define force and energy transmission from outside the head to the brain. (4) Define factors that influence subject-specific relative risk of injury. (5) Develop exposure monitors to predict onset of brain injury. (6) Develop countermeasure systems to optimally protect members of the Armed Forces from brain injury stemming from multimodal threats and operations in complex environments.