Duke Heart Pulse — September 29, 2024
Chief’s message: Hurricanes and Homecoming Weekend
This week had lots of downs and ups for us across the state. The biggest challenge – Hurricane Helene required many of the people in our state (especially those colleagues in the western part of the state) to take shelter and ensure that they stayed safe. On the Duke Health side – you will see our efforts noted below including some work to keep our teams/patients safe during the weather.
This weekend was also founders day and homecoming weekend. Duke Football came from behind to win 21-20 against UNC and the founders weekend also had the university give Rob Califf the University Medal for Distinguished Meritorious Service – the highest honor at the University. Quite an amazing achievement for Dr. Califf and speaks to the influence he has had not just on cardiology, the DCRI, but the broader Duke University environment and health around the world. There are also several stories around continued excellence from Faculty, Staff, and Residents/Fellows with research and clinical care below that show the continued work of our amazing team. In the upcoming week we will have our fall faculty celebration to welcome new faculty and share highlights from the past year. We also anticipate having some of our recent Duke Heart accomplishments in managing patients with failing hearts shared in the national media. We will share all of this and more in the upcoming pulse – and appreciate the continued efforts our multi-specialty teams make in caring for our patients.
Highlights of the week:
Duke Health Monitoring Helene Recovery Efforts
We are all stunned at the damage wrought throughout the Southeastern U.S. due to Hurricane Helene – particularly in the mountains of western NC and eastern TN, where the full extent of devastation and loss is not yet known. In an update from DUHS leadership yesterday, Tom Owens, MD, executive vice president and chief operating officer, issued the following message:
On Friday, September 27th, Hurricane Helene made landfall, affecting much of the eastern seaboard, including North Carolina. While the Triangle experienced heavy rain and winds, western North Carolina has been dealing with severe flooding, road closures, and ongoing power outages.
As we assess the situation across the state, Duke University Health System is working to coordinate support and resources in areas of critical need. Our Emergency Preparedness team is collaborating with state officials to evaluate the damage, ensure patient safety, and coordinate care where needed.
We recognize that many of us have friends and family impacted by this devastation. Many of our colleagues have reached out to see how they can contribute to our community’s recovery efforts. We will share more information in the coming days on how we can individually and collectively help those in need.
Thank you for your dedication during this difficult time. We remain committed to supporting our colleagues, patients, and the wider community across North Carolina throughout this recovery effort.
In happier news…
Many other events have been taking place this weekend, including Duke’s Founders’ Day & Homecoming Weekend with a gathering of the current and former Duke University presidents – Vincent Price, Nan Keohane, and Richard Brodhead – along with Duke alumna Judy Woodruff serving as moderator; a concert featuring Ed Sheeran and special guests 9th Wonder and Duke alumna Rhetta; the presentation of the 2024 University Medals for Distinguished Meritorious Service – the University’s highest honor – one of which has been bestowed on Robert Califf (more on this below); and an inspired (historic!) comeback performance by Duke on the field against UNC in yesterday’s Homecoming football game… ICYMI, Duke won 21-20, taking the coveted Victory Bell back to the Bull City.
Today is also World Heart Day an international celebration and awareness day led by the World Heart Federation and established in partnership with the World Health Organization. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death across the world.
Thank you for your daily efforts to improve our global understanding of cardiovascular diseases and for leading the way in treatment and outcomes for our cardiovascular patients, educating and training our students, fellows, and teams, and for being part of Duke Heart.
Califf Receives University Medal
The 2024 University Medals for Distinguished Meritorious Service, Duke’s highest honor, are being awarded to alumni Robert Califf, Fred Stanback, and William Turner, Jr. this weekend.
Founders’ Weekend celebrates the founding of the university and provides an opportunity each year for the Duke community to reflect on the school’s history and recognize the leadership, contributions, and impact students, faculty, administrators, staff, trustees and alumni have made over the past 100 years.
About Robert Califf, MD
An esteemed cardiologist and prominent leader in public health and clinical science, Robert “Rob” Califf is commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Califf completed both his undergraduate degree in psychology and medical degree at Duke. Prior to joining the FDA in 2015, he spent more than 30 years as a practicing cardiologist, researcher and administrator at Duke.
He was founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), which today is the world’s largest academic clinical research organization and a leader in impactful clinical trials in medicine.
In 2006, Califf was named vice chancellor for clinical and translational research, a position he held until he was named deputy commissioner of the FDA in 2015. Seven months later, former President Barack Obama nominated Califf to serve as FDA Commissioner, a position he held until 2017.
Califf then returned to Duke as professor of medicine and vice chancellor for health data science, and founded and directed Duke Forge, a multi-disciplinary center for actionable health data science, before joining Alphabet, Inc., in 2019 as head of medical strategy and senior advisor.
In November 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Califf to once again serve as FDA Commissioner. Califf is also a Duke parent; his son Tom graduated from the university in 2006.
The full story, including more on Stanback and Turner, can be found here. A complete list of previous University Medal recipients is available on the University Archives website.
Congratulations and well deserved, Rob!
Voora to Serve as Site PI for $27M NIH award on Genomics in Clinical Care
The National Institutes of Health last week announced that it was awarding $27 million to establish a new network of genomics-enabled learning health systems. Duke and Durham VA cardiologist Deepak Voora, MD, along with Duke/Durham VA internist Lori Orlando, MD, will serve as two of the four principal investigators (PIs) for the Boston, MA site (Boston Veterans Administration Research Institute), one of six systems selected as part of the network.
The selected systems for the new Genomics-enabled Learning Health System (gLHS) Network have already developed mature, learning healthcare systems to design and test novel implementation strategies to improve the use of genomics in clinical care. Over the next five years, the network will create best practices for improving the uptake and use of genomic medicine interventions that can be generalized to diverse healthcare systems.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA)/U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will be represented by four PIs: Jason Vassy, MD, and internist at Boston VA/Harvard; Maren Scheuner, MD, a medical geneticist at UCSF/San Francisco VA; Voora, and Orlando.
“This research complements Dr. Voora’s ongoing work at the VHA in Pharmacogenomics at the national level,” said Rajesh Swaminathan, associate professor of medicine in cardiology at Duke and cardiology section chief for the Durham VAMC. “He was recently awarded a $1.5M VA HSR&D Grant focusing on reducing Veterans’ risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through pharmacogenomics informed statin prescribing.”
In addition to Boston VA Research Institute, the network includes Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA; Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis; Northwestern Medicine Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. To learn more, see the full announcement here.
Way to go, Deepak!
Biever Receives HFC SBR Award
Congratulations to Kim Biever, a research coordinator with Duke Heart’s Clinical Research Unit! She has been awarded an 
Excellence in Site Based Research Award from the Heart Failure Collaboratory (HFC) in partnership with the American Heart Association, for her work on the VALOR-HCM clinical trial. She was nominated by a team from Bristol Myers Squibb.
Biever will be recognized by the HFC on Sunday, Nov. 17 during the 2024 AHA Annual Scientific Sessions being held in Chicago.
This award is given to principal investigators, study coordinators, and sites that have demonstrated excellence through multiple nominations over the years for the HFC Site-Based Research Award.
The award certifies that she has shown exceptional achievement, contribution, or performance in site-based research. Only the top site-based researchers are recognized by the HFC with this award.
Congratulations, Kim!!!
Selvaraj Receives ATTR Research Award
Congratulations to advanced heart failure specialist, Senthil Selvaraj, MD! He has been selected as one of two recipients of the ATTR Young Investigator Research Awards by Cornerstone Medical Education. Selvaraj was invited to present his work to peers and a selection committee via a virtual colloquium. In a message from Bryan Taylor, Cornerstone’s chief strategy officer, he stated, “I truly don’t think I could have asked for two better physician-scientists to claim the first 2 ATTR Young Investigator Research Awards. Your work, and your presentation of that work, was truly stellar.”
