The Wilderness Medical Society is keenly interested in fostering awareness and appreciation among healthcare professionals and scientists for the research of health-related concerns in outdoor and wilderness activities. To that end, each year we offer researchers in wilderness medicine an opportunity to submit a proposal for several different categories of grants.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s winners for the following grants:

Peter Hackett-Paul Auerbach Young Investigator Grant
Shauna Joye, Georgia Southern University
Promoting Resilience Among Veterans Using Wilderness Therapy

Charles S. Houston Grant
Salaman Bhai, Harvard Medical School
Acute Mountain Sickness Treatment: A Double-blind Comparison of Metaclopromide vs. Ibuprofen

Herbert N. Hultgren Grant
Nicholas Santangelo, Hofstra University
Project title: Monitoring metal contamination in a pharmaceutically valuable species and its use as a bioindicator for human recreational environments

Research-in-Training Grant
Thomas Kopp, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Survey of Illnesses and Injuries in Offshore Great Lake Sailboat Racing

WMS Research Grants

The Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) is keenly interested in fostering awareness and appreciation among healthcare professionals and scientists for the research of health-related concerns in outdoor and wilderness activities.

• The Charles S. Houston and Research-in-Training Awards are selected on a competitive basis to provide funding for a research project in the field of wilderness medicine. ($5,000)
• The Charles S. Houston Award is for medical students and the Research-in-Training Award is for residents and fellows of an accredited graduate medical education program or doctoral candidates working towards a PhD. ($5,000)
• The Herbert N. Hultgren Award is for members of the WMS. ($10,000)
• Peter Hackett-Paul Auerbach Young Investigator Grant is for a young investigator, physician or non-physician, in support of research that improves wilderness medicine practice. ($10,000)
• WMS Adventure Travel Research Grant is for an investigator in support of field research associated with the WMS Adventure Travel Experiences (current listing at wms.org). ($5,000)

Criteria: The successful applicant will submit a project proposal likely to result in a substantive contribution to the field of wilderness and environmental medicine. The successful applicant will be expected to conduct a well-defined project during the ensuing year and present an abstract of his/her findings at a future WMS Annual Meeting.  

A wide variety of research projects are acceptable for submission, including but not limited to:

• clinical investigation
• laboratory (“basic”) science
• epidemiological surveys
• development of new techniques or novel application of existing techniques
• improvements in equipment design or use
• public health and information
• injury prevention
• epidemiological surveys
• disease tracking
• use of GIS
• new technology in humanitarian response

Projects may be part of existing research programs, but should be easily distinguishable as a separate component. It is expected that projects will result in an article for publication in the peer-reviewed medical literature.

WMS Research Awards are not subject to institutional indirect costs.

Application: Please see the Grant Application tab on WMS.ORG.

The WMS research grant program is dependent on the generous donations of WMS members. Please take a moment to make a donation. Thank you

2014 WMS Research Grant Winners

The Wilderness Medical Society is keenly interested in fostering awareness and appreciation among healthcare professionals and scientists for the research of health-related concerns in outdoor and wilderness activities. To that end, each year we offer researchers in wilderness medicine an opportunity to submit a proposal for several different categories of grants. Sanjey Gupta, MD, is currently the chair of the Research and Grants Committee supported by committee members selected from the general membership of the WMS.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s winners for the following grants:

Peter Hackett-Paul Auerbach Young Investigator Grant
Jon S. Andrews, MD, Duke University School of Medicine
Effect of Riociguat on Gas Exchange, Exercise Performance and Pulmonary Artery Pressure During Acute Altitude Exposure

Charles S. Houston Grant
Lauren Cantwell, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Studying the Use of Helmet Cameras in Mountain Bikers and Their Influence on Behavior

Herbert N. Hultgren Grant
Linda Keyes, MD, University of Colorado Emergency Medicine
Buddha Basnyat, MD, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit\Nepal
Hypertension in Himalayan Trekkers

Research-in-Training Grant
Martin MacGinnis, PhD (candidate), University of British Columbia
APEX 4 Trial: Mechanisms and Consequences of “Subclinical” Pulmonary Edema at Altitude

Peer Reviewed Publications by Award Winners

2011 Research Award
Muller MD, Mast JL, Patel H, Sinoway LI. Cardiac mechanics are impaired during fatiguing exercise and cold pressor test in healthy older adults. Journal of Applied Physiology.  IN PRESS, PMID:23154996

Muller MD, Gao Z, Mast JL, Blaha CA, Drew RC, Leuenberger UA, Sinoway LI. Aging attenuates the coronary mblood flow response to cold air breathing and isometric handgrip in healthy humans. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 302(8): 1737-46, 2012.

