We spent two episodes tracing trauma all the way down to the cell — misfolded proteins, hijacked reward circuits, and an alarm system stuck in the "on" position. But a discovery on a lab bench doesn't heal anyone on its own. Someone has to build the system that turns that science into care. In this mini-episode, we meet that someone. Before the finale of our 3-part mini-series, we sit down with Dr. Eric Kendle, Chief of Staff of the El Paso VA Health Care System — and few people alive are better positioned to talk about trauma from every angle. Two questions anchor the conversation: How do you move trauma science from the lab bench to the bedside? And what does it actually take to build a healthcare system in El Paso that treats the whole Veteran — mind and cell? This is the human and institutional bridge between the biology (Episodes 1 & 2, with researchers from Mayo Clinic and Rutgers) and the solution (Part 3: The Community Cure). — FEATURED GUEST — Dr. Eric D. Kendle, MD — Chief of Staff, El Paso VA Health Care System. A retired Air Force Colonel with 22 years of service, Dr. Kendle served as a flight surgeon and trauma surgeon through two tours in Iraq, treating the sharp end of combat trauma at Baghdad's Sather Air Base. He earned his MD at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, spent over a decade as a trauma and acute-care surgeon, and has led VA medical staffs in Tucson, the Texas Valley Coastal Bend, Phoenix, and now El Paso. As a Veteran, the son of a Vietnam Veteran, and the father of an Afghanistan Veteran, caring for those who served is deeply personal to him. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kendle-m-d-2517ab12b/ Listen on Spotify / Apple: https://open.spotify.com/show/1nx32tqJHPuBY8eO1dPY1J Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/13SNIp7JTys — NEXT IN THE SERIES — Episode 38, Part 3: The Community Cure — the finale. We move from the problem to the solution: policy, advocacy, and cutting-edge biotech targeting trauma at the cellular level. Featuring the El Paso VA, mitochondrial-focused biotech, and trauma-informed policy — what it actually takes to build a community cure at scale. — SPECIAL THANKS — Behind Our Science · MitoGenix Therapeutics LLC · The Histochemical Society · American Society for Investigative Pathobiology · El Paso VA Health Care System — VETERAN SUPPORT & RESOURCES — El Paso Veterans who need mental health care should call the VA's South Central Wellness Center at (915) 564-6159 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). A VA mental health staff member will answer and connect the Veteran to someone who can help right away. After hours and on weekends, the same number automatically transfers to the regional Clinical Contact Center. This process is called "First Contact Resolution." The El Paso VA has crisis teams at all VA facilities who can see Veterans the same day for urgent needs. Veterans who already have a Primary Care Provider can receive same-day mental health care during their primary care visit. Community-based clinics can also respond immediately to Veterans' needs during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). If you're a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line for 24/7 confidential support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255. If you or a Veteran you know needs support, don't wait. Reach out. Explore resources at VA.gov/Reach and take the first step. Like, subscribe, and share to help more people understand what trauma really is — and the biology behind it. #BehindOurScience #biologyoftrauma #veterans #VA #ElPasoVA #mentalhealth #traumainformedcare #neuroscience #VeteranMentalHealth #elpasotx #addiction #podcast
