What We Know

What We Are Doing at the SFIC

Nearly 150,000 persons die or are permanently disabled each year in the U.S. from traumatic brain injuries.

Performing basic research with clinically relevant brain injury models that can be used to design clinical trials evaluating novel treatments for traumatic coma.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been under recognized by clinicians caring for children who have been injured in motor vehicle crashes and other types of accidents.

Conducting research with pediatric trauma patients to identify methods for early recognition of symptoms and potential interventions that will reduce long-term psychological problems.

Conventional methods for monitoring the adequacy of resuscitation in trauma patients are inadequate.

Studying the application of new technologies to improve patient monitoring through direct measurement of brain and muscle oxygen levels and cellular metabolism to determine endpoints that will guide resuscitation efforts.

In the U.S. nearly 400,000 people suffer back injuries in the workplace each year.

Utilizing biomechanical laboratory models to examine predisposing factors that contribute to vertebral overload and fatigue.

It is estimated that 93% of child car seats are installed improperly in San Francisco.

Sponsoring child car seat safety checks
for the public.

Nearly 5,000 domestic violence calls for assistance are made each year to law enforcement agencies in San Francisco.

Providing seed funding to investigators for evaluation of a community-based batterer treatment program.

Each year in San Francisco, more than 2,000 persons are injured as a result of pedestrian crashes and acts of violence.

Collaborating with the SF Department of Public Health, surveillance systems are being developed to link data from police, emergency department, trauma registry, and medical examiner records. Data linkage will guide efforts to develop unified approaches among the many agencies working to reduce these injuries.