Muller MD, Gao Z, Drew RC, Herr MD, Leuenberger UA, Sinoway LI.  Effect of cold air inhalation and isometric exercise of coronary blood flow and myocardial function in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology 111(6): 1694-1702, 2011.

2008 Research Award, C Ursem
Ursem C, Evans CS, Ger KA, Richards JR, Derlet RW.
Surface water quality along the Central John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains: coliforms and algae. High Alt Med Biol. 2009 Winter;10(4):349-55.

2004 Research Award, Michael S. Koehle, MD
Koehle MS, Sheel AW, Milsom WK, McKenzie DC.
Two patterns of daily hypoxic exposure and their effects on measures of chemosensitivity in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2007 Dec;103(6):1973-8.

2003 Research Training Award, Tri Tong, M.D. Tong TC, et al., Comparative treatment of alpha-amanitin poisoning with N-acetylcysteine, benzylpenicillin, cimetidine, thioctic acid, and silybin in a murine model. Ann Emerg Med, 2007. 50(3):282-288.

2002 Houston Award, Gretchen K. Ela, M.D. Ela GK. Epidemiology of wilderness search and rescue in New Hampshire, 1999-2001. Wilderness Environ Med 2004;15:11-17.

2002 Houston Award, Thomas F Catron Catron TF, Powell FL, West JB. A strategy for determining arterial blood gases on the summit of Mt. Everest. BMC Physiology 2006;6:3. Article available from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6793/6/3

2001 Hultgren Award, Sean P. Bush, M.D. Bush SP, Green SM, Laack TA, Hayes WK, Cardwell MD, Tanen DA. Pressure immobilization delays mortality and increases intracompartmental pressure after artificial intramuscular rattlesnake envenomation in a porcine model. Ann Emerg Med 2004;44:599-604.

2001 Research Training Award, Nisha Charkoudian, PhD Charkoudian N, Halliwill JR, Morgan BJ, Eisenach JH, and Joyner MJ. Influences of hydration on post-exercise cardiovascular control in humans. J Physiol 552: 635-644, 2003.

2000 Research Training Award, Ri-Li Ge, M.D., Ph.D. Ge RL, Chase PJ, Witkowski S, Wyrick BL, Stone FA, Levine BD, Babb TG. Obesity: association with acute mountain sickness. Ann Int Med 2003;139:253-257.

2000 Hultgren Award, Colin K. Grissom, M.D. Grissom CK, Radwin MI, Scholand MB, Harmston CH, Muetterties MC, Bywater TJ. Hypercapnia increases core temperature cooling rate during snow burial. J Appl Physiol 2004;96:1365-1370. Grissom CK, McAlpine JC, Harmston CH, Radwin MI, Giesbrecht GG, Scholand MB, Morgan JS. Hypercapnia Effect on Core Cooling and Shivering Threshold During Snow Burial. Aviat Space Environ Med 2008;79:735-742.

2000 Hultgren Award, Robert W. Derlet, M.D. Derlet RW, Carlson JR. An analysis of human pathogens found in horse/mule manure along the John Muir trail in Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. Wilderness Environ Med 2002;13:113-118.

1999 Hultgren Award, Michael Yaron, M.D. Yaron M, Neirmeyer S, Lindgren K, Honigman B. Evaluation of diagnostic criteria and incidence of acute mountain sickness in preverbal children. Wilderness Environ Med 2002;13:21-26.

