Chief’s message: Holiday weeks and reflection
As we end the year over the next two weeks – we will be taking time like many to review ways in which we can work together to accomplish our mission in the upcoming year. This weeks Pulse highlights the amazing teamwork that has been driving us all year with stories of awards, community outreach, our new fellows, site research with first device implant, research funding, and the new department Chair of Pediatrics.
We hope that our faculty, fellows, residents, nursing and all heart center teams have time to reflect on the tremendous impact and ways in which we have worked to improve the heath of our community and region. We hope you will have a some time over the next few weeks to spend with family and loved ones.
Also – this last week we had the opportunity to have a dinner to deepen some of our strategic relationship with partners helping us innovate to improve the clinical and research access, outcomes, and cost of care. We were lucky enough at the dinner to get this iconic Durham Legend photo we wanted to share that includes Coach K, Giorgio (of restaurant fame) and Rob Califf.
Highlights of the week:
Happy Holidays!
On behalf of the leadership team for Duke Heart & Vascular, we wish each of you a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. Pulse will be on a short break over the next couple of weeks. We will return on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026.
In celebration of the season, we have some holiday cheer to share with you:
The Cardiovascular Research Center (CVRC) recently celebrated with a holiday potluck – everything looks like it was delicious! Maria Price Rapoza, executive director of the CVRC said, “2025 had some challenges, but it was good to take time to connect with colleagues and appreciate good food together.” What a lovely way to launch the holidays with the team!
And our Duke Health Heritage Cardiology team celebrated with some fun décor!
Please send us any holiday photos you would like to share with Pulse – we’ll run them on Jan. 11 to welcome the New Year.
Complimentary Holiday Meal at DUH, Dec. 25
For all those working on the Duke University Hospital (DUH) campus on Thursday, Dec. 25, hospital administration is offering a complimentary holiday meal for you at Duke North Atrium Café as an extension of sincere appreciation for the teams who make DUH such a special place to work and receive care.
Serving Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. or 6 – 9 p.m., based on CSU (Heart & Vascular preferred time is 12:30-2 p.m. or 7:30-9 p.m.)
Tarnowski Earns DAISY Award
Congratulations to Abbey Tarnowski, RN, of the Duke University Hospital CVSSU/EP Lab! She was surprised with a DAISY Award on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
Her nominator wrote a truly heartwarming nomination, which in part reads:
“The nominee, Abbey, exhibited all qualities that I value in a nurse. She was compassionate, reassuring, patient, and respectful, and she seemed to genuinely care about my well-being. I always hate to ask my nurses for anything (I feel like a bother), but Abbey was happy to help with whatever I needed – no hesitation. She also did a great job of assessing the situation and anticipating my needs before I had to ask for something. For example, she brought me a warm blanket when starting my saline IV, and she brought me snacks right after the procedure since I hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been treated so kindly by a nurse. I have never nominated a nurse for a Daisy Award (and didn’t know how to do so prior to this submission), but I searched for a way to recognize Abbey for her exceptional care. Her patience, eagerness to help, empathy, and genuine kindness meant so much to me. I am incredibly grateful for her help, as it turned an unpleasant day into a positive, memorable one.”
DAISY Awards are provided internationally by The DAISY Foundation to nurses who provide exceptional care to patients at organizations that are part of the DAISY program. Duke Health has been an active DAISY participant since March 2021 and has earned 3811 nominations with 81 inpatient honorees (DAISY award winners) through September 2025. For the cycle that includes July-September 2025, Duke Health had 314 nominations. Four inpatient awards are presented per quarter.
To learn more about The DAISY Award, please visit https://www.daisyfoundation.org/
Amazing work, Abbey! We are blessed to have you on our team!
What’s the 411? Featuring Samantha Minc
Vascular surgeon Samantha Minc, MD, MPH, recently served as the guest speaker for the Durham County, NC Department of Public Health’s What’s the 411 Series – an ongoing educational program that offers free workshops (in person or virtual) about managing diabetes and related issues.
Minc was the featured speaker for Save Your Sole: How to prevent amputation from diabetes and vascular disease, held at Noon on Dec. 17, 2025.
Way to go, Samantha!
Heart Team Members Participate in Science Saturday, BOOST Program
A big shout-out to our team members who volunteered their time on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 at the BOOST “Science Saturday” outreach event! BOOST – or Building Opportunities and Overtures in Science and Technology — is an enrichment program founded by the late Dr. Brenda Armstrong that exposes middle schoolers who come from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM to healthcare fields.
Victor Ayeni, MD, Internal Medicine Resident, PGY-2, recruited team members to join him for some holiday-time community engagement for BOOST. He was joined by fellow resident Sabrina Arezo, MD, and three of our excellent cardiac sonographers: Emily Lynch, Katie Beaman, and Lynda Metcalfe.
