Research Director
Dr. Sylvain Cardin, Ph.D.
Director of Research, USAISR
Dr. Sylvain Cardin is currently serving as Director of Research/Chief Scientific Officer of the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) in San Antonio, Texas. USAISR is the principal laboratory in the Army focused on developing innovative treatments for combat casualty care. Dr. Cardin informs and drives strategy for military medical research by providing specific direction and setting strategic priorities for internal research programs. He ensures all projects are translated into knowledge and material products for military-level trauma care. Dr. Cardin also advises external stakeholders seeking DOD collaborations and funding.
Prior to joining the USAISR, Dr. Cardin served as the Chief Science Director at the Naval Medical Research Unit in San Antonio (NAMRU-SA), Texas, where he oversaw NAMRU-SA's research that focuses on combat casualty care, directed energy health effects and dental research. Dr. Cardin coordinated all Department of Defense medical research as the Associate Director for Medical Research and Technology, Human Performance, Training, and BioSystems Directorate at the Office of The Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistic and The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, DoD at the Pentagon in Alexandria, Virginia.
Dr. Cardin also served as the portfolio manager for the Forward Surgical and Intensive Critical Care and En-Route Care in Fort Detrick, Maryland for the Joint Program Committee for Combat Casualty Care (JPC-6) under the DoD, Defense Health Affairs. He was also the manager for the field medicine portfolio for the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, formerly known as the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Previously within MRMC, Dr. Cardin worked for Telemedicine Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) where he was the manager for the Human Performance Portfolio and deputy manager for the Neuro-Trauma Portfolio.
Prior to his MRMC career, Dr. Cardin worked in the pharmaceutical industry on mechanisms and treatments of chronic diseases for several years. Dr. Cardin holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Montreal, Québec, Canada where he focused on neuro-endocrine responses to exercise. He has also conducted post-doctoral research at the University of California, Los Angeles, the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, where he developed surgical techniques and performed medical research on chronic disease.