Duke Heart Pulse — November 30, 2025
Chief’s message: Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season
Thanks to all the faculty, nursing teams, clinical staff, residents, and fellows that were helping care for our patients over the Holiday week. I know there were several groups working to care for large numbers of patients and areas where we needed everyone
to help use care for our community through the break. Additionally, we hope you all got some time for reflection, time with family and loved ones. The break is often characterized for food and football in many homes. Duke Football had a big win vs. Wake Forrest with losses by both SMU and Pitt sending them to the ACC championship next weekend in Charlotte. Some images from before the game included. Hopefully we one more win and some timely losses by other teams like James Madison – Duke might have a long-shot to get to the College Football Playoff – which would be quite an ending to the year.
In the upcoming weeks, we will be both celebrating our teams and the hard work over a tumultuous year, and preparing and planning for how we will respond to the important calls for improved health and reduced cost of care for our communities while we continue our mission to discover and train the next generation.
Highlights of the week:
Food Drive Yields Over 100lbs in Donations
Congratulations to the Karra Lab and the Cardiovascular Research Center! Their food drive collected more than 100 pounds of food to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
Thank you to everyone who supported and donated to this effort – your contributions will make the holidays a bit easier for many families throughout our community. A hat tip to Lauren Parker for coordinating the drive and for getting the donations delivered to the food bank.
Way to go! Your generosity was a terrific way to kick off the holiday season!
DUH, DRH Earn Meritorious Surgical Outcomes Designation
The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) has recognized Duke University Hospital (DUH) and Duke Regional Hospital (DRH) for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2024. This is the ninth consecutive year in which DUH has achieved meritorious outcomes and the second year for DRH.
The ACS NSQIP recognition program commends a select group of hospitals for achieving a meritorious composite score in either an “All Cases” category or a “High Risk” category which includes only higher-risk cases. This year, the ACS NSQIP recognized 76 out of an eligible 609 hospitals as achieving “Meritorious” for their quality scores.
Each composite quality score was determined through a different weighted formula combining outcomes in the following eight clinical areas:
- Mortality
- Cardiac: cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction
- Pneumonia
- Unplanned Intubation
- Ventilator > 48 hours
- Renal Failure
- Surgical Site Infection (SSI): superficial incisional SSI, deep incisional SSI, and organ/space SSI
- Urinary Tract Infection
To be eligible for either list category, the hospital must have submitted at least one case in each of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 calendar years, though only performance in calendar year 2024 was evaluated for the 2024 Meritorious lists. Of the 656 NSQIP hospitals participating in 2024, 609 met the three-year criteria to be eligible for Meritorious consideration.
The 76 hospitals achieved the distinction based on an outstanding composite quality score on one or both of the grouping categories (All Cases and High Risk). Sixty hospitals were recognized on the “All Cases” list and 60 hospitals were recognized on the “High Risk” list; the 60 hospitals represent approximately ten percent of the 609 ACS NSQIP-eligible hospitals. Forty-three hospitals are recognized on both the “All Cases” and “High Risk” lists, 16 other hospitals are on just the “All Cases” list, and 17 other hospitals are on the “High Risk” list only, totaling 76 hospitals being recognized as Meritorious.
“To be recognized by ACS NSQIP for nearly a decade as having meritorious surgical outcomes is a testament to a hospital-wide commitment to providing the highest standard of care for our surgical patients, especially while facing increasingly difficult challenges,” says Keri A. Seymour, DO, Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief Quality Officer for the Department of Surgery. “I am incredibly proud of our teams who continue to go above and beyond to ensure that our surgical patients are receiving excellent quality care.”
The full press release detailing the process for Meritorious designation, and the list of hospitals recognized as such, is available on the ACS website.
Congratulations to all team members!
DUHS Leadership Updates
Mathis-Harris Named CNO, PCO for Duke Health Lake Norman
On Monday, Nov. 24, Kristie Barazsu, president and COO of Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital (DHLN) and Terry McDonnell, chief nurse executive of DUHS, jointly announced that Miranda Mathis-Harris, BSN, RN, MBA, CNML, has been named the Chief Nursing Officer and Patient Care Officer for Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital. Miranda has served in this role on an interim basis, where she has provided steady, thoughtful leadership.
Miranda has dedicated more than thirty years to Duke Health. Since beginning her career in 1989 as a Clinical Nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Hospital, she has taken on a wide range of responsibilities, including Senior Director of Nursing for Patient Flow & Transfer Center, Life Flight, and Emergency Department.
As Chief Nursing and Patient Care Officer, Miranda will serve as a key member of the hospital’s leadership team as a leader who brings sincerity, fairness, and a clear commitment to her teams and to the patients we serve.
Congratulations, Miranda!
Flanagan Named AVP, Patient Flow & Care Coordination, DUHS
Barazsu and McDonnell also announced this week that Katie Flanagan has been named Associate Vice President, Patient Flow and Care Coordination for Duke University Health System, effective November 10.
As Duke Health continues to advance system-wide coordination and improve care across all settings, ensuring strong and seamless patient flow is essential. This work is critical to supporting timely access to care, removing barriers, and improving the overall patient and provider experience. Katie is the right leader to guide this effort during a period of significant system transformation. She will also maintain her current responsibilities overseeing the DUHS Case Management team.
Katie had been serving as Assistant Vice President for Care Coordination for Duke University Health System, and has been instrumental in strengthening care management processes, enhancing cross-campus collaboration, and developing approaches that improve transitions of care and operational efficiency.
In her new role, Katie will lead a newly designed health system structure and team accountable for the strategic and operational oversight of patient flow and the Transfer Center. She will drive key priorities designed to align system capabilities, improve transparency, and support coordination across hospitals and ambulatory settings.
Katie will serve in a dyad partnership with Neel Kapadia, MD, who will join her in leading clinical strategy and physician engagement to advance patient flow across the continuum.
Congratulations, Katie!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Nov. 25: No CGR/holiday.
Dec. 2: What’s Hot (or Not) Now in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Andrew Wang, MD. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Dec. 9: TBD with Zach Wegermann, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Dec. 16: Remodeling the Nerve-Heart Interface: Translating Neurobiology to Antiarrhythmic Therapy with Ching Zhu, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Dec. 3: Match Day Review with Anna Lisa Chamis. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 5: SVT with Jon Piccini. Noon. Zoom only.
Dec. 10: EP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi and Chad Kloefkorn. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 12: Board review with Nishant Shah and Anthony Lin. Noon, via Zoom.
Dec. 17: DHP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 19: DHP Case Presentation with Harriet Akunor. Noon, Zoom only.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Dec. 4: Echo Imaging to Optimize Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing with Josh Sink
Dec. 11: RV Failure or Pericardial Disease TBD with Cosette Champion
Dec. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Upcoming CME Activities:
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
2026 Duke Heart CMEs
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- Duke Heart Failure Symposium – Saturday, June 6, 2026. Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – Friday, October 30, 2026. Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
Please save the dates!
