WHEN: Thursday and Friday May 15 and 16

Keynote speakers:
Thursday, May 15 at 1 p.m., Dr. Ibolja Cernak, from the Applied Physics Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University.
Friday, May 16 at 9 a.m., David Woodruff, the brother of ABC news anchor and traumatic brain injury victim Bob Woodruff.

WHERE: Wayne State University McGregor Memorial Conference Center on its Detroit campus.

MORE INFO: Experts from around the world will gather at Wayne State University to share research on blast injuries, including "mild" Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), which is being called the signature wound of the Iraq War. The two-day symposium will draw internationally known researchers to address several key aspects of blast injury, presenting data on highly relevant topics, including blast injury models, protective equipment, vehicle safety, injury diagnosis and treatment.

Keynoters Background and Conference Focus:

David Woodruff will discuss how his brother's TBI affected him personally and how this syndrome debilitates countless American soldiers.

Dr. Cernak has 20 years experience in both clinical and experimental blast injury research, as well as clinical management of blast injured patients. She has been recognized as one of the world's authorities on explosion-induced neurotrauma, and as such has been invited to present at various international forums.

Blast injuries to US troops and bystanders are being called the signature wound of the current military conflicts. In fact, roadside bombs, also called improvised explosive devices (IEDs), account for almost 80 percent of all wounds to US
troops and are directly related to most TBI cases. Many troops caught near these explosions suffer symptoms such as perforated eardrums, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, memory lapses, headaches, and more long-lasting effects.

Currently, there is little knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of mild TBI. Unanswered questions remain about how changes in air pressure caused by a blast can result in brain damage even when there is no sign of external physical trauma.

To cover the symposium and/or arrange interview opportunities with David Woodruff, Dr. Ibolja Cernak and/or other conference presenters in advance or during the presentations please contact me at (313) 577-8096. To view the full conference agenda view http://blast.eng.wayne.edu/