The 3rd Annual NeuroTrauma Symposium, led by a committed team of neurosurgeons, trauma surgeons and other experts from the University of Chicago, brought together leading surgeons, researchers, and clinicians from across the country to discuss advances in treating brain and spinal injuries.
Among the most anticipated sessions was Dr. Martin Schreiber’s presentation, titled “Challenges in Traumatic Brain Injury Trials.” His talk focused on why conducting reliable and effective clinical studies in traumatic brain injury remains one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine.
The Complexity of TBI Research
Dr. Martin Schreiber began his presentation by addressing a central question that researchers continue to face: How do you design fair, consistent, and meaningful studies in patients with such wide variations in injury and recovery?
He explained that no two brain injuries are ever the same. Each case involves different causes, severities, and recovery paths. These differences make it difficult to compare patients and measure outcomes accurately.
“Every brain injury is different,” Dr. Schreiber said. “The mechanism of trauma, the patient’s physiology, and the timing of care all affect recovery. Designing a trial that captures those differences is an enormous challenge.”
Because of this complexity, even large studies often struggle to enroll enough similar patients to produce clear results. Researchers also face the question of what to measure. Should they focus only on survival, or should they look more deeply at cognitive and physical recovery over time?
Measuring Success Beyond Survival
Dr. Schreiber pointed out that while survival rates are important, they do not tell the whole story. For patients and families, recovery means more than just living through the initial trauma.
“We have to ask what success really looks like,” he said. “Is it being alive six months later, or being able to return to work, communicate, and engage in life again?”
He encouraged researchers to develop new assessment tools that measure long term neurological and functional recovery. These tools, he said, would help trials better reflect the real outcomes that matter to patients.
Insights from the Tranexamic Acid Trial
To highlight the potential for progress, Dr. Schreiber shared results from his published clinical trial on Tranexamic Acid, or TXA, in patients with traumatic brain injury and proven intracranial bleeding.
The study showed that early administration of TXA improved both survival and neurological outcomes at six months. The findings supported the idea that early, targeted intervention can significantly influence recovery in severe TBI cases.
Even with these positive results, Dr. Schreiber emphasized how demanding such research can be. The TXA trial required precise coordination between multiple hospitals, rapid diagnostic imaging, and careful ethical oversight since many patients could not give consent due to their injuries.
“TXA gave us a glimpse of what is possible,” he said. “But it also showed how much work we have ahead to make large, high quality trials more practical.”
The Power of Collaboration
Throughout his presentation, Dr. Schreiber stressed that the future of TBI research depends on collaboration between institutions and across disciplines.
Drawing on his experience as both a trauma surgeon and a Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, he discussed how military medicine has advanced trauma care through shared data and consistent training.
He noted that the Joint Theater Trauma System, which he once directed in the deployed setting, created a model for collecting real time data and using it to improve care throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. The same coordinated approach, he said, could help civilian trauma centers overcome long standing research barriers.
“Trauma care improves when we share information quickly and work as a team,” he said. “The same idea applies to research. The more we align our data and our methods, the faster we can find answers.”
New Tools and Future Directions
Dr. Schreiber also spoke about how technology is changing the way researchers study TBI. Advances in imaging, continuous brain monitoring, and molecular testing are helping identify patterns that could guide future treatments.
He noted that improved data analysis can help researchers understand why some patients respond better than others, but he cautioned against overreliance on technology. “Sophisticated tools are helpful, but they do not replace the need for good data and strong study design,” he said. “Technology should help us ask better questions, not just faster ones.”
A Broader View of the Symposium
The 3rd Annual NeuroTrauma Symposium featured presentations from experts across fields including neurosurgery, critical care, and rehabilitation. Many sessions focused on how early intervention, coordinated systems, and new science can change outcomes for brain and spinal injury patients.
Dr. Schreiber’s session stood out for its practical insights and open discussion of the difficulties that still limit TBI research. His experience in both military and civilian trauma systems gave him a unique perspective that connected science, logistics, and patient care.
Audience members praised his honesty and clarity. One attendee said, “Dr. Schreiber reminded us that every data point represents a person. His focus on meaningful recovery rather than just numbers is something the whole field needs to hear.”
About Dr. Martin Schreiber
Dr. Martin A. Schreiber, M.D., is an internationally respected trauma and critical care surgeon, educator, and researcher. He serves as Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. As a Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, Dr. Schreiber has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, serving as Chief of Surgery and Chief of Trauma at combat support and forward surgical hospitals. His research includes more than six hundred publications on topics such as hemorrhagic shock, trauma resuscitation, and traumatic brain injury.
He continues to play a leading role in national and international trauma education, serving as the National Director of the Definitive Surgical Trauma Care Course.
Looking Ahead
In closing his presentation, Dr. Schreiber called on the trauma research community to work toward more unified data collection, stronger partnerships, and smarter trial design.
“TBI is one of the most complex conditions we treat,” he said. “Progress will depend on teamwork, openness, and persistence. When we get those things right, we will see real change in how we care for patients.”
The 3rd Annual NeuroTrauma Symposium concluded with a renewed sense of collaboration and purpose. Dr. Schreiber’s message was clear. Scientific progress in traumatic brain injury will come not only from technology or funding, but from a shared commitment to learning and improving together.