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please 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 me 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:
November 21 — Monique Starks
Government Technology
Which city is the first in the U.S. to send drones with defibrillators on 911 calls?
November 21 — Nishant Shah
WRAL (Raleigh, NC)
New studies offer insight into reducing heart disease risk
November 21 — Monique Starks
Axios Raleigh
A North Carolina 911 experiment sends defibrillators by drone
November 21 — Monique Starks
LinkedIn.com/Tech Future by Chuck Martin
Drones Deliver Defibrillators in North Carolina 911 Trial
November 21 — Monique Starks
WUNC-FM
Test project promises to bring medical help from the skies
November 22 — Monique Starks
13 News Now (Norfolk, VA)
Drones now delivering AEDs during 911 calls in James City County and Forsyth County
November 23 — Monique Starks/Duke Health
WXII-TV (Winston Salem, NC)
Medical drones tested in Forsyth County
November 24 — Duke Health/DCRI
La Razon (Spain)
Drones con desfibriladores: la innovación médica que ya salva vidas en EE UU
November 25 — Monique Starks
Emergency Management
Duke Heart Pulse — November 23, 2025
Chief’s message: Gratitude and Community
Dear Duke Heart community, this time of year allows for some reflection and certainly some continued work on our hope to improve the lives and health of our community. I wanted to send a note before this thanksgiving break extending our sincere gratitude for the entire Duke team – including our staff, faculty, residents, fellows, nurses, researchers, Heart Center leadership council, all of our ambassadors, supporters, and most importantly our patients who allow us the privilege of caring for them. As the complexity of healthcare and research increases at Academic Medical Centers, we can sometimes lose site of the immense opportunity and privilege we have in working as part of our cardiovascular team. Everyday, as we work in the clinics, hospitals, research labs, we see the continued dedication and effort. I am grateful for the tremendous resilience, grit, and spirit of the cardiovascular team and focus on the mission of improving health outcomes, and making the journey of health care better for our patients and teams while we develop a sustainable model to continue to do research and make meaningful discoveries. Perhaps most gratifying is the opportunity to be part of this Duke Heart community and the ability to live a life of purpose and service. We want to specifically, thank those of you who will be working over the holiday times to ensure we continue to care for our patients. Hopefully, all of you will get some time with family and friends over the upcoming thanksgiving holiday or weeks to come.
We were personally lucky to get to travel to Spartanburg South Carolina this weekend to see the Division 3 Cross Country 
National Championship races. Pictured is our son, Sanju, who is a junior at UChicago, part of the men’s team that finished 12th overall. He placed high enough to win All-American honors – something he has been striving for several years. We were blessed to be present for the race. I believe the team will be shaving the mustache’s for the holidays but that is yet to be seen.
Highlights of the week:
First-of-Its-Kind U.S. Study Launched; Drones Now Delivering AEDs During 911 Calls
Every minute counts when someone’s heart stops. In the U.S., more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest each year, and fewer than 10% survive. Most of these emergencies happen at home, far from lifesaving equipment.
Now, for the first time in the United States, a coalition of researchers, public safety agencies, and community partners – led by Duke Health and coordinated through the Duke Clinical Research Institute – is testing a new way to save lives.
Drones carrying automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are being dispatched during real 911 calls in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The effort is part of a clinical trial that aims to see if drones can deliver AEDs to patients faster than traditional emergency services.
“This study represents a major step forward in how we respond to cardiac arrest in the United States,” said Monique Starks, MD, principal investigator and associate professor of medicine in cardiology at Duke. “By integrating drone technology into emergency care, we’re working to close the critical gap between cardiac arrest and treatment, and that has the potential to save thousands of lives.”
According to previous research, if an AED can be used within 2 to 3 minutes of cardiac arrest, survival rates can jump to 70%. But EMS often takes 8 to 10 minutes to arrive. That’s where drones come in.
The study is happening in Clemmons, NC, where the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office was already using drone technology as part of its law enforcement operations.
When a 911 call comes in for cardiac arrest in Clemmons, a drone carrying an AED is launched immediately. At the same time, the standard of care is still in place and EMS is also deployed.
The 911 dispatcher coordinates with a drone pilot who launches the drone to fly autonomously to the location of the cardiac arrest. The drone flies at 200 feet, lowers to 100 feet, and winches the AED safely to the ground. The 911 dispatcher then guides the bystander on getting and using the device.
“Launching drone-delivered AEDs is a promise to our citizens that their safety and quality of life are paramount,” said Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, Jr. “When seconds matter, this technology gives us the ability to reach people in need faster than ever before. It’s about saving lives, building trust, and showing our community that we will always lead with care and commitment.”
The research team hopes to reduce AED delivery time to under five minutes for more than half the population in the study area. The trial also includes James City County, Virginia.
The work is supported by the American Heart Association and involves more than a dozen partners, including University of Washington, Hovecon Consulting, Emory University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and University of Toronto.
“This project is laying the groundwork for what we hope will become a large, multi-center randomized clinical trial,” said Joseph Ornato, MD, co-principal investigator on the study and professor of emergency medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University. “That future research will help us understand critical questions about how well this works, what it costs, and how we can get AEDs to people as quickly as possible whether they live in a city or rural community.”
“Forsyth County Fire/EMS 911 is proud to partner with Duke Health and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in this groundbreaking drone AED project, which has the potential to save lives by delivering critical care faster than ever before,” said James Fore, director of Forsyth County 911 Fire/EMS. “By integrating this technology into our emergency response system, we are strengthening our ability to serve the community when every second counts.”
“Our teams have worked tirelessly to set a new standard in cardiac arrest care by integrating drone delivery of AEDs during 911 calls,” said Stephen Powell, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and member of the study team. “This collaboration between telecommunicators and drone pilots—built through extensive planning and drills—aims to save precious minutes and, ultimately, lives. It’s incredible to see what’s possible when dedicated people come together for a single purpose.”
“While much of the excitement around drone delivery has centered on faster packages and e-commerce convenience, today marks a pivotal shift,” said Basil Yap, vice president of Hovecon. “This program is about life-saving deliveries of critical medical equipment in the form of AEDs, and we have achieved that only by making rigorous safety and full regulatory compliance the foundation of everything we do.”
“Drones can meaningfully shorten the most critical moments between collapse and care,” said Betsy Sink, battalion chief at James City County Emergency Medical Services. “They won’t replace traditional response systems, but they can strengthen them by placing lifesaving equipment in the hands of bystanders when it matters most. This project allows us to better understand how far this innovation can go in improving survival and will shape the future of emergency medicine.”
