Initiative Aimed at Accelerating Understanding of and Treatments for Blast-Induced Brain Injuries

CHICAGO, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Invisible Wounds Foundation today announced that it has received a $500,000 grant from the DAV Charitable Service Trust to accelerate the understanding of and treatments for blast-related brain injuries affecting America's military service members and veterans.

The Chicago-based Invisible Wounds Foundation will employ the grant from the affiliate of DAV (Disabled American Veterans), a leading veteran service organization, to bolster its centerpiece effort known as the Military Brain Health Collaborative. The Collaborative is the first national public-private initiative dedicated to accelerating the understanding of blast-related brain injuries affecting America's military service members and veterans.

For more than two decades, hundreds of thousands of service members have been exposed to blasts from heavy weapons systems, breaching operations, artillery, explosives training and drone and missile attacks. The exposure often results in a range of debilitating ailments.

While researchers have made significant advances in traumatic brain injury research, many fundamental questions remain regarding the underlying mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of blast-related brain injuries.

"The men and women who have answered the call to defend our nation deserve answers," said Shannon Finn Connell, Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair of the Invisible Wounds Foundation. "This grant allows the collaborative to bring together the best minds in military medicine, neuroscience, engineering, and advanced technologies to accelerate discoveries that can improve the lives of service members, veterans, and their families."

"DAV is proud to support the work Invisible Wounds Foundation is doing to find answers surrounding these types of brain injuries," said DAV CEO Barry Jesinoski. "We're confident that focused, deliberate research is a pathway to effective diagnosis and treatment for veterans living with these hidden injuries."

The Military Brain Health Collaborative, headquartered in Chicago, will serve as a coordinating platform to align and amplify ongoing efforts across federal agencies, academic medical centers, private research institutions, nonprofit organizations and industry partners.

Dr. Lara Campbell, who served as Director of the Convergence Accelerator at the National Science Foundation and is the former Executive Director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, will oversee the operations of the Collaborative. The Collaborative is advised by an internationally recognized Medical and Science Advisory Council composed of experts in neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, neuroimaging, rehabilitation medicine, military medicine, public health and brain injury research.

"Researchers have identified compelling evidence that acute and repetitive blast exposure produces measurable biological changes in the brain even in the absence of a diagnosed concussion. The Collaborative's mission is to understand the underlying medical science as to why this happens so effective diagnostics and treatments can be developed," said Dr. James Kelly, Chief Medical Scientist of the Invisible Wounds Foundation.

"Our efforts ensure that service members exposed to blast during training and combat benefit from the same scientific urgency and focus that has transformed other areas of medicine. We are delighted to join forces with DAV in this critical work," Connell added. 

About the Invisible Wounds Foundation

Invisible Wounds Foundation exists to safeguard the brain health of America's warriors. Through collaboration with leading medical researchers and scientists, government agencies, and its partner community, the Foundation is advancing science to diagnose, treat, and eventually prevent blast and combat-induced brain injuries among service members and veterans, particularly Special Operations Forces. Learn more at invisiblewoundsfoundation.org

About DAV

DAV is dedicated to ensuring our promise is kept to America's veterans. DAV does this by helping veterans and their families access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America's injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, offering programs and services to empower them, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. A nonprofit organization with nearly 1 million members, DAV was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at DAV.org.

For more information, contact:

Caitlin Carroll, Vice President of External Relations
(310) 824-3997
ccarroll@invisiblewounds.org

Brian Buckwalter, DAV Senior Communications Associate
(513) 235-6090
bbuckwalter@dav.org

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SOURCE Invisible Wounds Foundation