Highlights of the week:
Happy Hannukah
To all those celebrating the holiday, may your home and this season be filled with light, love, and joy this Hanukkah.
Extraordinary Teamwork in Cath Lab
A big shout-out to Dan Loriaux, MD, and our incredible colleagues from across multiple areas who worked together to support a particularly challenging case in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory last week.
“This was a truly inter-departmental collaboration and awe-inspiring to me,” said interventional cardiologist Schuyler Jones, MD, professor of medicine in cardiology.
A patient was experiencing a massive pulmonary embolism and required assistance — multiple options were discussed, but the ultimate decision was to pursue mechanical thrombectomy. Loriaux worked with clinician leaders in Pulmonary Vascular Medicine, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Anesthesiology, Neonatology, ECMO/7West, and MICU to bring the patient to the lab, cannulate for ECMO, and remove thrombotic debris from the patient’s lungs. During the case the teams worked through some incredible physiology to support the patient, Jones added.
“Tremendous work by the entire team on this case,” said Jeff Keenan, MD, associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery and surgical director of Duke’s Mechanical Circulatory Support Program. “Dan has already had a big impact on our ECMO program, and I expect that impact will only grow further with time.”
Excellent teamwork!
Patel Speaks at Novartis Groundbreaking
Manesh Patel, MD, chief of cardiology and vice president of Duke Heart and Vascular, was an invited speaker this week at the ceremonial groundbreaking of what will become a flagship manufacturing hub for Novartis in Durham and Wake counties. The event was held in Research Triangle Park on Thursday, Dec. 11.
The groundbreaking heralds a major expansion of production capabilities for Novartis. It is part of a $771 million investment in the region and is expected to support more than 700 new jobs in North Carolina, where Novartis has operated for more than twenty years. The expansion includes new construction and renovations across multiple sites in RTP, nearly doubling the company’s operational footprint to more than 700,000 square feet.
In addition to Patel, speakers included Victor Bulto, president of Novartis in the U.S.; Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis; Steffan Lang, president of operations for Novartis; Ralf Heckner, the Swiss ambassador to the U.S., FDA Commissioner Marty Mckary, MD and NC governor, Josh Stein.
A video of all spoken remarks can be found in WRAL’s news coverage of the event here. It is also located below, under News.
Great job, Manesh!
Passing of Duke Health Affiliations Colleague, Lori Bray
We were saddened to learn of the passing of our colleague, Lori Bray, of Duke Health Affiliations and Networks, on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
Lori’s career at Duke spanned more than 20 years, marked by her unwavering commitment to extending the expertise of Duke Health to patients and communities. She began her journey with the Private Diagnostic Clinic, where she held numerous leadership roles before joining Duke Health Affiliations & Networks (formerly Network Services) in 2016 as Senior Director of Hospital Affiliations and Network Development. In 2022, Lori transitioned to the newly developed Affiliate Provider Relations leadership role, continuing her work to strengthen connections between Duke providers and affiliate sites until stepping down earlier this year to focus on her health and family.
Lori was known for her analytical mind, calm leadership, and can-do spirit. She approached challenges with a restorative, data-driven mindset, and an ability to see patterns that led to solutions. Her colleagues admired her steadfast presence, her remarkable and contagious laugh, and her gift for bringing perspective and humor to even the most complex situations. Lori’s influence lives on through the many initiatives she led and the countless relationships she nurtured throughout Duke Health.
A memorial service was held yesterday, Dec. 13, at Triangle Grace Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made in Lori’s memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org) and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (foodbankcenc.org).
Please join us in keeping Lori’s family and her closest colleagues and friends in your thoughts and honoring her legacy of leadership, grace, and compassion.
MLK Jr. Commemoration, Jan. 13
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy of service, community, and leadership will be honored on Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 11:30-1:30 in the Trent Semans Great Hall. The program will feature Keynote Speaker Marissa Young, Duke Head Softball Coach, plus lunch, and the presentation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award to outstanding team members who were nominated.
Registration is required to attend in person. Deadline is January 6, 2026. Space is limited.
You can join the celebration online, however!
The option to tune in to the commemoration is also available for those who cannot attend in person! Feel free to host a watch party with your team or watch the keynote during your break. Click here to launch the live stream online.
30 Years of DCRI – Anniversary Forum Series
Duke Clinical Research Institute will host National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, on Jan. 27, 2026 as the opening event of the DCRI 30th Anniversary Forum series.
The series is part of a year-long celebration beginning in 2026, honoring the DCRI’s three decades of innovation in clinical research and catalyzing the future of healthcare. Bhattacharya will share insights on the NIH’s priorities for the nation’s healthcare and research initiatives as part of this fireside chat, which will be held via Zoom.
What: DCRI 30th Anniversary Forum: A Fireside Chat with Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PHD, 18th Director, National Institutes of Health
When: 2-3 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026
Where: Zoom (Link to come)
Please save the date and join if you are able!
Duke Health Quality and Safety Conference Call for Abstracts
The Duke Health Quality and Safety Conference has issued a call for abstracts. They are due by Jan. 9 at 5 p.m. Information and abstract guidelines available here.
Contact aaron.west@duke.edu or kyle.rehder@duke.edu with any questions.
Complimentary Holiday Meal at DUH, Dec. 25
During this season of gratitude, we extend sincere appreciation for the teams who make Duke University Hospital (DUH) such a special place to work and receive care. Anyone working on the DUH campus on Thurs., Dec. 25 is invited to enjoy a complimentary holiday meal at Duke North Atrium Café to celebrate the season.
Times: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. or 6 – 9 p.m., based on CSU
ORA Holiday Hours
The Office of Research Administration (ORA) will operate with reduced staff during the holidays. For transactions with sponsor due dates between December 22 and January 2, submit form to ORA by Monday, December 15. NOTE: The standard due date for NIH SBIR/STTR (R43/R44) is January 5, so the submission deadline to NIH is Monday, January 5, 2026 with the internal deadline at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Please complete Intent to Submit no later than December 1, 2025 and route a submission-ready application no later than December 15, 2025.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
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. 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. 18: TBD with Vincent Delgado
Dec. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Medicine Grand Rounds
Jan. 30: Quality and Safety at Duke: The Integral Role of the Department of Medicine with Drs. Mike Pignone and Rick Shannon. 8 a.m. Trent Semans Great Hall.
Upcoming CME Activities:
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:
December 5 — Mitchell Krucoff
tctMD
News Daily News
FDA Panel Declines to Endorse Ventura Interatrial Shunt for HFrEF
December 7 — DUHS
WTVD – ABC 11 (Durham, NC)
Three Area Employers join Forbes Dream Employers List
December 10 — Joseph Turek
Popular Science
The 50 greatest innovations of 2025
December 10 — Robert Mentz
Cardiovascular Business
A common word may be giving heart patients the wrong idea
December 11 — Duke Health/Donavon Harbison
Men’s Health
I Survived a Rapidly Failing Heart. My Lifesaver: A Titanium Ticker.
December 11 — Duke Heart Network/Frye Regional
WHKY (Hickory, NC)
Local Hospital Reaches Heart Care Milestone
December 11 — Manesh Patel
WRAL (Raleigh/Durham, NC)
Novartis expansion shows commitment to talent in North Carolina
(Patel’s remarks begin at 12:48 in video)