The $100,000 award will support Selvaraj’s continued research into amyloidosis — some of which was published earlier this year in JAMA and presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Great job, Senthil!!!
Kudos to D’Amico!
We received a warm message from a patient recently regarding care she received from Dr. Thomas D’Amico, the Gary
Hock Endowed Professor of Surgery.
The patient shared that she was in the hospital for 37 days and stated, “Dr. D’Amico and his team took great care of me. They were the most amazing group of caregivers and nurses” she had ever had.
True to his nature, D’Amico’s response was, “I’m sure this is really about great nursing care and resident involvement. It’s a great place to be as a patient.”
Congratulations to Tom and the entire team for being recognized for the tremendous care they provided!
Winter Respiratory Virus Season Masking Guidance
As respiratory virus season ramps up, Duke’s Infection Prevention/Infectious Disease specialists anticipate another “tripledemic” related to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Patients, visitors, and team members should protect themselves and others using established prevention strategies.
We strongly recommend masking for patients, visitors, and team members during respiratory virus season – September 18, 2024, through March 1, 2025. Masking is still required in high-risk clinical areas, during clusters or outbreaks, and during the active COVID-19 infectious period.
For more details, masking guidance documents can be found on SharePoint.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Sept. 15 to Oct. 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
Sept. 29: World Heart Day
Oct. 17-Nov. 2: Early voting period, November 2024 General Election.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Oct. 1: No CGR today.
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
October 2: No conference. Interview Day.
October 4: No conference.
October 9: EP Fellows’ Case Conference with Jonathan Kusner and Hannah Schwennesen. Noon, In-person, DN 2003 or via Zoom.
October 11: DHP Fellows’ Case Conference with Cosette Champion. Noon, via Zoom.
October 16: No conference. Interview Day.
October 18: Fellows’ Meet and Greet Lunch with visiting professor Bernard Gersh. Noon, DMP 2W91
October 23: HF/Txp Fellows’ Case Conference with Mike Cosiano. Noon, DMP 2W96
October 25: No conference. Interview Day.
October 30: Board Review with Paula Rambarat and Nishant Shah. Noon, DN 2001
AAMC Professional Development Webinar
Wednesday, Oct. 2: GFA Professional Development Webinar: Innovative Programs for Mid-Career Faculty in Academic Medicine, Noon-1 p.m. Register here.
Our own Cary Ward, MD, Associate Dean for Faculty Development for Duke School of Medicine will be a featured speaker during an AAMC webinar on Oct. 2 about faculty development programs for mid-career faculty in academic medicine. Registration is required.
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).
Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
New Faculty Orientation
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
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.
DIHI – Innovation Projects RFA 2025
The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) announces the next emerging ideas and innovation funding cycle. Applications are open to faculty, staff, trainees and students of Duke University and Duke University Health System. Proposed innovation projects should address actual and important problems encountered by care providers, patients and their loved ones in our clinical enterprise and represent urgent health challenges nationally.
For the 2025 funding cycle, priority will be given to ideas aligned with the thematic area of improving provider and staff experience, the patient journey, and clinical outcomes using advanced technology solutions.
Due Date: Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m., October 25, 2024.
Application packet can be found here.
Up to ten applications will be selected for support. Most proposals are expected to request funding in the range of $25,000 to $60,000 over a one-year period.
Questions? Please email DIHIrfa@duke.edu.
Call for Nominations: MLK Humanitarian Award
Nominations are now open for Duke’s first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award. This initiative is inspired by Dr. King’s enduring legacy and will celebrate Duke Health faculty and staff who embody his vision of “It starts with me…” The award will honor those who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to a nonprofit’s mission in keeping with the principles of Dr. King.
Nominations will be accepted through October 29. The awards will be announced during Duke’s annual recognition of the MLK holiday in January.
Learn more about the award here.
SOM Leadership Development Programs Update
Applications for the 2025 SOM Leadership Development Programs are now open. This includes the ADVANCE-UP, ALICE, DCLP, and LEADER programs.
Applications are due by Friday, Nov. 1. To learn more, click here. Programs are hosted by the SOM Office for Faculty.
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 be of interest to our team. 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:
September 20 — Christopher Granger
Cardiology Advisory
Rethinking Beta-Blocker Use Following Acute Myocardial Infarction
September 20 — Stephen Greene
tctMD
Yes, Clinical Inertia IS the Leading Cause of GDMT Underuse in HFrEF
September 20 — Harry Severance
Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
The Crisis of Disruptive Workplaces in Healthcare: Insights from Dr. Harry Severance
September 22 — Michael Carboni
People magazine
College Student and Toddler She Babysits Share a ‘Special Bond’: They’re Both Heart Transplant Survivors (Exclusive)
September 23 — Duke Health (CT Surgery)
Becker’s Hospital Review
Top-ranked hospitals for coronary bypass, by state
September 24 — Ehsan Samei (Biomedical Engineering)
Cardiovascular Business
Space travel disrupts normal rhythm in heart cells
September 24 — Annemarie Thompson
American Heart Association News
How to manage heart and stroke risks before, during and after non-heart surgery
September 25 — Annemarie Thompson
HCP Live
AHA/ACC Update Guidelines on Cardiovascular Risk in Noncardiac Surgery
September 26 — William Kraus
GlobalHappenings.com
How to Turn Regular Walking into an Effective Workout: Advice from a Doctor of Science
September 26 — Duke Clinical Research Institute
Becker’s Hospital Review
The heart guideline lowering hospital burden, mortality
September 26 — Leanna Ross
American Heart Association News
‘Weekend warriors’ may gain same health benefits as people who spread out exercise
September 26 — Anita Kelsey
Blogs.Microsoft.com
A year of DAX Copilot: Healthcare innovation that refocuses on the clinician-patient connection
September 27 — Jeffrey Kuller
The New York Times
Risk of Heart Defects Higher in Babies Conceived With I.V.F.
Duke Heart Pulse — September 22, 2024
Chief’s message:
This week in Duke Heart you will see the continued themes for our success (partnership with our community, focus on our people, team work for care, and innovation focusing on the use of data and AI partnerships). This is all part of our work with our heart and vascular teams to ensure the discoveries and world class innovations get to all of our members in our community in this state and the region. The week featured a trip to McLeod Regional Health System in Florence SC where we had a case review and great discussion with the cardiologists and cardio-thoracic surgeons in that center. They are doing some amazing care and we look forward to partnering with them to ensure the people of NC and SC get access to all of the cardiovascular care they need.
You will also see stories of our teams working across the health system to ensure patients get the care they need – often innovating ways with multiple services to ensure that happens. We also highlight the data/AI work going on with a partnership with SAS Institute in Raleigh (part of our grand rounds speaker last week), and the ongoing collaboration with DIHI within the Heart Center with a new RFA across the health system to improve the care workflow and outcomes of our patients
Finally – fall is starting to get here with football, college starts, and running season. Sunday is the 1st day of fall, and we had our resident Stead tread yesterday for those who could make it to support the medicine residency. The upcoming week will have part 2 of our ESC cardiology meeting update for cardiology grand rounds and the launch of some new studies in our clinical group that we will highlight in the upcoming weeks. The week culminates with Geoff Ginsburg, MD, PhD, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the All of Us research program at the National Institutes of Health giving Medicine Grand Rounds. Geoff is a former Duke Cardiology faculty member and currently is an adjunct professor of medicine in cardiology at Duke.