“We’re excited about the potential drones bring to public safety,” said Sgt. Tiara Suggs, specialized response team commander with the James City County Police Department. “Whether it’s delivering AEDs, locating missing persons, or getting eyes on a scene faster than we ever could before, drones help us respond smarter and faster. In rural areas especially, where access can be limited, they’re a force multiplier that’s helping us save lives and protect our communities in ways we couldn’t just a few years ago.”
(Media coverage appears below)
Applefield Selected for 2026 ACC Emerging Faculty Academy
Congratulations to Willard Applefield, MD! We learned this week that he has been selected for the 2026 American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Rick Nishimura, MD, MACC and Patrick T. O’Gara, MD, MACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy.
The program is designed to develop early career faculty in cardiology who have shown promise as educators. It aims to enhance participants’ skills as ACC educators and prepare them for leadership roles within the ACC organization.
Well-deserved, Willard!
Visiting Scholar Wraps Up Time with Duke Heart Team
We are pleased to have recently welcomed Diego Diaz, MD, of Colombia, South America, to Duke Heart and Vascular Services. Diaz practices electrophysiology and heart failure, and was here to spend some time rounding with and interacting with our team. Diaz arrived at Duke on November 10th for a two-week visit. He is shown here with Marat Fudim, MD.
His visit is part of a long-standing relationship via Alex Barbagelata, MD, adjunct professor in the Duke Department of Medicine, who helps facilitate our annual hosting of physicians from South America.
We enjoyed having Diego with us!
Clarivate’s Most Highly Cited Researchers 2025
Thirty-one researchers from across Duke are named to Clarivate’s Most Highly Cited Researchers list for 2025. Of the 31, four are faculty members within the Duke Heart & Vascular team. Those making the list rank in the top 1 percent of their field for publication citations.
Congratulations to Chris Granger, Adrian Hernandez, Renato Lopes, and Bill Kraus!
For the full Duke Today article, please visit https://today.duke.edu/2025/11/duke-scholars-featured-highly-cited-researchers-2025-list.
Cardiology APPs Gather
Our cardiology APP team held a social event for cardiology ambulatory APPs, nurses, and Heart Center staff to meet new people and foster enhanced working relationships across the disciplines. The team gathering was held on Nov. 16 at Hi-Wire in Durham.
Hat tip to Julie Marshall, APP team lead, for sharing this photo with us!
DUH Serving Up Appreciation at Thanksgiving
We are deeply grateful for the incredible dedication of all our Duke University Hospital team members, and we are especially thankful for those who will be serving our patients and team members on Thanksgiving Day.
Your commitment ensures that our patients receive exceptional care every day of the year, and we couldn’t be more thankful for your service and compassion. To show our appreciation, Duke Hospital administration is offering a complimentary meal at the Atrium Café in Duke North for all staff working on Thanksgiving Day. Learn more about the schedule and meal options here.
Nov. 24: Clinical & Translational Research Town Hall
“Demystifying Clinical Research Administration” is the third installment of the School of Medicine’s research town hall series with the objective of engaging directly with research faculty on relevant and/or emerging research resources, services, and needs. This is intended to provide a forum for bi-directional discussion and will leverage case examples to highlight challenges and solutions to conducting research at Duke.
All clinical and translational researchers are invited to join the SOM on Monday, November 24, 4-5 pm for TED-style presentations followed by a 30-minute panel discussion including Q&A.
Please join us in person in the Trent Semans Great Hall or participate via Zoom (link available upon registration).
Please contact the SOM at somclinicalresearch@duke.edu if you have questions about the event.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Nov. 25: No CGR/holiday.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Nov. 26: No conference/holiday
Nov. 28: No conference/holiday
Dec. 3: Match Day Review with Anna Lisa Chamis. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 5: SVT with Jon Piccini. Noon. Zoom only.
Dec. 10: EP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi and Chad Kloefkorn. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 12: Board review with Nishant Shah and Anthony Lin. Noon, via Zoom.
Dec. 17: DHP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 19: DHP Case Presentation with Harriet Akunor. Noon, Zoom only.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Nov. 27: NO CONFERENCE (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 4: Echo Imaging to Optimize Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing with Josh Sink
Dec. 11: RV Failure or Pericardial Disease TBD with Cosette Champion
Dec. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Upcoming CME Activities:
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
2026 Duke Heart CMEs Announced
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- Duke Heart Failure Symposium – Saturday, June 6, 2026. Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – Friday, October 30, 2026. Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
Please save the dates!
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please 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 me 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:
November 17 — Manesh Patel
NBC News
New heart disease calculator predicts 30-year risk for young adults
November 18 — Manesh Patel
Hindustan Times
Can young adults be at risk of heart disease? Here’s what new calculator says
November 18 — Manesh Patel
La Opinion
Nueva calculadora de riesgo en línea puede predecir enfermedades cardíacas desde 30 años antes
November 19 — Manesh Patel
Medscape
Dual Antithrombotic Therapy: Is Shorter Better for Patients With AF Undergoing PCI?
November 19 — Monique Starks
Popular Science*
Drones are delivering life-saving defibrillators to 911 calls
*carried by Yahoo News and affiliates
November 19 — Monique Starks
WTVD
November 19 — Monique Starks
Becker’s Hospital Review
Duke Health delivers AEDs by drone
November 19 — Monique Starks
Blue Ridge Public Radio
Drones set to deliver emergency AEDs in Forsyth County pilot study
November 19 — Monique Starks
WDC TV News (Washington DC)
Drones are delivering life-saving defibrillators to 911 calls
November 19 — Monique Starks
WFMY (Greensboro, NC)
AEDs to be dispatched by 911 to help save lives
November 19 — Monique Starks
Cardiovascular Business
Drones deliver AEDs for the first time in the United States
November 19 — Monique Starks
WRAL (Raleigh)
Duke Health program has drones delivering life-saving AEDs in North Carolina
November 21 — Monique Starks
Gizmodo
North Carolina Town First in U.S. to Deploy Defibrillator Drones During Actual 911 Emergencies
November 21 — Sana Al-Khatib
Healio/Cardiology Today
Shortened dual antithrombotic duration after PCI may be safe in patients with AF
Duke Heart Pulse — November 16, 2025
Highlights of the week:
Fall HCLC Meeting Held
Our Heart Center Leadership Council held its Fall meeting on Friday, November 14 at the JB Duke Hotel and Conference Center. After a welcome from HCLC Chair Bob Keegan, the Council members heard updates from Drs. Manesh Patel and Carmelo Milano. Presenters included Dr. Chad Hughes of Duke Aortic Center and Dr. Joseph Turek from our pediatric heart team, who each spoke about innovations in cardiovascular surgery; Dr. Svati Shah, who presented on our research vision for cardiovascular care, and then from Drs. Manesh Patel and Sreekanth Vemulapalli, and Keegan, for a discussion about the importance of philanthropy and collaboration for driving innovation in the cardiovascular space.
