University of Pittsburgh gets $100M for trauma-care research

PITTSBURGH — The University of Pittsburgh School of Health Sciences will receive a contract renewal worth $100 million to continue its advanced trauma care innovations for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The 10-year contract surrounds the Linking Investigations and Trauma and Emergency Services (LITES) Network, which not only Pitt’s research but also about four dozen other trauma centers in the U.S. and Canada. LITES Network began in 2016 and its studies since then have helped to determine the best ways to treat trauma including pain management as well as a trial to use platelets that will help with blood clotting instead of the traditional methods. It’s also working on clinical trials for airway management, whole blood transfusion, treatment for severe blood loss and prehospital pain.

“Trauma remains a leading cause of death in people younger than 45 years old. It is also a leading cause of preventable death, which means that these people do not have to die,” said Dr. Jason Sperry, professor of surgery and critical care medicine at Pitt’s School of Medicine and UPMC’s trauma and general surgery section chief. “The research and clinical innovation we’re doing through the LITES Network is saving lives.”

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