“We and the students had a blast learning about cardiac ultrasound, with hands-on scanning from the sonographers as we talked about the healthcare careers of being a physician and being a sonographer,” said Ayeni. “I’ve heard directly from participants and alumni of the program how transformational the program has been, so I wanted to support it however possible.”
In general, experiences like this are always mutually beneficial for Duke employees and the community, Ayeni adds. If you or anyone you know are interested in helping with future events, please reach out to victor.ayeni@duke.edu so that he can connect you to the BOOST program coordinator.
Great job, everyone! Keep up the great work!
First CCM Implant Performed DUH
This past week Duke’s Heart and Vascular team implanted our first cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) device into a heart failure patient at Duke University Hospital. CCM devices received pre-market FDA approval in 2019. A CCM device is a small, implantable generator that treats heart failure by sending timed electrical pulses to strengthen the heart’s muscle contractions, helping it to pump more blood and oxygen throughout the body.
The implant procedure itself is nearly identical to a standard dual-chamber pacemaker procedure. The impulse generator and two leads are placed during the procedure. The device stimulates the septum and seeks to remodel the heart over several weeks to months. Unlike a pacemaker or CRT, this is not a device targeting the conduction system but rather the muscle itself, according to cardiologist Marat Fudim, MD, who specializes in heart failure.
CCM is now fully available at Duke for patients with left ventricular ejection fraction between 25-45 and symptomatic for heart failure. This is an alternative therapy to Barostim, which is a different device that has been offered at Duke for about two years.
“With this new therapy available, we are open for referrals via our heart failure device clinic – which is staffed by Todd McVeigh, PA; Leilani Gomez, RN; and me,” said Fudim. “The team plans to grow this and other device offerings, including Barostim and CardioMEMS.”
Aferdita Spahillari, MD, MPH, was the primary cardiologist on this case. Electrophysiologist Dan Friedman, MD, performed the procedure.
“Thanks to everyone for the administrative and clinical support necessary to get this program up and running,” said Friedman. “This is another milestone as we work to cement Duke as a world-class center for clinical care and research into devices for patients with heart failure. Our patient is doing well and experiencing symptom improvement. They were, in fact, discharged the same day.”
Congratulations, all!
2026 Cardiovascular Disease/Advanced Cardiac Training Fellows Announced
We are thrilled to announce our cardiology and advanced cardiology training fellows for 2026! Matches were conducted on Dec. 3, 2025 and all fellows will start on July 1, 2026.
Anna Lisa Chamis, MD, director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship program, extends her thanks and gratitude to Camille Frazier-Mills, MD, MHS; Robert Harrison, MD; Christopher Holley, MD, PhD, and Nishant Shah, MD, assistant fellowship program directors; the fellowship recruitment committee; Brianna Small, MSW, MPA, program coordinator, and to each of the current fellows for their time and talents during the recruitment process. It was a team effort!
Our newest fellows, by program, will be:
Cardiovascular Disease:
Duke 2026 Incoming CVD Fellows
Ryan Edwards, MD
Residency: Duke
Medical School: Duke
Joshua Ellis, MD, MMS
Residency: Mass General Hospital
Medical School: Harvard
Jordan Franklin, MD
Residency: Duke
Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern
Mark Hieromnimon, MD
Residency: Duke
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine
Amanda Jowell, MD
Residency: Mass General Hospital
Medical School: Harvard
Christos Kyriakopoulos, MD
Residency: University of Utah
Medical School: University of Ioannina Medical School
Mathew Padanilam, MD
Residency: University of Chicago
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Katelyn Rennyson, MD
Residency: Duke
Medical School: Georgetown University
Jameson Wilbur, MD
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern
Medical School: Ohio State University
Dylan Zerjav, MD
Residency: Johns Hopkins
Medical School: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Adult Congenital Cardiology Fellow:
Duke 2026 Incoming ACHD Fellows
Annirudh Balachandran, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: McGovern Medical School, UT Houston
Medical School: Tufts University
Advanced Heart Failure Fellows:
Duke 2026 Incoming AHFTC Fellows
Seamus Hughes, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: UT Southwestern
Medical School: Johns Hopkins
Paula Rambarat, MD
Current Fellowship: Duke Cardiovascular Disease Research Pathway
Residency: Mass General Hospital
Medical School: Columbia
Joshua Rushakoff, MD, MPP
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: Cedars Sinai
Medical School: UCSF
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellows:
Jawan Abdulrahim, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: Duke
Medical School: American University of Beirut
Damarcus Ingram, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: Duke
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Eric Xie, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: Johns Hopkins
Medical School: Johns Hopkins
Interventional Cardiology Fellows:
Duke 2026 Incoming ICC Fellows
Medha Biswas, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Residency: Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Medical School: New York Medical College
Jonathan Hanna, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: Yale School of Medicine/Yale New Haven Hospital
Medical School: Yale School of Medicine
Husam Salah, MD
Cardiology Fellowship: Duke
Residency: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Medical School: Jordan Univ. of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine
Congratulations to all! We look forward to welcoming all those who are new to Duke in July.
