Chief’s Message: Discovery to Delivery of Health – Duke Heart and Vascular
Over the last year we have spent much of our time highlighting the clinical work and people (faculty, residents, fellows, and staff) that help us deliver world class care to our patients. This is always central to our mission and hopefully will be even more possible in our new aligned clinical structure under the Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP). However, often the key differentiator at Academic Medical Centers (AMC’s) is the academic or discovery portion of the work that our faculty and fellows/residents do. Much of this work either directly or indirectly plays a role in fundamentally helping us better understand how to treat and care for cardiovascular disease. Importantly it is also how we determine the areas where our clinical care should evolve to prevent and improve health. Our local and regional communities come to us for access to this care and to understand health, and our global community looks to us to engage and participate to help determine the course for years to come. Over the next several months in addition to updates on our structural changes – we will work to highlight the continued excellence across our group in the research mission. Today’s Pulse starts with some of those recent research awards – and we will ensure we continue to highlight the research work, the grants, presentations, and impact that we are making. We see a future of care that is truly powered by these discoveries put into clinical practice – powered by Duke Heart and Vascular.
Highlights of the week:
$9.4 Million in Funding Awarded to Cardiology Faculty in June
We’re excited to announce a compilation of funding awards received in June 2024 by faculty in the Duke Division of Cardiology. Sponsored research funding, all from the National Institutes of Health, was awarded to:
Adam DeVore received an award (1UG3-HL173571-01) from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled “1/2 Spironolactone Initiation Registry Randomized Interventional Trial in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Extension Trial.” Total funding will be $877,758.
Marat Fudim received an award (1R01-HL171305-01) from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled “Splanchnic Nerve Modulation In Heart Failure (Splanchnic X).” Total funding will be $2,533,785.
Svati Shah received an award (1R01-HL168940-01A1) from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled “Machine Learning Guided Precision Genetic Testing for Identification of Monogenic Cardiovascular Disorders.” Total funding will be $2,706,567.
Additionally, industry-sponsored funding has been awarded as follows:
Marat Fudim received an award from Tenax Therapeutics, Inc. for a project entitled “A Phase 3, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Levosimendan in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction(PH-HFpEF); LEVEL: LEVosimendan to Improve Exercise Limitation in Pa.” Total funding will be $488,289.
Neha Pagidipati received an award from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a project entitled “Bayer AG – CKD Implementation -Multi-funded.” Total funding will be $2,354,263.
Jennifer Rymer received an award from Abiomed, Inc. for a project entitled “Protect IV.” Total funding will be $446,788.
That’s more than $9.4 million in research funding across five faculty members. Extraordinary! Congratulations to all and we look forward to learning more about the projects.
Great Catch Award for Nikia Beavers!
Nikia Beavers, CNII, was helping the admitting nurse on 7 West at Duke University Hospital when she identified an incorrect order set for a post-op esophagectomy patient. While the ‘other’ order set used was similar, there are critical differences in the management of NGT and J-tubes. 
Not only did she recognize the tube management plan (based on order) was incorrect, she intervened to prevent incorrect care and escalated her concerns to ensure clarity was obtained from the provider. Further, this great catch led to awareness around opportunities for broader education regarding the care standard for this low-volume/high-risk patient population.
Nikia was an excellent role model in this situation by escalating her concerns through the nursing channels and then to the providers.
Way to go, Nikia!
Seeking Coaches & Walkers: Heart Walk 2024
We are still seeking Walkers for the 2024 American Heart Association’s Triangle Heart Walk, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 8. Walker recruitment and fundraising efforts are well underway and we are almost a month away from the event. Please consider joining us – it is not too late!
Join Manesh Patel’s team: Duke Heart and Sole or start your own team under “Duke Heart & Vascular”. We want to have a huge team representing Duke Heart this year to celebrate not only the AHA’s Centennial, but Duke University’s 100th birthday. Please join us!
To sign up as a Coach, click the button above and on the AHA site, choose the red “Create a Team” button. Walkers can also sign up and join teams on the same site by clicking the red “Join a Team” button.
Let’s come together to make this our best year yet and demonstrate our unwavering dedication to cardiovascular health. Together, we can make a significant impact and pave the way for a healthier future.
The 2024 Heart Walk will be a terrific event and a wonderful way to support our cardiovascular patients. We’ll be talking about Heart Walk all summer with lots of opportunities to join in the fun. Thank you for your ongoing support!