1999 Herbert N. Hultgren Award, John R. Halliwill, PhD This research led to an NIH R01 award: Halliwill JR and Minson CT. Effect of hypoxia on arterial baroreflex control of heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve activity in humans. J Appl Physiol 93: 857-864, 2002. Halliwill JR, Morgan BJ, and Charkoudian N. Peripheral chemoreflex and baroreflex interactions in cardiovascular regulation in humans. J Physiol 552: 295-302, 2003. Halliwill JR and Minson CT. Cardiovagal regulation during combined hypoxic and orthostatic stress: fainters vs. nonfainters. J Appl Physiol 98: 1050-1056, 2005.

1999 Research Training Award, Kevin G. Hegewald M.D. and Sean P. Bush, M.D. Bush SP, Hegewald KG, Green SM, Cardwell MD, Hayes WK. Effects of a negative pressure venom extraction device (Extractor) on local tissue injury after artificial rattlesnake envenomation in a porcine model. Wilderness Environ Med 2000;11:180-188.

1999 Houston Award, Ilona A. Barash. Barash IA, Beatty C, Powell FL, Prisk GK, West JB. Nocturnal oxygen enrichment of room air at 3800 meter altitude improves sleep architecture. High Alt Med Biol 2001;2:525-533. 1998 Member Award, Gordon Giesbrecht, Ph.D. Vanggaard L, Eyolfson D, Xu X, Weseen G, Giesbrecht GG. Immersion of distal arms and legs in warm water (AVA rewarming) effectively rewarms mildly hypothermic humans. Aviat Space Environ Med 1999;70:1081-1088.

1998 Houston Award, Andre B. Gerard, M.D. Gerard AB, McElroy MK, Taylor MJ, Grant I, Powell FL, Hoverda S, Sentse N, West JB. Six percent oxygen enrichment of room air at simulated 5000 m altitude improves neuropsychological function. High Alt Med Biol 2000;1:51-61. 1998 Houston Award, Michele K. McElroy. McElroy MK, Gerard A, Powell FL, Prisk GK, Sentse N, Holverda S, West JB. Nocturnal 02 enrichment of room air at high altitude increases daytime O2 saturation without changing control of ventilation. High Alt Med Biol 2000;1:197-206.

1997 Research Training Award, Nathalie Garcia-Russell, Ph.D. Garcia N, Hopkins SR, Elliott AR, Aaron EA, Weinger MB, Powell FL. Ventilatory response to 2-h sustained hypoxia in humans. Respir Physiol 2000;124:11-22. Garcia N, Hopkins SR, Powell FL. Intermittent vs continuous hypoxia: effects on ventilation and erythropoiesis in humans. Wilderness Environ Med. 2000;11:172-179. Garcia N, Hopkins SR, Powell FL. Effects of intermittent hypoxia on the isocapnic hypoxic ventilatory response and erythropoiesis in humans. Respir Physiol 2000;123:39-49.

1997 Research Training Award, Colin K. Grissom, M.D. Grissom CK, Richer LD, Elstad MR. The effects of a 5-Lipoxygenase inhibitor on acute mountain sickness and urinary leukotriene E4 after ascent to high altitude. Chest 2005;127:565-570.

1996 Research Training Award, Colin K. Grissom, M.D. Grissom CK, Albertine KH, Elstad MR. Alveolar hemorrhage in a case of high altitude pulmonary edema. Thorax 2000;55:167-169.

1994 Research Training Award, Colin K. Grissom, M.D. Grissom CK, Whatley RE, Zimmerman GA. Endothelial selectins in acute mountain sickness and high altitude pulmonary edema Chest 1997;112:1572-1578.

1991 Houston Award, Kevin T. Kogut, M.D. Kogut KT, Rodewald LE. A field survey of the emergency preparedness of wilderness hikers. Journal of Wilderness Medicine 1994;5:171-178.

1990 Research Training Award, Craig J. Lambrecht, M.D., M.S., M.P.H. Lambrecht CJ, Hargarten SW. Hunting-related injuries and deaths in Montana: the scope of the problem and a framework for prevention. Journal of Wilderness Medicine 1993;4:175-182.

1989 Houston Award, Colin K. Grissom, M.D. Grissom CK, Roach RC, Sarnquist FH, Hackett PH. Acetazolamide in the treatment of acute mountain sickness: clinical efficacy and effect on gas exchange. Ann Int Med 1992;116:461-465.