
Mission Area
National Health
Revolutionizing Health through Science and Engineering
The National Health Mission Area at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory aims to revolutionize health through science and engineering.
Public health threats in the U.S. and around the world continue to impact U.S. civilians and military personnel. New approaches are needed to protect civilian populations and our warfighters in the face of such threats. We envision a future where we can better measure and quantify health; better predict and prevent injury, illness, and disease; assure access to reliable care in every environment; and ensure global health security.
Our work occupies a unique position at the intersection of fundamental and applied research in biological sciences, innovative modeling, sensor development, data collection and analytics, and systems engineering. We are able to leverage the vast, cross-disciplinary capabilities and expertise at APL and across Johns Hopkins University to solve the nation’s most critical health challenges.
Leadership
Learn More About Our Work
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Envisioned Futures →
Envisioned Futures inspire the National Health Mission Area’s pursuit of defining innovations, providing a means to put our work in context and influence the competencies and capabilities we develop.
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Program Areas and Programs →
Our programs utilize a cross-disciplinary approach designed to drive science forward to protect and restore health from the individual through the global scale.
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COVID-19 Response →
APL is leveraging cutting-edge capabilities, drawing on the full expertise of the Laboratory in the COVID-19 response.
Recent News
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News
Sep 28, 2023Awakening Interest in an Under-studied Brain System
Johns Hopkins APL scientists are working to advance our understanding of the glymphatic system — an under-studied waste clearance system for the brain — and the role it plays in sleep, memory consolidation, degenerative illnesses and more. -
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Aug 17, 2023Designing Conversational AI to Provide Medical Assistance on the Battlefield
Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL are working on a proof of concept for a conversational artificial intelligence agent that will be able to provide medical guidance to untrained soldiers in plain English, by applying knowledge gleaned from established care procedures. -
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Aug 1, 2023Improving Patient Safety Outcomes With Precision Medicine
A collaboration between Johns Hopkins APL and Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore is applying data science expertise to combat preventable harms in the health care system, using the Precision Medicine Analytics Platform. -
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Jul 27, 2023Johns Hopkins APL Restores Cold Sensation in Amputees’ Phantom Limbs
APL researchers have developed one of the world’s smallest, most intense refrigeration devices. The adhesive bandage-like device mimics the body’s natural and rapid ability to sense temperature, and bioengineers at the Lab are now using it to help amputees perceive a sense of cold in their phantom limbs. -
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Jul 26, 2023Medics and Machines: Developing Robotic Technologies to Provide Assured Care in the Field
Johns Hopkins APL researchers are exploring how new capabilities in artificial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics might support collaborative intervention by teams of medics, AI-based virtual assistants and autonomous robots.