Highlights of the week
Celebrating APPs
This week is National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Week, a celebration and awareness week honoring the contributions of Physician Assistants/Associates, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants. The theme this year is “Innovate, Elevate, Celebrate: The Power of APPs.”
This important group of providers throughout Duke Health and the U.S. elevates the fields of medicine and nursing to ensure our patients and communities receive safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.
Our Heart APPs are amazing, supportive, terrific colleagues, so be sure to thank an APP this week!
Heart APPs Supporting Cancer Walk & 5K
Speaking of APPs… yesterday a number of our Heart APPs participated in the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk and 5K Run to honor and celebrate one of our team members. All had a great time – and beautiful weather! 
The walk-and-run event is intended to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, raise money to provide financial support to research efforts, and pay tribute to those touched by ovarian cancer. Funds raised by the event go to support the Duke Ovarian Cancer Research Program.
The Walk & 5K was held at Sanderson High School in Raleigh.
Shown L-R in the smaller group photo are Kelley Reid, Ashley Barba, Nikki Phillips, Diane Sauro, Lauren Clise, Mallory Bailey, Virginia Coe, Keisha Hall, Hayley Karan
Great job, APPs!
Shout-out to Interventional, Vascular & Cardiac Anesthesia Team Members!
On behalf of Duke Heart & Vascular leadership and Schuyler Jones, a huge shout-out to team members who collaborated on a tough case last week:
“A complex vascular patient presented today with STEMI, and had a history of occluded aorta, occluded right brachiocephalic, and occluded left subclavian/axillary arteries. The interventional team – Dr. Raj Swaminathan (cath lab attending), Dr. Dennis Narcisse (IC fellow), Dylan Skiscim (DUH cath charge nurse), and Anna Mall (ANM-emeritus and general problem solver) worked together with Dr. Adam Johnson (vascular surgery) and Dr. Negmeldeen Mamoun (cardiac anesthesiology) to do a carotid cutdown, sheath insertion, coronary angiogram and LAD PCI in Cath Lab 5. We may not have made the door-to-balloon time metric for this patient, but it’s incredible to watch how this team worked together to solve a complex problem. Really great job to all involved!” – Schuyler Jones, MD
Phenomenal collaboration, everyone!!
Friday MGR to Feature Geoff Ginsburg
Please join us on Friday, Sept. 27 at 8 a.m. for Medicine Grand Rounds. The speaker will be our very own Geoff Ginsburg, MD, PhD, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the All of Us research program at the National Institutes of Health and adjunct professor of medicine in cardiology at Duke.
His presentation, The All of Us Research Program: Advancing Precision Medicine for the Nation, begins at 8 a.m. Join us in Duke North 2002 or via Zoom.
Stablein Receives HFC SBR Award
Josh Stablein, a clinical research coordinator in the Duke Heart Center Clinical Research Unit, has been awarded a Top Study Coordinator Award by the Heart Failure Collaboratory (HFC) in partnership with the American Heart Association. He was nominated by a team from Bristol Myers Squibb for his outstanding performance on the MAVA-LTE clinical trial.
Stablien is one of 14 site-coordinator award recipients who will be recognized by the HFC on Sunday, Nov. 17 during the 2024 AHA Annual Scientific Sessions being held in Chicago.
Way to go, Josh!
It’s a Girl! Duke Heart Grows by One
Congratulations to Duke cardiovascular fellow Andrew Andreae and his wife Kathryn on the birth of their first child, Aspen, on Thursday evening.
We are thrilled to welcome her into our Duke Heart family! Mom and baby are healthy and doing well.
Exciting news, Andrew!
2024 Flu Campaign Underway & Updated Masking Guidance
The 2024 Duke Flu Campaign launched on Thursday, Sept. 19. The deadline for immunization compliance is October 29 at 10 a.m. Questions? StopTheFlu@duke.edu
Keep in mind: Winter Respiratory Virus Season Masking Guidance
As respiratory virus season ramps up, Duke’s Infection Prevention/Infectious Disease specialists anticipate another “tripledemic” related to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Patients, visitors, and team members should protect themselves and others using established prevention strategies.
We strongly recommend masking for patients, visitors, and team members during respiratory virus season – September 18, 2024, through March 1, 2025. Masking is still required in high-risk clinical areas, during clusters or outbreaks, and during the active COVID-19 infectious period.
For more details, masking guidance documents can be found on SharePoint.
Duke Health and SAS Formalize Strategic Analytics and AI Collaboration
Duke Health has formalized a two-year collaboration with SAS, a global leader in data and AI, headquartered in Cary, N.C.
The strategic effort builds on the two organization’s previously announced collaboration to leverage cutting-edge technology to transform healthcare operations and patient care through advanced operational analytics, AI, and machine learning.
Building on Duke Health’s successful partnerships with industry leaders such as Microsoft and nference, the collaboration with SAS is set to expand Duke Health’s capabilities in operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making. The initiative aims to create innovative AI-powered tools that will drive healthcare delivery process improvements, ultimately enhancing the quality of care provided to patients.
“We are pleased to expand our relationship with SAS, our neighbor in the Research Triangle,” said Jeffrey Ferranti, MD, senior vice president and chief digital officer at Duke Health. “This relationship marks a significant milestone in enhancing our analytics capabilities by leveraging AI in a responsible and ethical manner. Together, we will unlock new opportunities to transform health care.”
(Full news release available here.)
Please Register to Vote!
Are you new to North Carolina, or have you moved to the Triangle area from elsewhere in the state? Don’t forget to register to vote!
Find all the information you need about registering to vote and voting in upcoming elections at these websites:
North Carolina State Board of Elections
Durham County Board of Elections
Orange County Board of Elections
Wake County Board of Elections
Thank you!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
- Sept. 15 to Oct. 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
- Sept. 23 to Sept. 27: National APP Week
- Sept. 29: World Heart Day
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Sept. 24: ESC Wrap-up 2024, part 2 with Christopher Granger and Bernard Gersh. 5 p.m., DN2002 or via Zoom.
All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
DCRI Research Forum
Tuesday, Sept. 24: Fireside Chat with Dr. Holden Thorp. Noon-1:00 p.m., via Zoom.
Duke Clinical Research Institute is excited to welcome Holden Thorp, PhD, as the featured speaker for their 2024-25 DCRI Research Forum series opener. Dr. Thorp is the Editor-in-Chief of the Science family of journals. Attend to learn more about the inner workings of the journals, how they maintain a robust scientific record, and the responsibility of journals for both fielding concerns and standing up for solid research.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Sept. 25: No conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 27: DHP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, via Zoom.
AAMC Professional Development Webinar
Wednesday, Oct. 2: GFA Professional Development Webinar: Innovative Programs for Mid-Career Faculty in Academic Medicine, Noon-1 p.m. Register here. 
Our own Cary Ward, MD, Associate Dean for Faculty Development for Duke School of Medicine will be a featured speaker during this AAMC webinar — she’ll be speaking on faculty development programs for mid-career faculty in academic medicine. Registration is required.
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).
Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
New Faculty Orientation
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
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.
DIHI – Innovation Projects RFA 2025
The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) announces the next emerging ideas and innovation funding cycle. Applications are open to faculty, staff, trainees, and students of Duke University and Duke University Health System. Proposed innovation projects should address actual and important problems encountered by care providers, patients, and their loved ones in our clinical enterprise and represent urgent health challenges nationally.
For the 2025 funding cycle, priority will be given to ideas aligned with the thematic area of improving provider and staff experience, the patient journey, and clinical outcomes using advanced technology solutions.
Due Date: Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m., October 25, 2024.
The application packet can be found here.
Up to ten applications will be selected for support. Most proposals are expected to request funding in the range of $25,000 to $60,000 over one year.
