6 August 2025

Dr. Teryn R. Roberts Honored as The Geneva Foundation’s 2024 Researcher of the Year

The Geneva Foundation (Geneva) is pleased to announce Dr. Teryn R. Roberts, PhD, as the recipient of the 2024 Researcher of the Year award.

The Researcher of the Year award, established by Geneva’s Scientific Advisory Board in 2014, honors individuals who significantly advance military medicine, aligning with our mission to foster innovative research that benefits U.S. service members and their families. The 2024 award focuses on an early-career Geneva researcher who exemplifies scientific excellence and a steadfast commitment to advancing military medicine.

Dr. Roberts, an investigator based at Geneva’s Autonomous Reanimation and Evacuation (AREVA) Research Institute & Innovation Center at Brooks City Base, TX, has made transformative contributions to the field of extracorporeal life support (ECLS), accelerating the development of mission-ready solutions that directly enhance combat casualty care.

Dr. Roberts has been a Geneva employee for over eight years and has supported more than 15 research projects spanning discovery, development, and clinical evaluation. Her work exemplifies the power of translational research to deliver real-world outcomes. While earning her PhD in Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida, Dr. Roberts continued her full-time research at AREVA under the mentorship of Dr. Andriy Batchinsky.

Among her most notable achievements, Dr. Roberts developed innovative coagulation management protocols that reduce reliance on systemic anticoagulation during ECLS, increasing safety for patients in combat and ICU environments. Her development of bio-inspired “circuit-centered” hemostasis management for ECLS, including blood-compatible biomaterials for ECLS circuits, exemplifies translational research—delivering safer, more durable systems for prolonged use in field conditions and critical care.

Dr. Roberts was recently awarded funding for her study, Proactive Targeted Coagulation Management During Trauma and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. This work analyzes combat-relevant trauma scenarios using plasma samples from animal models, including those receiving ECLS without systemic anticoagulation. Her findings are helping shape future clinical protocols—advancing requirements-driven solutions that improve survival in high-risk, resource-constrained settings.

Colonel (Ret.) (Dr.) Stuart Tyner, Chair of Geneva’s Scientific Advisory Board, praised Dr. Roberts’ contributions, stating, “Dr. Roberts is a key contributor to the phenomenal work being conducted in the AREVA lab. She is a maturing leader whose work has strong military relevance, and she is making a profound impact on the future of combat casualty care.”

“Dr. Roberts exemplifies the spirit of innovation, dedication, and excellence that Geneva celebrates through this award,” said Geneva President & CEO Elise Huszar. “Her research is not only advancing scientific understanding but also translating discovery into readiness—delivering deployable solutions that improve outcomes for service members and strengthen force protection.”

In addition to her research impact, Dr. Roberts is a dedicated mentor to junior investigators, technicians, and medical students. Her commitment to team development and collaborative leadership contributes to Geneva’s culture of scientific rigor and multidisciplinary innovation. From bench to battlefield, her work reflects the urgency and precision required in military medicine.

As Geneva’s 2024 Researcher of the Year, Dr. Roberts joins a distinguished group of investigators whose work drives forward Geneva’s mission to advance military medicine and improve the health, readiness, and resilience for those who serve.

About The Geneva Foundation

The Geneva Foundation advances operationally relevant, military-unique research aligned with DoD requirements to ensure mission success. We accelerate military medical R&D to deliver deployable solutions that enhance the health, readiness, and capabilities of service members and the communities they serve. With deep expertise in research operations, government contracting, strategic collaborations, and commercialization, Geneva ensures successful research outcomes and remains a committed strategic partner in advancing military medicine.

Media Contact:
Amy Lyons, Strategic Communications Manager

marcom@genevaUSA.org
www.genevaUSA.org