CT Cardiac Scoring Available at Multiple Duke Locations
Do you have patients in need of CT Cardiac Scoring (CT Calcium Scoring) to evaluate plaque in the heart vessels? Duke Health offers this at three convenient locations, including Duke Medical Pavilion via Hospital Imaging Services, at Duke Imaging Arringdon, and Duke Imaging Heritage for a patient self-pay rate of $150.00, which includes the exam, professional reading, and technical services.
To download a flyer, click here: MC-4081 CT Cardiac Scoring FlyerNoCrop
If you have any questions, please reach out to Barbara Willis, BSN, RN, Imaging Physician Liaison.
NC/SC VAD Event Held
Ventricular Assist Device coordinators from throughout North and South Carolina came together last week in Raleigh for an event focused on best-practice sharing and community building. Although the groups have held numerous such events over the years, gathering slowed during COVID. This is the second regional event the group has hosted since the pandemic. Event planners were Duke’s Laura Blue along with Jen Hajj of the Medical University of South Carolina.
Team members from every VAD Center throughout the region were invited to attend, says Blue. “It’s a great outreach event that brings nurses and nurse practitioners, and coordinators together to collaborate, discuss the latest research, and to provide mutual support to one another over challenges that all VAD centers and providers face.”
She added that such collaborative efforts are a great way to network with teams at regional VAD Centers and to share best practices, and that it can help facilitate patient referrals.
The event was held at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Research Triangle Park on Friday, Nov. 7. Sponsors included Abbott and Acelis.
Respiratory Care Team Member Spotlight: Andrew Almond
Duke University Hospital Respiratory Care Clinical Team Lead Andrew Almond is featured this week in a team member spotlight on the Duke Health Careers website!
In his youth, Andrew had a personal diagnosis that sparked his passion for health care. It’s this calling to care – and a family history in the field – that eventually led him to Duke Health, where he’s found a rewarding career in respiratory care. Watch his story.
Respiratory Care Team Retirements
Our Respiratory Care Team is celebrating two retirements after many years of service at Duke:
Paul Robbins, Respiratory Care Services, Advanced Respiratory Care Practitioner, 41 years of service
Congratulations to Paul Robbins on his retirement! For four decades, Paul was not only a compassionate caregiver, but a cornerstone of the Respiratory Care Services medical team. Throughout his career, including during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul didn’t just care for patients—he helped shape the future of Duke University Hospital.
His commitment extended far beyond his role in patient care. Paul served as an invaluable mentor, teaching countless respiratory therapists, medical doctors, advanced practice providers, and registered nurses the complexities of pulmonary medicine.
But perhaps most importantly, Paul exemplified the power of resilience. In the face of overwhelming circumstances—during COVID, flu seasons, and the uncharted territory of a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape—Paul continued to model strength, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. By passing on his newfound knowledge, Paul ensured that our practices would continue to evolve, benefiting not only those who worked alongside him but also newer staff members who will carry his legacy forward.
Paul’s sharp wit and incredible depth of knowledge are unmatched — whether the topic is history, movies, books, cars, music, whiskey, or just about anything else. He has always been able to hold a great conversation with anyone, from all walks of life. His presence, his humor, and the conversations we’ve shared will be deeply missed. Thank you, Paul, for your impact on all of those you served and worked with at Duke.
Lloyd Freeman, Respiratory Care Services, Advanced Respiratory Care Practitioner, 33 years of service
Congratulations, Lloyd, on your retirement! Lloyd has made a lasting impact over his 33 years of service at Duke. He is deeply respected and appreciated by respiratory therapists, nurses, physicians, and staff across the hospital.
Lloyd has played a key role in teaching and mentoring new generations of clinicians, sharing not only his clinical expertise but also his calm, steady approach to patient care. His dedication to supporting others, fostering teamwork, and upholding high standards has shaped the culture of our department.
Colleagues will remember Lloyd for his kindness, his quiet confidence, and the way he made everyone around him feel supported. The impact he made isn’t just in the skills he taught—it’s in the way he made people feel valued and capable. Lloyd’s legacy will continue in the many clinicians he helped train and in the compassionate, patient-centered care he modeled every day. Thank you, Lloyd, for your dedication to your patients and colleagues at Duke!
Congratulations, Paul and Lloyd!
SURE Program Scholars at AHA
Several Duke Cardiovascular Research Center Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) Program Scholars attended and presented posters at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in New Orleans last weekend.
The CVRC ran multiple undergraduate summer programs this year, including two AHA programs. Sudar Rajagopal led the AHA CVRC SURE program while Svati Shah oversaw the AHA Sarnoff SURE program. The following scholars are shown here:
Daliya Rizvi worked with the Lefkowitz Lab (CVRC SURE)
Bailey Herfindahl, who was mentored by Andrew Landstrom (CVRC SURE). In a LinkedIn post last weekend, Herfindahl, a heart disease survivor, wrote, “This weekend, I had the privilege of presenting my research poster at the American Heart Association’s annual international Scientific Sessions. This work was a result of my summer spent as an AHA SURE Scholar in the Landstrom Lab at Duke University, investigating a gene-specific treatment for a rare pediatric arrhythmia condition. In addition to being a SURE Scholar, I was recognized as a patient representative and had the opportunity to share my own cardiac story throughout the weekend. To be a part of this organization and contribute to the incredible life-saving research that has saved my own life was profoundly inspiring. A huge thank you to the American Heart Association‘s SURE Program, Dr. Andrew Landstrom, and Gio Monaco, as well as the rest of the Landstrom lab, for your support and mentorship.”
Inioluwa Olabode who was mentored by Andrew Landstrom (Sarnoff SURE)
Fabian Madera who was mentored by Joseph Turek (Sarnoff SURE)
Not shown is the last undergrad in our AHA-supported program, Casey James Powell, mentored by Satyanarayana Achanta (CVRC SURE).
Way to go, Scholars!
CVRC Food Drive – Contribute by Nov. 21
Reminder! The Karra Lab in the Cardiovascular Research Center is holding a food drive to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.
Any donation of non-perishable food items would be appreciated. The most in-demand food items are peanut butter and jam (in large plastic containers); chicken, tuna, or salmon (in either pouches or pop-top cans); canned fruit and vegetables; soup, ravioli, and other ready-to-eat meals (pop-top cans preferred). Many people in crisis may not have access to manual or electric can openers!
A donation box has been set up on the first floor of the CARL building, as well as in CARL 247. Please plan to bring in donations by Friday, November 21.
