VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System (VAGLAHS) held National VA Research Week on May 11–15, with the theme “Launching into the Future of Veterans’ Care.”
After last year’s celebration of 100 years of VA Research, this year’s theme highlighted how the next century of discovery will strengthen VA’s ability to deliver advanced, evidence‑based healthcare to Veterans.
More than 130 researchers, staff, and Veterans gathered for the Medical Research Plenary Session and Open House Event on May 13 at the West LA VA Medical Center, where outstanding research scientists and staff were recognized for their research.
Timothy Graham, Interim Medical Center Director, opened the event with remarks on VAGLAHS’s commitment to research that directly improves the lives of Veterans.
Dr. Amy Kilbourne, visiting guest speaker from the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at VA Central Office, also highlighted the importance of continuous learning and discovery which helps Veterans receive the highest quality of care that they have earned and deserve.
During the award ceremony, Dr. Steven Simon, Chief of Staff at VAGLAHS, presented Dr. Michael Ong, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, with the Inaugural National VA Office of Research and Development Field Research Leadership Excellence Award, drawing a standing ovation from the audience.
Ten Research Service Awards were also presented, and Dr. David Beenhouwer and Dr. Elizabeth Yano were recognized for outstanding grantsmanship and research funding.
Dr. Alison Hamilton, Dr. Matthew Rettig, and Dr. Anne Walling were honored for scholarship and productivity. At the same time, Dr. Michael Hsu was recognized for high-impact publications in the Journal of the American Medical Association on the therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids.
Additionally, Dr. Scott Krahl received a Service Award for decades of dedication to VA Research & Development. He served in roles ranging from Principal Investigator to Interim and Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Research before retiring after 30 years at VAGLAHS.
Research staff members Ms. Deborah Delevan, Ms. Linda Ngueyn, and Ms. Linda Caffey were also recognized for their efforts in improving administrative management systems that make cutting-edge research possible.
Veterans attending the event received information from four Veteran‑focused research programs that rely on Veterans’ voices and participation to drive breakthroughs:
• Greater Los Angeles Research and Education Foundation (GLAVREF) – builds partnerships that strengthen the power of scientific discovery and education to improve the lives of Veterans.
• Million Veteran Program (MVP) – is a national research program looking at how genes, lifestyle, military experiences, and exposures affect health and wellness in Veterans.
• Cooperative Studies Program – is a Network of Dedicated Enrollment Sites (NODES) for national clinical trials.
• Veteran Engagement Team (VET) – ensures Veterans guide research from start to finish, making studies more relevant and more likely to improve real‑world care.
Together, these programs show how VA research isn’t just happening in labs, it is directly shaping the treatments, technologies, and healthcare solutions that Veterans rely on every day.
For more information about National Research Week, visit: https://www.research.va.gov/researchweek/default.cfm.