Questions? Please email DIHIrfa@duke.edu.
Call for Nominations: MLK Humanitarian Award
Nominations are now open for Duke’s first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award. This initiative is inspired by Dr. King’s enduring legacy and will celebrate Duke Health faculty and staff who embody his vision of “It starts with me…” The award will honor those who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to a nonprofit’s mission in keeping with the principles of Dr. King.
Nominations will be accepted through October 29. The awards will be announced during Duke’s annual recognition of the MLK holiday in January.
Learn more about the award here.
SOM Leadership Development Programs Update
Applications for the 2025 SOM Leadership Development Programs are now open. This includes the ADVANCE-UP, ALICE, DCLP, and LEADER programs.
Applications are due by Friday, Nov. 1. To learn more, click here. Programs are hosted by the SOM Office for Faculty.
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 team. 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:
September 13 — Christopher Granger
JAMA Network
Even After CPR, Surviving Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Might Be Influenced by Race, Sex
September 13 — Manesh Patel
Physician’s Weekly
OCEANIC-AF: Asundexian Does Not Meet Expectations for Stroke Prevention in AF
September 16 — Betty Tong
Medscape
Missed Opportunities for Early Lung Cancer Detection
September 16 — Robert Mentz
tctMD
Subcutaneous Furosemide Enables HF Patients to Address Congestion at Home
September 16 — Stephen Greene
Consultant Live
September 17 — Nia Schwann Mitchell (internal medicine)
The Columbian (WA)
New tool targets high blood pressure
September 19 — Matthew Sparks (nephrology)
Medscape/InDiscussion Cardiorenal Metabolic Syndrome podcast
September 19 — Payal Kohli
VerifyThis.com
Yes, you can get the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot at the same time
Duke Heart Pulse — September 15, 2024
Chief’s message:
This last week we had grand rounds from Andrew Grace in Cambridge on innovation in cardiac rhythm management. This was a great way to start the year off an a good reminder of ways we can collaborate to innovate. Today we also had the Invasive labs event at the Durham Bulls game with faculty, fellows, and staff at the game to spend some time and get to engage with our family and co-workers. Pictured included below. You will see highlights of this last week with Tri-Clip use in some patients and this upcoming week we have highlights that include the Stead Tread and research/grand rounds highlights.
Highlights of the week:
Two TriClip TEER Procedures Performed at Duke Health
Congratulations to cardiologist Andrew Wang, MD, and our entire structural heart team on the completion of Duke’s first TriClip cases – both performed on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Duke University Hospital. Duke is the second hospital in NC to initiate use of TriClip, but the first in the Triangle region and eastern part of the state.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system in April. The TriClip TEER procedure, performed in the cath lab, offers a minimally invasive approach designed to repair severe tricuspid regurgitation, or a leaky tricuspid valve, in patients with severe symptoms.
We’ll have a full story next weekend on the procedure, why it’s an exciting addition to our treatment offerings, and which patients could benefit most.
HFSA Scientific Statement on Device-Based Therapies in HF
Congratulations to Marat Fudim, Husam Salah, and co-authors on their latest publication in the Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF)!
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Scientific Statement: Update on Device-Based Therapies in Heart Failure, published Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, provides a state-of-the-art scientific overview and update of the rapidly evolving field of device-based therapies for heart failure (HF), including a clinical pathway to implementation of these technologies alongside pharmacologic therapies.
While tremendous advances have been made to reduce hospitalizations and improve outcomes for patients with HF in the past decade, the residual risk of optimized guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains on par or worse than other major cardiovascular diseases. Some established medical devices, such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), are widely used alongside pharmacologic therapies. However, in some high-risk patients who exhibit an intolerance for certain drugs, novel device therapies may prove highly effective in producing promising outcomes.
The Update on Device Based Therapies in Heart Failure scientific statement defines how these novel device therapies may bridge current gaps in HF treatment and outcomes and proposes a clinical pathway to implement FDA-approved device-based therapies that align with current HF management workflow.
Great work!
Miller Announces Retirement from DUHS, Effective Sept. 30
After 37 years of service at Duke, Cory Miller has announced she will retire at the end of this month. Miller joined Duke in 1987 after working in California hospitals for three years.
Cory has seen remarkable changes through the years and achieved a great deal. She spent 27 years as a clinical nurse providing outstanding clinical care in Duke’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, becoming CCRN certified in 2013; she spent five years as a Clinical Nurse Educator, and five years in Duke Heart’s Center of Excellence helping to drive analytics and provide clinical expertise to support complex technical systems, including our outcomes databases.
During her time with Duke, she served as either Chair or Co-Chair of several committees, including Code Blue Oversight, Cardiac Monitoring, and the CICU Research committees. Over the years, she has evaluated the BLS skills of hundreds of team members across Duke Health –- possibly even yours!
Cory has served as a guest speaker more than 20 times, has had 17 poster presentations, co-authored five publications, and received at least seven honors and awards – including The Great 100 of North Carolina, a Triangle Business Journal Health Care Hero award, and in 2018 Duke’s Palliative Care Advocacy award. She has also traveled on several medical mission trips to Kenya since 2014.
Her fierce patient advocacy, excellent provider communications, great collaborative skills, coaching and learning skills, positive energy, compassion, dedication, ability to make people laugh, and to spark conversation and find commonalities between us all, will be sorely missed.
Cory… enjoy your retirement knowing you made a huge and lasting impact here at Duke!
Please drop her a line via email at cory.miller@duke.edu to congratulate her.
Kudos to Bowers!
Congrats to Midge Bowers for her presentation this past week at the 13th International Council of Nurses NP/APN Network Conference (ICN), held Sept. 9-12 in Aberdeen, Scotland. The ICN conference is one of the largest global forums for advanced practice nurses to network and collaborate on contemporary topics and future trends relevant to their practice. This year’s conference theme was “Advanced Practice Nursing: an invaluable investment for global health.”
Bowers and her team presented ‘Transatlantic Interrelations in Advanced Practice Nursing in Guideline Directed Heart Failure Management’.
Way to go, Midge!
Blue Celebrates 45 Years with Duke
The Heart Failure and VAD teams celebrated with Laura Blue this week – she is celebrating an incredible 45 years of service with Duke.
Congratulations, Laura!!!
HF Collaboratory Recognizes Duke’s ALLAY-HF Team
The Heart Failure Collaboratory (HFC) this week, in a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, recognized our Duke Heart Center ALLAY-HF trial team as winners of their newest award, “Excellence in Site-Based Research” which will be awarded to sites, principal investigators, and site coordinators who consistently demonstrate excellence in their work and have received a previous site-based research award.
The HFC recognized Rob Mentz as a Top Principal Investigator, and Matthew Gray and Lacey Taylor as Top Site Coordinators. Marat Fudim is closely involved and instrumental in the trial.
Way to go, team!
New RFAs Announced
Two new requests for applications (RFA) were announced this past week – both great opportunities! Please note the application deadlines, as one of them is this week:
Heart Center Leadership Council Awards: Focus on Innovation and Collaboration
We are excited to announce that we will again have a Heart Leadership Council Award competition this year.
Eligibility: This award is available to Early Career Faculty in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery (defined as within 10 years of completing training). If residents or fellows apply -– they should have an early career faculty member mentoring or primarily involved in the project.
Award: Two awards providing $40K in support each will be awarded to two faculty for research in their selected fields. The awards will be determined based on finalist presentation to the Heart Center Leadership Council on Friday, November 8, 2024.
Application Process: Please provide your CV and a two-page application (one page proposal + one-page draft budget). The proposal should include any background or preliminary data, hypothesis, and proposed methods. As noted, the focus should be on innovation, high-risk – high-reward projects, and projects that cross-collaborate across the Heart Center.
