Physiologist recognized at national conference

by Sue Campbell
59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

5/27/2010 - LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- A physiologist here was honored at the annual Aerospace Medical Association conference held May 10 through 13 in Phoenix.

Lt. Col. Lance Annicelli, the Aerospace and Operational Physiology Training Flight commander for the 359th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, was awarded the 2010 Life Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Branch Research and Development Innovation award.

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated innovative life sciences and biomedical engineering research as it relates to the design and/or development of aerospace medical equipment or systems.

He also received the 2010 Paul Bert Award for outstanding research contributions in aerospace physiology.

Both awards were presented to Colonel Annicelli for his research in aircrew protection, specifically in the field of enhanced G protection.

"This recognition was fantastic and caught me completely by surprise," Colonel Annicelli said. "We have been working on this project for almost five years. It's certainly quite an honor to be recognized by my peers."

Colonel Annicelli's G protection research has received numerous accolades throughout the Air Force for the unique and novel approach to acceleration protection.

He teamed up with Dr. Ulf Balldin to develop a patent pending concept of G protection through electrically stimulating the muscles of the lower body. A prototype garment designed to be worn by a pilot under the flight suit provides a unique form of acceleration protection by automatically sensing and contracting the lower body muscles during and throughout excessive G-forces, thereby providing a transparent form of G protection.

"It's definitely a thrill to be a part of a project that will hopefully make a significant difference in aircrew performance and protection," Colonel Annicelli said.