News Release

American Society for Microbiology honors Regina S. Van Brakle

Grant and Award Announcement

American Society for Microbiology

Washington, DC—May 28, 2008—The 2008 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Scherago-Rubin Award is being presented to Regina S. Van Brakle, Microbiology Laboratory Supervisor, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. This award recognizes an outstanding, bench-level clinical microbiologist.

Ms. Van Brakle has worked in the Infectious Disease Laboratory at Walter Reed for the past 16 years, the past 5 of which she served as the Microbiology Laboratory Supervisor. The laboratory has grown tremendously under her supervision, not only in support of Walter Reed physicians and patients, but throughout the northeast region and beyond – including providing quantitative Hepatitis C viral load testing to the entire Army. Furthermore, the laboratory has been deeply involved in the support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2003, Ms. Van Brakle's team quickly recognized the emergence of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter in traumatic wounds suffered by returning soldiers. She aggressively partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and other tertiary care laboratories to study this organism's mechanisms of resistance. She also led the effort to establish a laboratory using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis that maintains a database of Acinetobacter isolates to aid in further research and to assist in controlling spread to other patients. Her efforts in this area have led to co-authorship on several posters and published papers.

Ms. Van Brakle earned her B.S. in Medical Technology at York College of Pennsylvania.

The Scherago-Rubin Award will be presented during the 108th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), June 1 – June 5, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. ASM is the world's oldest and largest life science organization and has more than 43,000 members worldwide. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences and promote the use of scientific knowledge for improved health and economic and environmental well-being.

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