Research Funding Award Notifications August – November
The following research funding was awarded to cardiology faculty members from August through November 2025 as reported by the Duke Department of Medicine.
(August)
Sponsored Research
- Adam Devore received an award (4UH3-HL173571-02) from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled “1/2 Spironolactone Initiation Registry Randomized Interventional Trial in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Extension Trial.” Total funding will be $1,813,726.
- Senthil Selvaraj received an award (1R03-HL180898-01) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for a project entitled “Probing Regional Metabolism During Exercise through Coronary Sinus Sampling.” Total funding will be $242,250.
Industry Sponsored Clinical Trials
- Anna Lisa Chamis received an award from Edwards Lifesciences, LLC for a project entitled “FY26 – Advanced Training in Cardiology Fellowship Grant.” Total funding will be $25,000.
- Donald Hegland received an award from Boston Scientific Corporation for a project entitled “FY 26 – Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Grant.” Total funding will be $20,000.
- Neha Pagidipati received an award from American Heart Association for a project entitled “AHA HLBW.” Total funding will be $1,090,000.
- Neha Pagidipati received an award from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a project entitled “Implementing a Solution for chronic Kidney Disease.” Total funding will be $64,700.
- Jonathan Piccini received an award from the American Heart Association for a project entitled “GWTG Clinical Insights.” Total funding will be $2,303,127.
- Jonathan Piccini received an award from the American Heart Association for a project entitled “GWTG Inpatient Data Analysis Center.” Total funding will be $1,678,468.
(October 2025)
Sponsored Research
- Senthil Selvaraj received an award from the Medical College of Virginia Foundation for a project entitled “Diversifying Recruitment to Improve Generalizability of Therapeutic Ketosis Strategies in Heart Failure.” Total funding will be $240,000.
Industry Sponsored Clinical Trials
- James Daubert received an award from Cardurion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a project entitled “A Phase 2 Double-Blind, Repeat-Dose, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study To Evaluate The Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of CRD-4730 in Participants With Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia.” Total funding will be $119,754.
- Daniel Friedman received an award from Medtronic, Inc. for a project entitled “TRANSvENous Diaphragmatic Pacing for Heart Failure:(TRANSCEND-HF).” Total funding will be $49,328.
- Marat Fudim received an award from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company for a project entitled “A Phase 2A, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Multi-center Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of BMS-986435/MYK-224 in Participants with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction HFpEF.” Total funding will be $175,393.
- Donald Hegland received an award from Medtronic, Inc. for a project entitled “FY26 – Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Grant.” Total funding will be $20,000.
- Michel Khouri received an award from Eidos Therapeutics for a project entitled “A Phase 3, Open-Label, Multicenter, Extension Study of Acoramidis in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Variant Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.” Total funding will be $324,004.
- Sudarshan Rajagopal received an award from United Therapeutics Corporation for a project entitled “X-TRIPP UT PH ILD and XeMRI MutiSite study Pro00118547 Assessing Acute Pharmacodynamics and Long-Term Response to Inhaled Prostacyclin with Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI in patients with PH-ILD.” Total funding will be $561,882.
- Nishant Shah received an award from Corcept Therapeutics, Inc. for a project entitled “Study of the Prevalence of Endogenous Hypercortisolism in Patients with Resistant Hypertension (MOMENTUM).” Total funding will be $118,125.
(November 2025)
Industry Sponsored Clinical Trials
- Terry Fortin received an award from Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC for a project entitled “SOTERIA Cont MK-7962-038 An Open-label Long-term Follow-up Study to Evaluate the Effects of Sotatercept When Added to Background Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Therapy for the Treatment of PAH (MK-7962-038).” Total funding will be $559,070.
- Marat Fudim received an award from 35Pharma Inc. for a project entitled “DCA08 HS235-003.” Total funding will be $540,799.
- Michel Khouri received a sub-award through Yale University for a project entitled “The Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Early Detection with Artificial Intelligence (TRACE-AI) Network Study.” Total funding will be $288,701.
