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Duke Heart Pulse — November 9, 2025

By Tracey Koepke in Uncategorized on 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.

Dawn Bowles at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

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.

17^th 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.
18^th 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*