Research Spotlights

Researcher using a pipette to measure and transfer liquid

At the Middle Tennessee Research Institute, innovation drives every discovery. Our Research Spotlight series highlights the groundbreaking work of our principal investigators, showcasing research that turns science into healing and transforms vision into meaningful outcomes. These studies enable Veterans to live with dignity, helping to lift the burden of disease and improve lives across the country.

Tennessee Valley Researcher Inducted into the Esteemed National Academy of Medicine

Dr. Michael E. MathenyDr. Michael E. Matheny
Michael Matheny, MD, MS, MPH, research scientist and primary care physician at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) has been inducted into the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), recognizing his significant contributions to health care informatics and artificial intelligence (AI).

NAM  is one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, serving as a national resource for independent, scientifically-informed analysis and recommendations on health issues. It informs health policy and decision-making in both the public and private sectors.

Matheny’s research focuses on identifying potential risks and complications associated with medical device failures after they have been approved for market use and determines the right course for remedy, ensuring patients get the right care.

“I think it is important to bring a rigorous approach to research projects applying machine learning and artificial intelligence for the challenges at hand,” Matheny said. “Whether it's building population health risk prediction models or using natural language processing to extract critical information from free text, my work as a principal investigator has consistently focused on leveraging these advanced methods to detect safety signals and adverse events in medical device and medication post-market surveillance."

Read more: Tennessee Valley Researcher Inducted into the Esteemed National Academy of Medicine

Bridging the gaps in lung cancer screening

Just over a decade ago, in 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended annual lung screenings for asymptomatic adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit smoking within the past 15 years. This was a significant step forward in raising awareness about the benefits of lung cancer screenings for high-risk populations. However, there is still a long road ahead. Currently, only about 50% of individuals diagnosed with lung cancer meet the screening eligibility criteria. These guidelines do not fully account for a multitude of factors, known and unknown, that can lead to a devastating lung cancer diagnosis – the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

MAS-EXPAND, a new study supported by a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), an independent charitable organization, aims to advance our understanding of who is at risk. Led by Dr. Jennifer Lewis, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Division of Hematology-Oncology and research physician, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, MAS-EXPAND will explore whether veterans aged 50 and older who have ever smoked at least 100 cigarettes and have additional risk factors, including military exposures to burn pits, Agent Orange, ionizing radiation and others, should be considered a high-risk population for lung cancer. This research could potentially inform future screening guidelines.

Read more: Bridging the gaps in lung cancer screening