If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Parker (lep52@duke.edu), Duke School of Medicine MD/PhD candidate, Karra Lab.
Holiday Decorating Safety Reminders: Keep it Festive and Fire-Safe
As we begin to decorate our spaces this holiday season, let’s keep safety at the heart of our celebrations. Here are a few friendly reminders to help us all stay merry and mindful:
Do’s:
- Use UL-approved artificial trees—fiber optic and pre-wired are great options!
- Choose battery-operated candles and LED lights to avoid fire risks.
- Keep decorations flame-retardant and non-combustible.
- Appoint a team member to turn off lights daily to prevent overheating.
- Avoid door decorations as these are now allowed by Fire Code and Joint Commission.
- Use flame-retardant cotton substitutes like Magic-Glass.
Don’ts:
- No live greenery, metallic trees with electric lights, or aerosol sprays (sorry, no fake snow!).
- Avoid extension cords and never plug power strips into each other.
- Don’t place cords under rugs or across doorways.
- Keep corridors clean, no hanging or draped decorations, and don’t cover more than 25% of wall space.
- Never block fire exits, doors, or safety equipment with decorations.
- Don’t use space heaters. If you are uncomfortable in your workspace, contact Engineering.
Let’s make this season bright—and safe—for everyone. Download and print this flyer to hang in your department. If you have questions, reach out to your department’s safety rep or local OESO office. Read more here.
Campus Construction & Renewal Updates
If you’ve been on campus lately, you know there is a lot of construction taking place all over Duke. For a list of updates and target completion dates, you can read all about what Duke Facilities Management is doing right here.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Reminder – Nov. 18 is the deadline for flu vaccination compliance.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Nov. 18: Wearables for Disease Detection and Monitoring with Jessilyn Dunn. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Nov. 19: EP Case Presention with Alex Gunn and Yoo Jin Kim. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Nov. 21: Adult Congenital, part 2 with Rich Krasuski. Noon. Zoom only.
Nov. 26: No conference/holiday
Nov. 28: No conference/holiday
Dec. 3: Match Day Review with Anna Lisa Chamis. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 5: SVT with Jon Piccini. Noon. Zoom only.
Dec. 10: EP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi and Chad Kloefkorn. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 12: Board review with Nishant Shah and Anthony Lin. Noon, via Zoom.
Dec. 17: DHP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 19: DHP Case Presentation with Harriet Akunor. Noon, Zoom only.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Nov. 20: Multi-Modality Imaging for LVH with Mugdha Joshi
Nov. 27: NO CONFERENCE (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 4: Echo Imaging to Optimize Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing with Josh Sink
Dec. 11: RV Failure or Pericardial Disease TBD with Cosette Champion
Dec. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Upcoming CME Activities:
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
2026 Duke Heart CMEs Announced
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- Duke Heart Failure Symposium – Saturday, June 6, 2026. Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – Friday, October 30, 2026. Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
Please save the dates!
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please 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 me 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:
November 7 — Svati Shah
Pharmacy Times
November 8 — Nishant Shah
NBC News*
Harmful cholesterol levels cut in half with one-time gene editing drug in early trial
*carried by affiliates nationally
November 8 — Kristin Newby
CNN*
*carried by affiliates nationally
November 8 — Manesh Patel
Healio/Cardiology Today
Left atrial appendage closure may not confer benefit vs. drug therapy in high-risk AF
November 8 — Manesh Patel
Healio/Cardiology Today
Ongoing anticoagulation may not be necessary after successful atrial fibrillation ablation
November 8 — Sana Al-Khatib and Manesh Patel
tctMD
One Month of Dual Antithrombotic Therapy May Be Enough After PCI in AF Patients
November 9 — Kristin Newby
CNN Espanol
November 10 — Robert Califf
Contagion Live
2024-25 COVID-19 Vaccines Effective Against JN1 Subvariants
November 10 — Robert Califf
The Medical Independent
Cardiovascular disease in ‘tumultuous times’
November 10 — Nishant Shah
PHLatames.com
Un solo tratamiento genético reduce a la mitad el colesterol “malo” en humanos
November 11 — Christopher Granger
tctMD
CELEBRATE: Zalunfiban, a Novel Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor, Helps in STEMI
Duke Heart Pulse — November 9, 2025
Highlights of the week:
AHA Scientific Sessions & Duke Annual Reception
The American Heart Association 2025 Scientific Sessions is taking place this weekend in New Orleans. Our annual Duke reception was held last night at the New Orleans Marriott in the Warehouse Arts District. We had several facutly and fellows presenting across a broad range of topics and commenting on Late Breaking Clinical science. The big science coming out of the meeting we will review in upcoming weeks – many advances in cardiometabolic health, atrial fibrillation and anti-thrombotic treatment, heart failure including a first in-man gene study presented by Marat, and some new data on lifestyle changes and caffeine. Please see some pictures from the conference including standing room only of Neha’s presentation in the cardiometabolic LBS session, some pictures around the conference. Also some shots of the presidential session with Stacey Rosen from Northwell Health and the Northwell Health Nurses Choir. Special shout out’s to our fellows Allie Levin who had two posters on causes of death in Congenital heart disease patients and outcomes in Fontan patients, and Hubie Haywood had a poster in heart failure.
Memorial Service for Estes Announced
A memorial service for E. Harvey Estes, Jr., MD, will take place from 1-2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Few Chapel in Croasdaile Village, 2600 Croasdaile Parkway, Durham, NC.
Estes, a former Duke cardiologist who died on October 16, was highlighted by The Duke Chronicle in a news piece last week. To read that story, please click here or see below, under News.
What Happens to the Body in Space?
As humans prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, scientists are trying to understand how space affects the human body. One of the biggest concerns is space radiation — high-energy particles from the sun and distant galaxies that can pass through spacecraft and into bodies.
Unlike Earth, which is protected by a magnetic field and atmosphere, space is not. This means astronauts are exposed to radiation that could harm their health during and long after their missions end.
Dawn Bowles, PhD, assistant professor in surgery at Duke, is collaborating with NASA to study how space radiation affects the heart. Bowles is co-director, along with Carmelo Milano, MD, of the Duke Human Heart Repository.
Originally trained as a virologist, Bowles was among nine principal investigators recruited by NASA into its Space Radiation Element program to mitigate the harmful effects of space radiation on astronauts’ health.
Her team conducts its research at a unique facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, home to the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory.
“It’s a really neat, nifty, unique thing that NASA has developed,” she said. “They actually can simulate as closely as possible what the radiation environment looks like in space here on Earth.”
Trying to understand the cardiovascular risk of space radiation exposure from astronaut data has been challenging due to the lack of data. Only 24 Apollo lunar astronauts have traveled beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) into the complex space radiation environment. Of those individuals who have traveled further, the amount of time spent there has been less than 50 days.
