Funded in 2014 by U.S. Department of Defense to Stanford University, with subcontract to Brain Trauma Foundation

What is it?

A Brain Trauma Foundation, Stanford University, Oregon Health and Sciences University, and Portland State University consortium that aims to develop an evidence-based classification for the spectrum of traumatic brain injury, and to model post-TBI trajectories and outcomes. Core objectives are:

1. To maximize the utility of scientific efforts to-date that address the epidemic of concussion and brain trauma, for the purpose of deriving a clinically useful classification system, and evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and outcomes.
2. To create a consortium among the neurotrauma community that will inspire a commitment to the principles of evidence-based medicine in the design and conduct of brain trauma research.
3. To establish an Evidence-based Clinical Research Coordinating and Training Center (CTC), integrating “best practice” fundamentals of clinical research with those of evidence-based medicine, which will have the capability to coordinate the next generation of studies required to answer key questions about brain trauma epidemiology, physiology, natural history, treatment, and outcomes.
4. To continue updating the Brain Trauma Foundation traumatic brain injury guidelines.

Key Milestones

• Develop a framework for classification of TBI
• Living guidelines updates for severe TBI
• Advise studies on best evidence-based design