About the Office of Research & Development

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Registration and Submission</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/ORD_Admin/congressional_info.cfm">Congressional Requests</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/ORD_Admin/field_conference.cfm">Field Conference Calls</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/frac/default.cfm">Field Research Advisory Committee</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </div>   <div id="left-col-content"> </div>   </div>   <div id="innerContentWrapper" style="position: relative; "> <div class="clear"></div> <span style="position:absolute;"><a name="main-content" id="main-content"></a></span> <div class="clear"></div> <div id="tier4innerContent" style="border:0px solid green;">  <h2 class="page-title">About the Office of Research & Development</h2>   <div class="currentsInset" > <a href="/about/varesearch.cfm" onclick="return hs.htmlExpand(this, { objectType: 'iframe' } )" class="highslide"><img src="/images/varesearch-vid-sm.jpg" alt="VA HSR&D Partnerships: Research & Operations" width="200" height="126" border="0"></a><br> <div class="highslide-caption"> <p><strong>Watch: Overview of VA Research</strong></p><br> </div> <br> <p><strong>Watch: Overview of VA Research</strong></p> <p><strong>Read: <a href="/pubs/docs/va_factsheets/varesearch_overview_factsheet.pdf" target="_blank">VA Research Fact Sheet</a></strong></p> </div>  <p>For more than 95 years, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Research and Development program has been improving the lives of Veterans and all Americans through health care discovery and innovation.</p> <p> The mission of VA Research is fourfold: </p> <ul><li> to improve Veterans' health and well-being via basic, translational, clinical, health services, and rehabilitative research; </li> <li> to apply scientific knowledge to develop effective individualized care solutions for Veterans; </li> <li> to attract, train, and retain the highest-caliber investigators, and nurture their development as leaders in their fields; and</li> <li> to assure a culture of professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and the highest regard for research volunteers' safety and privacy. </li></ul> <div style="float:right; width: 300px; background-color: #fff; margin-left:15px;margin-right:10px;"> <img src="/images/research-currents/mar18/MingxiongHuang-med.jpg" width="266" height="200" alt="Dr. Mingxiong Huang prepares to do a MEG brain scan on a "healthy control" who has participated in his neuroimaging research. (Photo by Kevin Walsh) "> <p style="font-size:10px; margin-top:-20px; margin-right:25px;">Dr. Mingxiong Huang prepares to do a MEG brain scan on a "healthy control" who has participated in his neuroimaging research. <em>(Photo by Kevin Walsh)</em> </p> </div> <p>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.</p> <p>Today, VA Research has <a href="strategic_priorities.cfm">three overarching strategic priorities</a>: increasing Veterans' access to high-quality clinical trials; increasing the real-world impact of VA research and putting VA data to work for Veterans. </p> <p>The research process in VA starts with a tight focus on the everyday health needs and concerns of Veterans, and with consultation with 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. </p> <p> VA Research has had three Nobel prize-winners in its ranks, along with recipients of seven Lasker awards and numerous other national and international honors. A majority of VA researchers also provide direct patient care within the VA system, giving them firsthand insight into Veterans' health needs. </p> <p>VA Research fosters dynamic collaborations with its university partners, other federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private industry—thus furthering the program's impact on the health of Veterans and the nation. </p> <h3> VA Research at a glance</h3> <img src="/images/va-research-by-the-numbers.png" width="500" height="418" alt="Research by the Numbers for Fiscal Year 2024"/> </p> <div class="clear"></div> </div>   <br style="clear: both" /> <br clear="all">  <div style="bottom:0; margin-left:30px; margin-top:30px; font-weight:bold; padding-top:10px; border-top:1px solid #cccccc;" id="footerBlock"> Questions about the R&D website? <a href="mailto:HSRDWeb.Boston@va.gov" style="color:#0B6CB2 !Important;">Email the Web Team</a> <span style="font-size:10px; font-weight:normal;"> <br> <br> Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.</span> </div> </div>   <div class="clear"> </div> </div> <div class="clear"> </div> </div> <div class="clear"></div> </div> </div> <div class="clear"></div>  <div id="footer-effect" style="height: auto;"> <div id="footer" class="noIndex"> <div class="col"> <h4>Veteran programs and services</h4> <ul > <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/homeless/" target="">Homeless Veterans</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/womenvet/" target="">Women Veterans</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/" target="">Minority Veterans</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer">PTSD</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mental health</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/" target="">Adaptive sports and special events</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/events/">VA outreach events</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.nrd.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Resource Directory</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col"> <h4 >More VA resources</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/find-forms/">VA forms</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.accesstocare.va.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">VA health care access and quality</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/ogc/accreditation.asp">Accredited claims representatives</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mobile.va.gov/appstore/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">VA mobile apps</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/statedva.htm">State Veterans Affairs offices</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/landing2_business.htm">Doing business with VA</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/jobs/">Careers at VA</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/outreach-and-events/outreach-materials/">VA outreach materials</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit/">Your VA welcome kit</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col"> <h4>Get VA updates</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.news.va.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">VA news</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel">Press releases</a></li> <li><a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/subscriber/new/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Email updates</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deptvetaffairs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.twitter.com/DeptVetAffairs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/VeteransAffairs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Flickr</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/DeptVetAffairs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/opa/socialmedia.asp">All VA social media</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col"> <h4 style="font-size: 1.1rem; margin-bottom: 8px!important;">In crisis? 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