Bowles explained: “Astronauts who are going to be traveling to Mars or who are going to be living on the moon are going to be continually hit, bombarded with this kind of radiation. It is a serious risk for human health.”
Although astronauts have spent extended periods of time in space aboard the International Space Station, they remain within the protective environment of a magnetic field, known as the magnetosphere, and are not exposed to significant amounts of radiation.
As a result, other studies that have examined the cardiovascular effects of space radiation on astronauts have been unable to generate firm conclusions.
Studies in animals have shown that radiation can lead to stiffening of the arteries, damage to the heart’s structure, and changes in how the heart beats.
“We’ve identified that there might definitely be a problem, at least in animal models,” said Bowles. “We’re doing additional studies to understand the mechanisms behind this problem and whether we can remedy it.”
Clues from the Lab and from Space
Bowles and her team use advanced tools to study how radiation affects tissues at the molecular level. “We do a lot of very advanced molecular omics — genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics,” she said, referring to the study of DNA, RNA, and proteins. “We try to look at the tissues or cells very holistically.”
In addition to exploring ways to protect astronauts from radiation damage, Bowles’ team is investigating whether existing medications could help. “We have a paper under review where we analyzed our data to see if there were any drugs that could be repurposed,” she said. “NASA’s just looking at ways to do this as economically as possible. If something already exists, why not use it?”
While her team hasn’t yet studied dietary changes, she believes their data could be used to explore that too.
“NASA really invests in these deep characterizations because these data sets go into their repository,” she said. “There’s a whole group of scientists at NASA doing data mining to gain new insights.” That information, Bowles noted, can be made available for other scientists to evaluate.
Though the research is focused on space, it could also benefit people on Earth. “There’s personnel in the medical field, like interventional cardiologists, who are exposed to low levels of radiation over time, who might develop similar cardiovascular effects,” Bowles noted. “Maybe we can find something protective for the heart for a patient undergoing cancer treatment. There is potential for saving human lives.”
Does Radiation Affect People Differently?
There’s still much to learn, especially about how radiation affects different sexes and species. “Most early studies were done with male mice,” Bowles said. “Now we’re doing studies with both sexes to see if there are differences.”
She added that they are also adding another component to the study — microgravity or weightlessness to better mimic the full space environment.
Bowles’ research, until now, has been funded by NASA. Despite funding uncertainties, Bowles remains optimistic.
“I’m very blessed to be able to work in an exciting field like this,” she said. “We’re uncovering biological mechanisms and responses that no one’s really looked at before. It’s all new ground and it’s very exciting.”
*this story was written for Duke Today and published on Nov. 4, 2025.
17th Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium Held
Our 17th annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium was held on Oct. 31. We welcomed just over 130 CME provider-attendees, and 30 patients and their guests who attended the “Patient Day” part of the symposium. The Patient Day session ran concurrent to the provider-based CME and was specifically designed for patients, family members and other caregivers so they could learn more on topics such as understanding pulmonary hypertension; existing non-medical therapies and testing expectations; how to navigate insurance, medications, and patient-assistance resources, and how to get and remain active while living with PH.
Course directors were Terry Fortin, MD, and Jimmy Ford, MD, of UNC-Chapel Hill, and presenters from Duke included Sudar Rajagopal, MD, Benjamin Trichon, MD, Willard Applefeld, MD, Richard Krasuski, MD, and Jordan Whitson, MD. A full list of presenters and their topics can be found here.
Heart Team Members Conduct Teaching Session on PAD
Several members of our Duke Heart team were invited to speak at a men’s group that is part of Morehead Avenue Baptist Church in Durham’s West End this past week. The men’s group had asked for providers to speak with them on a health topic, and our team chose peripheral artery disease (PAD). Providers included Victor Ayeni, MD; cardiology fellow DaMarcus Ingram, MD, and cardiologist Dennis Narcisse, MD.
According to Ayeni, a PG-2 Duke internal medicine resident who has been interning with electrophysiologist Camille Frazier-Mills, MD, the event ended up as a round-table discussion about not just PAD but cardiovascular health and wellness overall. He let us know that Narcisse even accepted one of attendees as a new patient!
The men’s group is interested in having Ayeni, Ingram, and Narcisse speak with them again, and would welcome other providers as well.
The event, Ayeni says, “was really heart-warming for both sides, and one of the community members specifically said that it meant a lot that we came to them, talked to them bidirectionally (rather than just lectured), and presented ourselves as part of the bigger Durham community.”
Way to go, Victor, Dennis, and DaMarcus! The world needs more of this.
DUH Earns Healthgrades Award for Cardiac Surgery
Congratulations to our CT Surgery team!!! We learned this week that Healthgrades selected Duke University Hospital for their latest America’s 50 best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery Award!
What a terrific accomplishment and well-deserved recognition for our team. Great work, everyone!
Duke Heart Grows Again
Congratulations to cardiology fellow Cosette Champion, MD, and her husband, Brian!
They welcomed their daughter, Madeline, on October 7. She weighed in at 7 lbs, 11 oz., and is just gorgeous. We are so excited for them!
2026 Duke Heart CMEs Announced
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- Duke Heart Failure Symposium – Saturday, June 6, 2026. Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – Friday, October 30, 2026. Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
Please save the dates!
Veteran’s Day is Tuesday, Nov. 11
Please join Duke in honoring service members at its Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11. Duke University will recognize the service and sacrifice of its roughly 2,200 employees and 450 students who are military veterans during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. on November 11 in Duke Chapel.
The event will feature remarks from President Vincent E. Price, Vice President for Human Resources Antwan Lofton, and Chapel Dean Luke Powery, with a keynote by Maj. Ryan Allen of the U.S. Air Force and a wreath-laying ceremony in the Memorial Garden.
Karra Lab of CVRC Launches Food Drive
Ravi Karra, MD, and his lab team in the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center are hosting a food drive to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.
Any donation of non-perishable food items would be appreciated. The most in-demand food items are peanut butter and jam (in large plastic containers); chicken, tuna, or salmon (in either pouches or pop-top cans); canned fruit and vegetables; soup, ravioli, and other ready-to-eat meals (pop-top cans preferred). Many people in crisis may not have access to manual or electric can openers!
A donation box has been set up on the first floor of the CARL building, as well as in CARL 247. Please plan to bring in donations by Friday, November 21.
If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Parker (lep52@duke.edu), Duke School of Medicine MD/PhD candidate, Karra Lab.
Supporting Each Other During Times of Need
Health System leadership issued a statement this week related to the temporary shut-down of federal food-assistance programs. Please share this information with your team. The resource information below has been vetted and confirmed so you can feel confident in sharing it with others.