Due Date: Proposals are due to christy.darnell@duke.edu by 5 p.m. September 20.
Notification: Finalists will be notified by October 4 for the presentation in November. Our team will work with finalists on the 10-minute presentation for the Heart Center Leadership Council.
Duke Institute for Health Innovation – Innovation Projects RFA 2025
The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) announces the next emerging ideas and innovation funding cycle. Applications are open to faculty, staff, trainees, and students of Duke University and Duke University Health System. Proposed innovation projects should address actual and important problems encountered by care providers, patients, and their loved ones in our clinical enterprise and represent urgent health challenges nationally.
For the 2025 funding cycle, priority will be given to ideas aligned with the thematic area of improving provider and staff experience, the patient journey, and clinical outcomes using advanced technology solutions.
Due Date: Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m., October 25, 2024.
The application packet can be found here.
Up to ten applications will be selected for support. Most proposals are expected to request funding in the range of $25,000 to $60,000 over a one-year period.
Questions? Please email DIHIrfa@duke.edu.
Please Register to Vote!
Are you new to North Carolina, or have you moved to the Triangle area from elsewhere in the state? Don’t forget to register to vote!
Find all the information you need about registering to vote and voting in upcoming elections at these websites:
North Carolina State Board of Elections
Durham County Board of Elections
Orange County Board of Elections
Wake County Board of Elections
Thank you!
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
In a letter to Duke Health team members this week, Antwan Lofton, vice president of human resources for DUHS, wrote:
More than 4,100 of our colleagues at Duke identify as Hispanic/Latino, and we join with them to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (also known as Latinx Heritage Month), which runs from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15.
During the month, I encourage you to take time to celebrate the diverse cultures, achievements, histories, and legacy of contributions by members of these vibrant communities.
As you know, inclusion is a core value at Duke, and one of the ways we live this value is by supporting Employee Resource Groups such as ¡DALHE! (Duke Advancing Latine-Hispanic Excellence). This group provides a welcoming and supportive environment for those who identify as Latino/a/x/é and/or Hispanic and their allies. The group is hosting various events and activities during the month, including a panel discussion on Sept. 16 called “Duke: Pasado y Perspectiva (Past and Perspective).” A similar group for DUHS team members called Juntos is also hosting events during the month.
For those of you looking for a stronger sense of belonging within this large and complex institution, I encourage you to connect with an ERG or learn more about how to start a new group that might bring together others who share common bonds and are bound by a commitment to advancing excellence at Duke.
2024 Flu Campaign Launches This Week
The 2024 Duke Flu Campaign launches on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Deadline for immunization compliance: October 29 at 10 a.m.
- DUHS Flu Ordering Survey Link (peer to peer)
- Access to OESO Vaccination Report: cachafeiro@duke.edu
- Questions? StopTheFlu@duke.edu
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Sept. 17: Update from ESC 2024 with Manesh Patel. 5 p.m., DN2002 or via Zoom.
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
Sept. 18: HF/TX Fellows’ Case Presentation with Jemi Galani. Noon, DMP 2W96.
Sept. 20: Bradyarrythmia with Sana Al-Khatib. Noon, via Zoom.
Sept. 25: No conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 27: DHP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, via Zoom.
2024 Annual Stead Tread 5K
Join the Duke Department of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program on Saturday, September 21 at 9 a.m. for the annual Stead Tread 5K Run/Walk, held at Solite Park, 4704 Fayetteville Rd, Durham. All proceeds will benefit the Lincoln Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center dedicated to meeting the health care needs of medically underserved patients in Durham.
The event draws 300+ participants annually and is named in honor of former Dept. of Medicine Chairman Dr. Eugene Stead (1947-1967), and his legacy of community service and contributions to the Duke and Durham communities.
Entry Fees
For participants 13 and older, registration is $35 per person. For Lincoln patients and children 12 years and younger, registration is free.
Deadlines
Sign up by Friday, September 1 and you are guaranteed to receive a t-shirt. After September 1, t-shirt size and availability are not guaranteed.
Register and/or Donate
Visit steadtread.org to register. Can’t join us on September 21? Stead Tread also accepts individual and corporate donations of any amount (steadtread.org/donate). Contributions of $90 or greater are recognized on our website and at the event.
Questions?
For questions or additional information, contact Caroline Sloan, MD, assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine.
Catalyzing Climate Connections: Researcher Forum
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Venue: Great Hall, Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center for Health Education
Please register soon. Questions? Contact Blake Tedder.
The Office of Climate & Sustainability and the Climate Commitment Advisory Council invites the Duke research community to mark calendars for the Catalyzing Climate Connections Researcher Forum, a dynamic three-hour event designed to spark creativity and collaboration among Duke’s climate researchers and those interested in linking their research into the climate space. This forum will feature moderated panel conversations that explore broad climate research themes from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Attendees will also participate in engaging table conversations, offering deeper discussions and networking opportunities. With refreshments provided, there will be ample time for informal interactions and idea exchanges.
Who Should Attend:
- Faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from all university schools and units
- Researchers and staff interested in expanding their research into the climate space.
Goals of the Event:
- Foster relationships and connectivity among Duke researchers.
- Inspire fresh ideas and creativity in addressing climate change.
- Spark new lines of research by emphasizing idea generation over specific expertise.
- Facilitate connections between climate and health researchers.
Why Attend?
This forum is a unique opportunity to build connections, inspire new lines of research, and effectively address the challenges of climate change. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this exciting event!
New Faculty Orientation
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
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.
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).
Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
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 team. 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:
August 30 — Neha Pagidipati
ACC News
Semaglutide Improves Heart Health Outcomes Beyond Weight Loss
August 30 — Robert Mentz
First for Women
Fortified Eggs Won’t Affect Your Cholesterol Levels, a Recent Study Finds: What This Means for You
August 30 — Neha Pagidipati
Express (UK)
Scientists hail ‘remarkable’ drugs set to unlock ‘Fountain of Youth’ and slow ageing
September 1 — Renato Lopes
ESC News/Press Office
Wearable heart monitor increases diagnoses of common heart rhythm disorder by 50%
September 1 — Manesh Patel
ESC News/Press Office
Asundexian inferior to apixaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
September 1 — Manesh Patel
Cardiology Now News
September 1 — Manesh Patel
Healio/Cardiology Today
Asundexian did not prevent stroke, systemic embolism vs. apixaban in atrial fibrillation
September 2 — Renato Lopes
International Business Times (IN)
Wearable Monitor Boosts Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis; What It Means For Cardio Care
September 2 — Renato Lopes
Medical Dialogues
Wearable Heart Monitor Increases Diagnosis of Irregular Heart Rhythm
September 2 — Renato Lopes
Technology Networks
Wearable Heart Monitors Detect More Atrial Fibrillation but Don’t Lower Stroke Rates
September 2 — Manesh Patel
tctMD
Asundexian for AF? More Details on the Sinking of OCEANIC-AF
September 2 — Stephen Greene
HCP Live
Don’t Miss a Beat: Finerenone’s Role in Heart Failure from ESC Congress Data
September 2 — Renato Lopes
pharmaphorum
iRhythm wearable heart monitor raises AFib diagnoses by 52%
September 2 — Renato Lopes
Tribune India
New wearable heart monitor to boost irregular heart rhythm diagnosis
*also carried by 20+ news affiliates in India
September 3 — Neha Pagidipati
Neuro Rehab Times (UK)
Semaglutide improves heart health outcomes beyond weight loss
https://duke.is/g/8m8c
September 3 — Manesh Patel
EP Lab Digest
Asundexian Inferior to Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation
https://duke.is/v/e4tn
September 4 — Renato Lopes
Health Day News/United Press International
In new study, wearable heart monitor increases A-fib detection
September 6 — Christopher Granger
tctMD
STEEER-AF: Educating Healthcare Workers Improves Adherence to Guidelines
September 6 — Stephen Greene
HCP Live
Cardiology Month in Review: August 2024
September 6 — DCRI/Rob Mentz
Women’s World magazine
Cholesterol Myths and Facts Debunked: Varieties, Age, More | Woman’s World
September 11 — William Kraus
Alimente (Spain)
September 11 — Duke Children’s (Heart Center)
BVM Sports
Duke Tennis Teams Launch Fundraiser for Children’s Heart Center
September 11 — Robert Lefkowitz
The Brainy Business (podcast)
Episode 427. The Mentorship Mindset: Nobel Insights with Dr. Bob Lefkowitz
September 12 — Renato Lopes
Healio/Cardiology Today
Mass ECG screening for atrial fibrillation in older adults does not seem to prevent stroke
Duke Heart Pulse — September 8, 2024
Chief’s message:
We had the Triangle Heart walk this morning with over 150 people from Duke Health joining teams from around the triangle to celebrate and raise awareness for heart disease. This is the centennial for Duke University and the 100 year anniversary for the American Heart Association. The event featured survivor stories, CPR training tents, a Kids Zone, and the Duke Health Tent with games and meet ups. We were lucky to have family, pets, and many of our own patients that we serve that joined us in the Heart walk. It was esepcially rewarding to see team members across the Duke Health, from all three hospitals, from the EMS services, primary care, ED, DHTS, DCRI, and Duke Heart center all at the Heart walk. Some photos are below to show some of the fun. Duke Health System was one of three companies in the triangle and the only Health system that raised over 100K dollars for the AHA for this event. Thanks to all of you who came out to walk, those of you who joined my team Duke Heart and Sole, and all of you that work everyday to improve the cardiovascular health of our community.