DUHS Leadership Announcements
Several leadership changes at Duke Health and DHIP were announced over the past couple of weeks:
- Doug Heron, associate vice president for State Relations, will be leaving Duke to become the Senior Vice President at the North Carolina Hospital Association (NCHA), effective August 16. In an announcement from Craig Albanese, MD, MBA, chief executive officer for DUHS and Chris Simmons, vice president of Government Relations for Duke University, the two stated, “Since Doug joined Duke more than ten years ago, he has transformed Duke State Relations, boosting the visibility of Duke and Duke Health in Raleigh and across North Carolina’s healthcare sector. His impact on legislation and regulations, whether shaping, drafting, or opposing them, has been substantial and noteworthy.”
- Mangoné Fall has been selected as Duke Health’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), effective September 9th. The announcement was made by Jeff Ferranti, MD, MS, senior vice president and chief digital officer for DUHS. Fall will join us from Cleveland Clinic, where he served as the executive director of cybersecurity and deputy CISO. “A transformational leader with more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, technology, and business enablement, he has a proven track record of driving cultural and organizational change to achieve business goals and leading cross-functional teams to create value, enhance productivity, and implement complex technical solutions,” said Ferranti.
Two of Duke Health Integrated Practice’s leaders have been promoted to Vice President roles as of August 1:
- Sara Holleran, MPH, is now DHIP’s Vice President of Growth and Network Development. In her new role, Sara plans to significantly enhance clinical capacity through the alignment and acquisition of mid-to-large-scale physician practices and spearhead the clinical development of new facilities and the establishment of novel practices within Duke Health.
- Brittany Komansky, MHA, BSN, RN, CEN, NEA-BC, is DHIP’s new Vice President of Ambulatory Operations. In her new role, Brittany will work alongside Tammy Berry, VP of DHIP Ambulatory Operations, to support DHIP’s clinicians and team members by streamlining and optimizing workflows, implementing best practices, and ensuring Duke’s quality and safety remain uncompromised. Together Tammy and Brittany will continue to cultivate strong, collaborative partnerships between our clinics and departments, and across DHIP and DUHS, with the intent of reinforcing Duke’s status as a national leader in ambulatory care.
Congratulations to all!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Our regular CGR season has ended. We will resume in August/September. All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Aug. 7: Congenital Heart Disease, Part 1 with Richard Krasuski. Noon, 2W96.
Aug. 9: Congenital Heart Disease, Part 2 with Richard Krasuski. Noon, via Zoom.
Aug. 14: Dyslipidemia with Nishant Shah. Noon, 2W96.
Aug. 16: EKG Review with Michelle Kelsey. Noon, via Zoom.
Aug. 21: Diagnostic Coronary Angiogram with Andrew Wang. Noon, 2W96.
RFA: Duke CTSI CDA Program
The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute CTSI Career Development Award Program (CDA) is now accepting applications. The Duke CTSI CDA provides skilled and personalized mentoring, a coordinated and tailored scientific and career development curriculum, and the opportunity to conduct clinical or translational (bench to bedside) research. The CTSI CDA is particularly committed to increasing the diversity of the research workforce. Members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
Up to two Scholars will be awarded 75% total protected effort for 2 years, up to $20,000/year for research expenses, and up to $2,500/year for travel to professional meetings. Funding will start in January 2025. Applications are due September 9, 2024.
Individuals considering applying to the Duke CTSI CDA are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent by August 1, 2024 via MyResearchProposal. For more information about the CTSI CDA and how to apply please visit https://ctsi.duke.edu/career-development/duke-ctsi-cda.
For questions about the program, please email CTSI CDA Program Manager: Stephanie Molner, MSW, or one of the program directors: Laura Svetkey, MD, MHS, Kimberly Johnson, MD, or Rasheed Gbadegesin, MBBS, MD.
Duke Heart Fall 2024 CME Courses
The following symposia will be held this fall:
October 12: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium at Trent Semans Center, 7:55 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Course directors are Drs. Sreekanth Vemulapalli and Anita Kelsey.
November 1: the 16th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium at Durham Convention Center, 8:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Course directors are Dr. Terry Fortin and Dr. Jimmy Ford (of UNC).
Registration/landing pages are not yet available but will be shared in Pulse once they are. Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
New Faculty Orientation Dates
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center.
All faculty hired in the past three years are welcome to attend. While content specifically targets newer faculty, many topics apply to all faculty regardless of career stage. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart & Vascular at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may interest our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon, on Wednesdays, will be considered for weekend inclusion.
Duke Heart in the News:
July 28 — Carmelo Milano, Jacob Schroder, and Matthew Moore
Innovando News
Gino Gerosa: “In two years the prototype of the tailor-made artificial heart”
*The article is officially dated February 20, 2024
July 30 — Monique Starks
The Washington Post
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a medical response drone.
July 30 — Monique Starks
WHRO (Norfolk, VA)/KFF Health News
Rescue from above: How drones may narrow emergency response times in Virginia and elsewhere
July 31 — Duke University Hospital
Becker’s Hospital Review
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