“The recent federal shutdown temporarily suspended federal food assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), impacting individuals and families across our community. At Duke University Health System, we remain committed to Putting People First and connecting those in need with meaningful support.
Please find below verified resources to help team members, patients, and families navigate this challenging time. Whether you’re seeking assistance or looking for ways to help, we hope you find these resources valuable.
We know this is a difficult time for many. Let’s continue to lead with compassion, dignity, and respect as we support one another. Share these resources, check on neighbors, and stay connected. If you have questions, please reach out to your leadership or send an email to caringforeachother@duke.edu.”
Resources for Those in Need of Assistance
- Food Finder Tools: Locate nearby food assistance through the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC and Second Harvest Metrolina.
- Case Management Support: Patients and team members can be referred to Community Health Worker Navigation or Care Management to access help related to financial insecurity (ex. food, housing, transportation).
- Caring for Each Other Peer Support Program: Speak confidentially with a Duke colleague about personal or professional stressors.
- Personal Assistance Service (PAS): Free counseling and referrals are available at no cost to team members. Call 919-416-1727 to make an appointment.
- Financial Resources: The Earned Wage Access program allows team members to access already earned wages while the Caring for Each Other Fund* provides emergency financial support for team members.
Resources for Those Looking to Assist
- Emergency Relief Fund through Duke Doing Good: Team member contributions support local nonprofits focused on education, health, housing, and disaster relief.
- Root Causes Fund: (Donation link) Root Causes is a student-led initiative addressing food insecurity in Durham and among patients.
- Green Family Student Emergency Fund: (Donation link) Provides grocery gift cards to medical students facing emergencies.
- Duke Healthy Lifestyles Food Market: An in-clinic pantry serving patients through a partnership among Duke Children’s, Internal Medicine, and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
- Caring for Each Other Fund*: (Donation link) Provides emergency financial aid for DUHS team members experiencing short-term crises. *Please note the Caring for Each Other Fund cannot be used to replace SNAP or WIC benefits but can support other immediate needs.
- Family Meal Trays Program: (Donation link) Offers meals to hospitalized children and families experiencing food insecurity.
New Duke CTSI Pilot Funding Opportunities: 2025–2027 IMPaCTS Challenge Awards
The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is pleased to announce two new pilot funding opportunities through the Improving Clinical and Translational Science (IMPaCTS) Challenge, designed to accelerate the advancement of scientific discoveries into real-world health solutions.
Each award provides $25,000–$50,000 in direct costs for up to one-year projects. The opportunities are open to investigators from Duke University and partner institutions (North Carolina Central University, Durham Tech, Lincoln Community Health Center, and others).
Funding Opportunities:
- The Duke IMPaCTS Challenge: General Pilot Awards program supports projects that develop scalable solutions to overcome common bottlenecks in the translational research process—from basic discovery to clinical and community implementation.
- The Duke IMPaCTS Challenge: Enhancing the Participant Experience Awards program focuses on improving research participation, engagement, and trust through innovations that make research more inclusive, efficient, and participant-centered.
Key Dates:
- Virtual Information Session: November 13, 2025, 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET. Register to attend.
- Letter of Intent (mandatory) deadline: December 5, 2025
- Full Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Award Notifications:March 2026
Funding Period Start Dates:
- April 1, 2026
- August 1, 2026
Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the CTSI Pilot Program Team before submission to ensure alignment with program goals.
Learn more about these opportunities and application instructions on the Duke CTSI Funding website or contact Eman Ghanem (ctsifunding@duke.edu) with questions.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
November 9-15: National Nurse Practitioner Week & Perioperative Nurses Week.
November 18: Deadline for flu vaccination compliance.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Nov. 11: Perioperative atrial fibrillation after noncardiac surgery with Michael Wang. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Nov. 12: DHP Case Presentation with Krunal Amin. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Nov. 14: Fellows’ Forum with Anthony Lin. Noon. Zoom only.
Nov. 19: EP Case Presention with Alex Gunn and Yoo Jin Kim. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Nov. 21: Adult Congenital, part 2 with Rich Krasuski. Noon. Zoom only.
Nov. 26: No conference/holiday
Nov. 28: No conference/holiday
Dec. 3: Match Day Review with Anna Lisa Chamis. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 5: SVT with Jon Piccini. Noon. Zoom only.
Dec. 10: EP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi and Chad Kloefkorn. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 12: Board review with Nishant Shah and Anthony Lin. Noon, via Zoom.
Dec. 17: DHP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 19: DHP Case Presentation with Harriet Akunor. Noon, Zoom only.
Friday 14-Nov 12:00 Virtual Fellows’ Forum Anthony Lin, APDs
Wednesday
Nov. 19: EP Case Presention with Alex Gunn and Yoo Jin Kim. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Nov. 21: Adult Congenital, part 2 with Rich Krasuski. Noon. Zoom only.
Nov. 26: No conference/holiday
Nov. 28: No conference/holiday
Dec. 3: MATCH DAY REVIEW with Anna Lisa Chamis. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 5: SVT with Jon Piccini. Noon. Zoom only.
Dec. 10: EP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi and Chad Kloefkorn. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 12: Board review with Nishant Shah and Anthony Lin. Noon, via Zoom.
Dec. 17: DHP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad. Noon. DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Dec. 19: DHP Case Presentation with Harriet Akunor. Noon, Zoom only.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Nov. 13: Topic TBD with Jemi Gelani
Nov. 20: Multi-Modality Imaging for LVH with Mugdha Joshi
Nov. 27: NO CONFERENCE (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 4: Echo Imaging to Optimize Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing with Josh Sink
Dec. 11: RV Failure or Pericardial Disease TBD with Cosette Champion
Dec. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Upcoming CME Activities:
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please 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 me 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:
November 3 — Sreekanth Vemulapalli
American Heart Association Newsroom
New effort launched to support earlier diagnosis, treatment of aortic stenosis
November 3 — Mary Klotman, Justine Strand de Oliveira, and Howard Eisenson
The Duke Chronicle
‘Transcended his own era’: E. Harvey Estes remembered for pioneering community-centered health care
November 3 — Nishant Shah
Newz 9
Is Your Year-Long Supplement Routine Harming Your Heart? Discover the Surprising Truth
November 3 — Nishant Shah
NBC News*
What taking melatonin could reveal about your heart health
*carried by affiliates nationally
November 3 — Nishant Shah
America Zeit
El uso crónico de suplementos de melatonina puede aumentar el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular
November 4 — Renato Lopes
Medical Dialogues
Positive results revealed from first prospective trial in heart failure due to Chagas disease
November 4 — Nishant Shah
Newsmax TV/American Agenda
Discussion : Melatonin & Your Health
November 4 — Robert Califf
tctMD
What Makes MedTech Great—or Not—and Envisioning Its Future
November 5 — Sujay Kansagra
New York Times
Is Melatonin Bad for Your Heart? Here’s What to Know.