Triangle Heart Walk Celebrated Today
Highlights of the week:
ESC24: Wearable Heart Monitor Increases Diagnosis of Irregular Heart Rhythm
Wearable, long-term continuous heart monitors helped identify 52 percent more cases of atrial fibrillation compared to usual care, but that did not lead to a reduction in hospitalizations due to stroke, according to a study led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
The findings, reported Sept. 1 at the European Society of Cardiology meeting and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, provide inconclusive data about whether atrial fibrillation screening lowers stroke rates. The COVID pandemic led to an early halt of the study before fully enrolling, so it did not have enough participants to establish definitive results about stroke.
“Atrial fibrillation is often undiagnosed and can increase the risk of ischemic stroke, which is largely reversible by oral anticoagulation,” said lead author Renato Lopes, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in cardiology and member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
“We still need definitive evidence that diagnosis of atrial fibrillation through systematic screening can lead to subsequent treatment with oral anticoagulation and therefore, lower stroke risk,” Lopes said.
The study enrolled approximately 12,000 patients in the U.S. who were at least 70 years old with no history of atrial fibrillation. Roughly half the patients were randomly assigned to receive a long-term (14 days) continuous monitoring device, and the other half usual care.
Over a median of 15 months of follow-up, the study reported a 52 percent increase in the number of cases of atrial fibrillation diagnosed among the device-wearers compared to those in usual care. There was no increase in rates of hospitalization for bleeding, and no significant reduction in the rate of hospitalizations for all stroke compared with usual care.
The study was originally designed to enroll 52,000 patients, which would have given it the power to determine whether screening reduces the number of strokes. A large study population is needed because strokes occur in a subset of patients with atrial fibrillation.
“Despite the inconclusive results, we have a lot of lessons learned that might inform future studies,” Lopes said. He said the study’s design, which enabled patients to be enrolled and screened online in a virtual format with self-applied patch devices in their homes with only remote support, could be duplicated in future studies.
In addition to Lopes, study authors include Steven J. Atlas, Alan S. Go, Steven A. Lubitz, David D. McManus, Rowena J. Dolor, Ranee Chatterjee, Michael B. Rothberg, David R. Rushlow, Lori A. Crosson, Ronald S. Aronson, Michael Patlakh, Dianne Gallup, Donna J. Mills, Emily C. O’Brien, and Daniel E. Singer.
The study received funding support from the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer Alliance.
Tuesday: CGR Returns
We are thrilled to announce the start of a new season of Cardiology Grand Rounds. We are kicking off this week with Dr. Andrew Grace, professor of experimental cardiology in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Grace will present Innovation, Impact and the Cardiac Rhythm at 5 p.m. Join us in DN 2002 or via Zoom. The event is also listed below.
Please Register to Vote!
Are you new to North Carolina, or have you moved to the Triangle area from elsewhere in the state? Don’t forget to register to vote!
Find all the information you need about registering to vote and voting in upcoming elections at these websites:
North Carolina State Board of Elections
Durham County Board of Elections
Orange County Board of Elections
Wake County Board of Elections
Thank you!
2024 Flu Campaign
The 2024 Duke Flu Campaign launches on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Deadline for immunization compliance: October 29 at 10 a.m.
- DUHS Flu Ordering Survey Link (peer to peer)
- Access to OESO Vaccination Report: cachafeiro@duke.edu
- Questions? StopTheFlu@duke.edu
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
We’re back! Please join us for a new season of CGRs:
Sept. 10: Innovation, Impact and the Cardiac Rhythm with Dr. Andrew Grace of the University of Cambridge. 5 p.m., DN2002 or via Zoom.
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
Sept. 11: EP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Nishkala Shivakumar and Mugdha Joshi. Noon, DMP 2W96.
Sept. 13: No Conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 18: HF/TX Fellows’ Case Presentation with Jemi Galani. Noon, DMP 2W96.
Sept. 20: Bradyarrythmia with Sana Al-Khatib. Noon, via Zoom.
Sept. 25: No conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 27: DHP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, via Zoom.
2024 Annual Stead Tread 5K
Join the Duke Department of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program on Saturday, September 21 at 9 a.m. for the annual Stead Tread 5K Run/Walk, held at Solite Park, 4704 Fayetteville Rd, Durham. All proceeds will benefit the Lincoln Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of medically underserved patients in Durham.
The event draws 300+ participants annually and is named in honor of former Dept. of Medicine Chairman Dr. Eugene Stead (1947-1967), and his legacy of community service and contributions to the Duke and Durham communities.
Entry Fees
For participants 13 and older, registration is $35 per person. For Lincoln patients and children 12 years and younger, registration is free.
Deadlines
Sign up by Friday, September 1 and you are guaranteed to receive a t-shirt. After September 1, t-shirt size and availability are not guaranteed.
Register and/or Donate
Visit steadtread.org to register. Can’t join us on September 21? Stead Tread also accepts individual and corporate donations of any amount (steadtread.org/donate). Contributions of $90 or greater are recognized on our website and at the event.
Questions?
For questions or additional information, contact Caroline Sloan, MD, assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine.
Catalyzing Climate Connections: Researcher Forum
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Venue: Great Hall, Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center for Health Education
Please register soon. Questions? Contact Blake Tedder.
The Office of Climate & Sustainability and the Climate Commitment Advisory Council invites the Duke research community to mark calendars for the Catalyzing Climate Connections Researcher Forum, a dynamic three-hour event designed to spark creativity and collaboration among Duke’s climate researchers and those interested in linking their research into the climate space. This forum will feature moderated panel conversations that explore broad climate research themes from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Attendees will also participate in engaging table conversations, offering the opportunity for deeper discussions and networking. With refreshments provided, there will be ample time for informal interactions and idea exchanges.
