Every 15 seconds, a U.S. citizen sustains a significant traumatic brain injury (TBI). Every 5 minutes, someone is permanently disabled as a consequence of TBI. Between 1.5 million and 2 million U.S. civilians sustain a TBI each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5.3 million civilians are living with some degree of disability from a traumatic brain injury. TBI has also been labeled the signature wound of the Iraq war, with up to 20 percent of combat personnel having suffered a TBI while in theater. The aggregate annual cost of TBI in the United States approached $60 billion in 2000. Despite the enormity of the problem, scientists have not identified an effective pharmacological agent that improves outcomes for TBI. Why have no agents been successfully developed, and what is being done about this devastating disease? New initiatives and research are finally bringing hope through a more fundamental understanding of the disease and the development of novel treatments. This symposium brings together three outstanding individuals to discuss 1) redefining TBI, the latest findings on the mechanisms, and new perspectives; 2) mild TBI, a silent epidemic -- new understanding of the injury and mechanisms involved; and 3) promising new treatments and current trials.