November 5 — Nishant Shah
Juta Medical Brief
Regular melatonin use could indicate heart issues – US study
Duke Heart Pulse — November 2, 2025
Highlights of the week:
AHA Scientific Sessions & Duke Annual Reception Next Weekend
The American Heart Association 2025 Scientific Sessions is taking place later this week (Nov. 7-10) in New Orleans. This year’s theme is The Future of Cardiovascular Science Starts Here. We know a lot of you are going and we’re looking forward to seeing you there – don’t forget to join us at the annual Duke reception on Sat., Nov. 8!
We have more than 100 presentations, panels, posters, and sessions moderated by Duke faculty and fellows coming up next weekend. It promises to be a great weekend to get together, network, and celebrate the research and clinical advances made not only at Duke but throughout the cardiovascular space.
Coleman Inducted into ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators
Dawn Coleman, MD, professor of surgery and chief, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Duke, has been inducted into the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.
Coleman is among a group of 103 esteemed surgeon educators who received this honor on Sept. 19, 2025, in Chicago. This is the eighth cohort of members inducted into the Academy.
A dedicated surgeon educator and mentor, Coleman previously served as interim Program Director for the Duke Vascular Surgery Integrated Residency Program and as Program Director for the Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency and Fellowship at the University of Michigan.
Coleman additionally holds leadership positions in several professional societies and associations. She is currently the 2024-2025 President for the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, Secretary for the Vascular and Endovascular Surgical Society, Vice-Chair of the Program Committee for the Society of Vascular Surgery and is a member of the Society of University Surgeons and the Excelsior Surgical Society, among others.
“I’m honored to be inducted into the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and grateful to join a community so deeply committed to advancing surgical education,” says Dr. Coleman. “Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by the educators, trainees, and colleagues who elevate our field through mentorship, innovation, and collaboration. I look forward to contributing to the Academy’s mission and helping shape the future of surgical training.”
The ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators works to advance the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties. Individuals are selected as Members, Associate Members, or Affiliate Members following a stringent peer review process.
Once inducted, Academy members actively engage in advancing the Academy’s programs and goals, which are to advance the science and practice of innovative lifelong surgical education, training, and scholarship in the changing milieu of health care; foster the exchange of creative ideas and collaboration; support the development and recognition of faculty; underscore the importance of lifelong surgical education and training; positively impact quality and patient safety through lifelong surgical education and training disseminate advances in education and training to all surgeons; and offer mentorship to surgeon educators throughout their professional careers.
Congratulations, Dawn!
LT Team Celebrated by Pauly
Greg Pauly, president of Duke University Hospital, this week celebrated our lung transplant team in his monthly letter to team members. His message, sent Thursday, reads:
I want to recognize an exceptional accomplishment by our Lung Transplant Team who recently performed nine lung transplants in just one week – and a total of 20 for the month. This remarkable feat reflects not only the extraordinary skill of our transplant teams but their deep compassion and commitment to our patients. Dr. Jacob Klapper, Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation, shared,
“In order for us, as the surgical team, to bring nine patients to transplant, we rely on the unwavering dedication of our anesthesiologists, nurses, critical care teams, and transplant pulmonologists. Everyone involved in the care of these patients has a shared vision for what needs to be done. This spirit has always defined our institution. As the surgical director, I am immensely grateful to all who helped us care for these individuals over the last seven days. It was a special week.”
Duke’s Transplant Program is recognized for having some of the shortest wait times and highest survival rates in the country. When the national median wait for a lung transplant is 58 days, at Duke it is 15 days. This milestone is especially meaningful as we observe Healthy Lung Month.
To every member of the Transplant Program, thank you. Your work embodies the very best of Duke Health: Excellence, teamwork, and a profound commitment to hope, health and healing.
Way to go!
May Named Exec Director of Development for MSCC
Congratulations to our major gifts officer, Jessica Baga May! Following a national search, she has been selected as the Executive Director of Development for Medicine, Surgery, and Clinical Care (MSCC), effective immediately.
In this role, Jessica will lead the MSCC fundraising team supporting the Division of Cardiology and Duke Heart Center; the Departments of Medicine, Ophthalmology, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences (HNSCS), Dermatology, and Orthopedic Surgery; Duke Transplant Center; Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, and the Duke Eye Center. Her deep familiarity with Duke Health and her collaborative approach will be a great asset as she transitions into this expanded leadership role. In addition to leading the MSCC team, Jessica will continue to serve as our lead development officer for Heart services.
Congratulations, Jessica — well deserved!
Bashore Collection Celebrated
We were delighted to see several faculty members at last week’s celebration and grand opening of the Dr. Thomas Bashore Collection at the Rubenstein Library on Duke University’s west campus on Wednesday afternoon.
Bashore, with his trademark humor, delivered an excellent and informative lecture on the history of medicine and medical devices. Many thanks to all who joined us, including the Kelsey’s, Sketch’s, Califf’s, Dr. Harvey Cohen, Blue Dean, and numerous other friends.
Congratulations, Dr. Bashore!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
November 18: Deadline for flu vaccination compliance.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Nov. 4: Building a sustainable acute cardiovascular care program in western Kenya, the journey and lessons learned with Felix Ayub Barasa. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Nov. 11: Perioperative atrial fibrillation after noncardiac surgery with Michael Wang. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Nov. 5: EP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad and Rebecca Steinberg. Noon, DMP 6E39 or via Zoom.
Nov. 7: EKG Review with Neil Freedman. Noon. Zoom.
2025 Victor J. Dzau Lecture Seminar Series
Nov. 5: Mechanisms of sarcomere assembly and local translation in cardiomyocytes with Nicole Dubois, PhD, associate professor, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Mount Sinai. Noon-1 p.m., Nanaline Duke Bldg, Room 147. Sponsored by The Mandel Center for Hypertension and Atherosclerosis.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Nov. 6: Multi-Modality Imaging for Infiltrative Disease with Hubie Haywood
Nov. 13: Topic TBD with Jemi Gelani
Nov. 20: Multi-Modality Imaging for LVH with Mugdha Joshi
Nov. 27: NO CONFERENCE (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 4: Echo Imaging to Optimize Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing with Josh Sink
Dec. 11: RV Failure or Pericardial Disease TBD with Cosette Champion
Dec. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Upcoming CME Activities:
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please 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 me 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:
October 28 — Jennifer Rymer
The Healthy
Does Daylight Saving Time Cause Heart Attacks? Not So Fast, Says New Study
October 29 — DCRI/RACE-CARS
The Richmond Observer
Improving Emergency Response: Richmond County deputies now equipped with AEDs
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