Who Should Attend:
- Faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from all university schools and units
- Researchers and staff interested in expanding their research into the climate space.
Goals of the Event:
- Foster relationships and connectivity among Duke researchers.
- Inspire fresh ideas and creativity in addressing climate change.
- Spark new lines of research by emphasizing idea generation over specific expertise.
- Facilitate connections between climate and health researchers.
Why Attend?
This forum is a unique opportunity to build connections, inspire new lines of research, and effectively address the challenges of climate change. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this exciting event!
New Faculty Orientation
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
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.
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 is open. Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
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 be of interest to our team. 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:
News coverage returns next weekend!
Duke Heart Pulse — September 1, 2024
Chief’s message: European Cardiology Meeting, New Faculty Profiles, and One week to Heart Walk
Hopefully many of you are getting a restful Labor Day weekend. This weekend also has had the European Society of Cardiology meeting in London with many of our faculty and fellows presenting. We will share highlights and updates in upcoming weeks from the meeting where the science, the interaction with colleagues, and the ability to think about the future of cardiovascular care has been invigorating. (some photos included)
This week we also start our new faculty highlight series with Dr. Samantha Minc joining our vascular surgery division. We are excited to have her join. Finally, we are one week away from the AHA heart walk next Sunday – please sign up, come out and enjoy that day with a walk and support for the AHA. Pets, kids, grandparents – all welcome.
Highlights of the week:
Minc Among Newest Faculty to Join Duke Heart & Vascular
Samantha Minc, MD, MPH joined Duke’s vascular surgery faculty as of August 12. She is an alumna of Tufts University, where she received a BA in anthropology with a minor in astrophysics, and went on to earn her MD. She earned both a Certificate of Research in Health Disparities and a Master of Public Health from the University of Chicago. She trained in general surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and in vascular surgery at the University of Chicago. Minc joined us from West Virginia University at Morgantown where she served as associate professor in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.
Minc’s research focus is on health disparities and the application of community-engaged research principles to prevent amputation in patients with diabetes and vascular disease. Her current NIH-funded research is focused on creating a community-based intervention to allow vascular surgeons to collaborate with community providers and patients in high-risk rural areas to provide education, coordinate care, and empower communities to reduce amputation rates and decrease disparities.
She will primarily see patients at Duke Regional Hospital where she is serving as the site lead for Vascular Surgery, and will be responsible for leading DRH strategic initiatives including threatened limb optimization and hemodialysis access. Nationally, Minc serves on the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Vascular Quality Initiative.
Welcome to Duke, Sam!
As of August 1, additional new faculty members within Duke Heart & Vascular are:
Araba Ofosu-Somuah, MD, recently completed a fellowship in Interventional Cardiology with the University of North Carolina Health System. She officially joined our cardiology faculty on August 12.
Karen Flores Rosario, MD, a recent graduate of our Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology fellowship program, officially joined the cardiology faculty on August 19.
Willard Applefeld, MD, a recent graduate of our Cardiovascular Disease fellowship program and the 2024 recipient of the annual Brandt and Belinda Louie Award. He officially joined the cardiology faculty on Friday, Aug. 30.
Stay tuned for additional profiles on Araba, Karen, and Willard in an upcoming Pulse.
Duke Cardiac Ultrasound Program Graduation Held
Congratulations to the following students who graduated last weekend from the Duke Cardiac Ultrasound Certificate Program:
Mariah Byington, Madison Kidd Daniel, Alexandra King, Sarah Lahie, Anna Lise McGowan, Vy Nguyen, Morgan Osborne, and Ashton Webster.
Speakers included Manesh Patel, Anita Kelsey, Richard Palma, and Joseph Kisslo as well as Osborne and McGowan, who each spoke as representatives of their class.
The annual Outstanding Service Awards for Clinical Instructors were presented to Dylan Davis and Janay Key. The Joseph Kisslo Outstanding Student in Cardiac Ultrasound award was given to Anna Lisa Mc Gowen.
We are very pleased to announce that we again had a 100 percent pass rate for national certification. Three of our graduates have taken positions here at Duke and the rest are spreading out to Charlotte, Tennessee, Cleveland, Oregon, and Florida.
Earlier this year, three of our graduates were recognized nationally with scholarships and grant awards to attend the 35th annual American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Scientific Sessions, held June 14-15 in Portland, OR.
Morgan Osborne received the Cardiac Credentialing International (CCI) Aaron White Scholarship. This is the second consecutive year a student from our program has received this award. Congratulations, Morgan!
Mariah Byington received a 2024 Alan D. Waggoner Student Scholarship award, given annually by the ASE Foundation. Anna Lisa McGowen received the Katanick Student Scholarship Award, established in honor of Sandy Katanick, RN, RVT, CAE for her more than 25 years of service as CEO of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. The Katanick Award, given annually by the ASE Foundation, recognizes the highest-ranking Waggoner scholarship applicant in the country. Congratulations, Mariah and Anna Lisa!
This is the 3rd consecutive year that students in our program have received these top honors. Impressive!
Congratulations to each of our graduates and to our gifted instructors and program leaders. We are so excited for all of you!
ICYMI: Fajardo Study Published in JCF
Please join us in congratulating Johana Fajardo and colleagues on their newly published research paper, “Clinical Outcomes of Chronic Intravenous Inotropic Support in Cardiac Amyloidosis” published online in the Journal of Cardiac Failure on Aug. 21.
Fajardo, clinical services director of the Duke Precision Cardiomyopathy Program, conducted the study along with colleagues from MedStar Washington Hospital, Georgetown University School of Medicine, and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis while she was with MedStar Washington Hospital.
Congratulations, Johana! We are thrilled to have you with us at Duke helping to advance our care of patients!
Hitting With Heart Tournament Results
We had a terrific turnout of fans supporting last weekend’s Hitting with Heart Annual Softball tournament! Thanks to all who joined us.
We are pleased to announce the overall champions for 2024: Duke Health Engineering & Operations. Congratulations!
The tournament included 13 teams vying to become our 8th trophy winners. Teams represented a range of areas across Duke Health: teams from DMP, DUH, Duke Birthing Center, DRAH Sleep Lab, Vascular IR, and E&O.
Huge kudos to Jessica Seabrooks and Jason Stokes, who have been outstanding co-planners for the annual tournament since its beginning! A very special shout-out to Jessica Seabrooks and her husband Claude, Annie Jaeger, Ashley Anderholm, and Stephanie Stokes (who filled in for Jason) who helped manage the day. Stephanie did a great job filling in for Jason, who unfortunately had to miss the tournament due to illness.
We are excited to announce the tournament raised approximately $1500.00 to support Duke’s fundraising effort for next weekend’s AHA Triangle Heart Walk. Great job everyone and congrats once again to Duke Health E&O!
CVRC Gets Visit from Local AHA Team
Duke’s Cardiovascular Research Center invited presenters from the Triangle American Heart Association (AHA) to meet with them this past week so they could learn 
how to support local AHA efforts and how the national AHA helps to support Duke.
Jake Williams, development director, and Allison Gubitz, senior development director, both of the Triangle AHA joined a regular CVRC team gathering on Wednesday afternoon in the CARL building. Drs. Howard Rockman and Doug Marchuk each shared the important positive impact AHA funding has had on their labs and careers.
Many thanks to Maria Price-Rapoza, executive director of the CVRC, for welcoming the AHA to speak to the group!
Heart Walk 2024 – Next Weekend!
The 2024 Triangle Heart Walk is next weekend, Sunday, Sept. 8 at PNC Arena. Please note the Walk will take place earlier this year – we’re kicking things off at 9 a.m. when all festivities will open to teams and other supporters. The walk itself will take place at 10:30 a.m.
