The mTBI Keystone Research Study is structured as a sequence of discrete, independently fundable phases. Each phase produces a completable, publishable result that de-risks and scientifically justifies the phase that follows — letting funders anchor to a defined milestone and a known cost rather than a single large commitment. Phase 1 is a standalone 50-participant pilot; Phases 2 and 3 together form the 400-participant randomized trial. Click any phase to see its full detail, budget, and funding progress. Phase 1 is underway and onboarding participants now, while fundraising continues to complete it.
Fifty participants, precise upper-cervical care, and the first published evidence that the craniocervical junction (CCJ) model works.
Explore Phase →Twenty participants across two treatment lanes while we build and prove the full trial's operational machine.
Explore Phase →380 more participants join Phase 2's twenty to complete the 400-participant trial, randomized across three arms — the definitive study.
Explore Phase →Final analysis and multi-journal publication that carries the findings into Department of War and VA policy.
Explore Phase →The Full Arc of the Work
Taken together, the four phases represent the same complete body of work a single large trial would require — staged so that each step stands on its own, produces a real result, and makes the next more certain. About three years of work in total: six months each for Phases 1, 2, and 4, and eighteen months for Phase 3. A supporter may enter at any point along this path.
| Phase | Scope | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | CCJ Pilot Study | $384,702 |
| Phase 2 | Prep & Preliminary Outcomes | $2,050,070 |
| Phase 3 | The Full Randomized Controlled Trial | $20,069,695 |
| Phase 4 | Analytics & Publication | $1,036,195 |
| Full Program (Phases 1–4) | $23,540,662 | |
Last updated September 16, 2026
Common Questions
Questions & Answers
- How is the mTBI study funded and structured?
- As four discrete, independently fundable phases. Phase 1 is a 50-participant craniocervical junction (CCJ) pilot ($384,702); Phase 2 builds the full trial apparatus and runs a 20-participant two-lane comparison ($2,050,070); Phase 3 adds 380 participants to complete the 400-participant three-arm randomized controlled trial ($20,069,695); Phase 4 is analytics and multi-journal publication ($1,036,195). The full program totals $23,540,662.
- Why phase the study instead of funding one large trial?
- Each phase produces a completable, publishable result that de-risks and scientifically justifies the phase that follows. Funders can anchor to a defined milestone and a known cost rather than a single large commitment, while the scientific integrity of the full 400-participant randomized controlled trial is preserved.
- What does “policy change” mean here?
- The end goal is new Department of War and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) standards for how mild traumatic brain injury is screened, diagnosed, and treated — driven by published evidence from the trial and delivered directly to military medical leadership in Phase 4.