- Sudarshan Rajagopal received an award from Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC for a project entitled “HARMONIZE- A Phase 2, Multicenter, Double-blind, Extension Study to Evaluate the Effects of Sotatercept for the Treatment of Combined Postcapillary and Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension (Cpc-PH) due to Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection.” Total funding will be $260,524.
Congratulations to all — excellent work!
DUHS Leadership Update
Marino to Join Duke Health as Chair, Dept of Pediatrics
In a joint announcement on Friday, Dec. 19, Mary E. Klotman, MD, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, and Thomas Owens, MD, EVP and Chief Operating Officer for DUHS announced that Bradley S. Marino, MD, MPP, MSCE, MBA, will join Duke Health as chair of the Department of Pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief of Duke Health, effective March 30, 2026.
Marino is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric cardiology and critical care medicine with a distinguished record of advancing clinical care, research, and education. In his new role, he will lead the Department of Pediatrics across its many divisions and guide one of the nation’s most respected pediatric health systems. He will also play a key part in shaping the future of North Carolina Children’s, Duke Health’s partnership with UNC Health to build the state’s first freestanding children’s hospital.
Most recently, Marino has served as the Ronald and Helen Ross Distinguished Chair of Pediatric Cardiology, chair of the Department of Heart, Vascular & Thoracic, division chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, and executive co-director of the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Center at Cleveland Clinic Children’s and Cleveland Clinic. He also chaired the Children’s Institute Strategic Advisory Council and served as vice-chief for the Children’s Institute South Sub-market, where he led rapid expansion of pediatric services. In addition, he served as the co-director of the Cardiovascular Innovation Center for Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Research and executive co-director of the Neurodevelopmental Support Program at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. His distinguished career spans additional leadership roles at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and extends nationally through roles with the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and multiple collaborative networks dedicated to improving pediatric cardiovascular care.
Marino is a leading pediatric cardiovascular outcomes researcher whose work has significantly advanced care for children with congenital heart disease. His research focuses on surgical and ICU factors affecting mortality and morbidity, as well as neurodevelopmental, psychosocial, and quality-of-life outcomes in high-risk pediatric populations. Dr. Marino is also widely respected for his contributions to national policy and advocacy efforts, as well as his commitment to mentorship and faculty development.
Our deepest gratitude to Ann M. Reed, MD, for more than a decade of exceptional leadership as chair of the Department of Pediatrics. Her tenure elevated Duke to national prominence in pediatric research and clinical care. Special thanks to Moira Rynn, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the members of the search committee for their thoughtful work in conducting a national search to identify Dr. Reed’s successor.
Finally, we want to acknowledge Kyle Rehder, MD, who will serve as interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics beginning January 1, 2026, ensuring continuity and stability during this transition.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Marino to Duke Health. We are confident that Dr. Marino’s leadership will inspire innovation, collaboration, and compassionate care for children and families for years to come.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Dec. 23: No CGR – Happy Holidays!
Dec. 30: No CGR – Happy Holidays!
Jan. 13: Topic TBD with Daniel Loriaux, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Jan. 7: DCRI Info Session with Sana Al-Khatib and Neha Pagidipati. Noon, DMP 7E39 or via Zoom.
Jan. 9: Fellows Forum with Anthony Lin. Noon, Zoom only.
Jan. 14: DHP Case Presentation with Mugdha Joshi. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Jan. 16: EP Case Presentation with Verda Arshad and Jon Taylor-Fishwick. Noon, Zoom only.
Jan. 21: HF/Transplant Case Presentation with Nishkala Shivakumar. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Jan. 23: Topic and speaker to be announced. Noon, Zoom only.
Jan. 28: EP Case Presentation with Dorothy Avoke and Marcus Threadcraft. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Jan. 30: DHP Case Presentation with Jon Taylor-Fishwick. 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. 25: NO CONFERENCE (Christmas)
Jan. 8: Right Heart Guidelines with Fawaz Alenezi
Jan. 15: Tricuspid Valve Pre-interventional Image Screening with Fawaz Alenezi
Jan. 22: Multi-Modality Imaging on Pericardial Disease with Cosette Champion
Jan. 29: NO CONFERENCE
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.
DCRI 30th Anniversary Forum Series
Jan. 27: A Fireside Chat with Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, 18th Director, National Institutes of Health. 2 p.m., Zoom.
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 virtually.
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 will be 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.
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.
- June 6: Duke Heart Failure Symposium — Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- October 30: 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – 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 12: Monique Starks
WRAL (Raleigh-Durham)
NC State students have developed drones to help save lives
December 15: Pamela Douglas
Becker’s ASC Review
5 cardiology leaders to watch in 2026
December 16: Joseph Turek
Diario ABC
Mariami, la primera bebé en España que recibe un trasplante parcial de corazón
Happy Holidays to all!!