The Triangle chapter of the American Heart Association is still accepting registrations for volunteers who would like to help out at the Walk – if you or anyone you know is interested please check out the online form located here. Duke volunteers who register using their Duke email address can be stationed at the Kids Zone, which Duke Heart is sponsoring.
Yes, you can still join Manesh Patel’s team: Duke Heart and Sole!
The 2024 Heart Walk will be a terrific event – and it’s a wonderful way to support our cardiovascular patients and their families. Together, we are making a significant impact.
To see some of the many reasons Duke team members are participating this year, please check out this recent story posted on Duke Health Now: “Why I walk” featuring stories about experiences with heart disease by Heart Walk Coaches across the Health System.
Cardiovascular disease hits home for so many of us. Thanks to all who are participating next weekend!
Shout-out to Hughes!
We received the following note this week regarding cardiology fellow Seamus Hughes. It was originally shared with Schuyler Jones and Anna Lisa Crowley, who shared it with us:
“Good morning! I’m reaching out to you to share with you some extraordinary work by one of our diagnostic fellows, Seamus Hughes.
I’m sure you heard about our call case Monday evening – we were paged out a few moments after clocking out from our scheduled day of work for a STEMI and ultimately worked that case until 0130 the next morning. This patient was initially asymptomatic, but was found to have a 100% proximal RCA occlusion and after shooting the coronaries became bradycardic and hypotensive, which he remained for the majority of the case. During that time, we defibrillated at least six times, placed a TVP and then an IABP, started dopamine and later norepinephrine, intubated, fixed, placed a MAC and leave-in Swan, did a right heart catheterization, debated ECMO cannulation and placed an RP Flex.
Seamus was the CCU Fellow that night, and he did something that I have not seen another CCU Fellow do – he stayed the entirety (over six hours!) of the case with us, and was in the room in lead, helping titrate drips, managing the IABP, assisting with calling additional resources and monitoring our patient. Even with his assistance, Sarah and I were without a free moment – I cannot stress enough that there is absolutely no way that we would have been able to provide that level of care without his assistance.
We want to make sure he gets the praise he deserves!” — Grateful, Melissa Rogan
Excellent teamwork, Seamus – way to go!
Registration Now Open: Cardiac Imaging Symposium
Registration is now open for the Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium being held at the Trent Semans Center on October 12. You can access registration here and further down under ‘Upcoming Events & Opportunities.’ Course directors are Drs. Sreekanth Vemulapalli and Anita Kelsey.
Forbes Names DUHS Among North Carolina’s Top Workplaces for 2024
Duke University and Duke University Health System have been named to the Forbes 2024 list of “America’s Best Employers By State.” The list recognizes workplaces where employees feel satisfied and that are considered desirable destinations for workers in the state.
“This recognition is a testament to the exceptional dedication and compassion of our Duke Health talent force,” said Duke University Health System Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Rhonda Brandon. “It reflects our steadfast commitment to putting our people first and our pride in knowing that they choose Duke Health as their preferred workplace and care provider.”
Earlier this year, DUHS was also included on the Forbes 2024 list of “America’s Best Employers for Women,” and its “America’s Best Employers for Diversity” list.
Thank you to all of our team members and leaders who make our organization an amazing place to work!
New to NC? Register to Vote!
Are you new to North Carolina, or have you moved to the Triangle area from elsewhere in the state? Don’t forget to register to vote!
Find all the information you need about registering to vote and voting in upcoming elections at these websites:
North Carolina State Board of Elections
Durham County Board of Elections
Orange County Board of Elections
Wake County Board of Elections
Thank you!
2024 Flu Campaign
The 2024 Duke Flu Campaign launches on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Deadline for immunization compliance: October 29 at 10 a.m.
- DUHS Flu Ordering Survey Link (peer to peer)
- Access to OESO Vaccination Report: cachafeiro@duke.edu
- Questions? StopTheFlu@duke.edu
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Our regular CGR season has ended. We will resume later this month. 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
Sept. 4: NO CONFERENCE. Interview Day.
Sept. 6: Hemorrhagic Shock Management with Nazish Hashmi. Noon, via Zoom.
Sept. 11: EP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Nishkala Shivakumar and Mugdha Joshi. Noon, DMP 2W96.
Sept. 13: No Conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 18: HF/TX Fellows’ Case Presentation with Jemi Galani. Noon, DMP 2W96.
Sept. 20: Bradyarrythmia with Sana Al-Khatib. Noon, via Zoom.
Sept. 25: No conference. Interview Day.
Sept. 27: DHP Fellows’ Case Presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, via Zoom.
2024 Annual Stead Tread 5K
Join the Duke Department of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program on Saturday, September 21 at 9 a.m. for the annual Stead Tread 5K Run/Walk, to be held at Solite Park, 4704 Fayetteville Rd, Durham. All proceeds will benefit the Lincoln Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of medically underserved patients in Durham.
The event draws 300+ participants annually and is named in honor of former Dept. of Medicine Chairman Dr. Eugene Stead (1947-1967), and his legacy of community service and contributions to the Duke and Durham communities.
Entry Fees
For participants 13 and older, registration is $35 per person. For Lincoln patients and children 12 years and younger, registration is free.
Deadlines
Sign up by Friday, September 1 and you are guaranteed to receive a t-shirt. After September 1, t-shirt size and availability are not guaranteed.
Register and/or Donate
Visit steadtread.org to register. Can’t join us on September 21? Stead Tread also accepts individual and corporate donations of any amount (steadtread.org/donate). Contributions of $90 or greater are recognized on our website and at the event.
Questions?
For questions or additional information, contact Caroline Sloan, MD, assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine.
Catalyzing Climate Connections: Researcher Forum
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Venue: Great Hall, Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center for Health Education
Please register soon. Questions? Contact Blake Tedder.
The Office of Climate & Sustainability and the Climate Commitment Advisory Council invite the Duke research community to mark calendars for the Catalyzing Climate Connections Researcher Forum, a dynamic three-hour event designed to spark creativity and collaboration among Duke’s climate researchers and those interested in linking their research into the climate space. This forum will feature moderated panel conversations that explore broad climate research themes from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Attendees will also participate in engaging table conversations, offering the opportunity for deeper discussions and networking. With refreshments provided, there will be ample time for informal interactions and idea exchanges.
Who Should Attend:
- Faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from all university schools and units
- Researchers and staff interested in expanding their research into the climate space.
Goals of the Event:
- Foster relationships and connectivity among Duke researchers.
- Inspire fresh ideas and creativity in addressing climate change.
- Spark new lines of research by emphasizing idea generation over specific expertise.
- Facilitate connections between climate and health researchers.
Why Attend?
This forum is a unique opportunity to build connections, inspire new lines of research, and effectively address the challenges of climate change. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this exciting event!
New Faculty Orientation
October 22 & 23: 2024 School of Medicine Academic New Faculty Orientation, Trent Semans Center. Registration is required. Questions? Contact the SOM Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.
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.
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 has recently opened for both events, as indicated by the links above. Questions? Contact Christy Darnell.
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 be of interest to our team. 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:
August 23 — Rajesh Swaminathan
tctMD
Study Supports Cost-effectiveness of Renal Denervation for Hypertension
August 24 — Nia Schwann Mitchell (internal medicine)
The Star (Malaysia)
Looking at high blood pressure complication risks when it comes to drugs
August 24 — William Kraus
Primecia (Venezuela)
¿Por qué el maní sin sal es un snack saludable?
August 26 — Renato Lopes
tctMD
AUGUSTUS Analysis Clarifies Antithrombotic Choice for ACS in AF Patients
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