Chief’s message: Winter storms
Hope everyone is staying warm as winter storms come across the east coast. Please note our Health systems activation of essential services until 11:30 AM currently Monday. We will continue to re-assess over the weekend. As we get ready for February and heart month we will be sure to share updates and work of our teams across the multiple areas that we connect with our community. Stay warm.
Highlights of the week:
Weather Update — Staying Safe
We hope all of you are staying safe and warm as winter storm Fern approaches our area.
As a result of expected hazardous conditions resulting from accumulations of ice, Duke University and Duke University Health System has activated the severe weather and emergency conditions policy from 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 through 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26. A decision will be made on Sunday, Jan. 25, on whether to extend the policy based on conditions across the region.
During times of severe weather, some staff positions require on-site presence to continue operations. All jobs should be assigned a service category by their manager to ensure continuous operations of patient care, student support, and research functions. The three categories are:
- Essential Service: during severe weather/emergency conditions, essential service staff report or remain at work. Transportation service and childcare services may be provided for those required to work during severe weather/emergency conditions.
- Reserve Service: during severe weather/emergency conditions, reserve service staff are assigned a status at the time of severe weather/emergency conditions.
- Delayed Service: during severe weather/emergency conditions, delayed service staff do not report to work or remain at work.
Roads, especially bridges and overpasses, are likely to become slick and hazardous during this time as overnight temperatures are projected to drop into single digits Monday night into Tuesday morning. Individuals should also avoid walking under trees that may be stressed with ice accumulations.
Duke crews are pre-treating and applying brine solution to campus streets, outdoor stairways, walkways, and entries to parking facilities. Crews will be on-site ready to respond during the weekend.
Operational Updates:
- Parking: medical staff should avoid parking in surface lots throughout the weekend so that crews can safely remove snow and ice. Access to all Medical Center garages (PG1, PG2, PG3, and Research Drive Garage) began on Friday with any parking permit.
- Bus routes: continued operation will depend on weather and road conditions. Every effort will be made to maintain service on the C-1 route; Duke community members should monitor Duke TransLoc for real-time updates on transit routes.
- Downed trees: Downed trees or large limbs should be reported to the Facilities Snow Desk (919-660-4280), and crews will be prepared to respond, as needed.
Duke community members are encouraged to stay informed by checking the DukeALERT website (https://emergency.duke.edu), as well as the Campus Service Updates web page for additional updates on parking lots, bus routes, dining facilities, and stores.
Thank you to everyone who is staying on-site to care for inpatients during the storm – we appreciate you!
December Funding Awards — Cardiology
Congratulations to the following cardiology faculty for receiving sponsored and industry-sponsored research awards in December 2025.
Sponsored Research
- Sudarshan Rajagopal has received a sub-award (1UG3HL180990-01) through Stanford University for a project entitled “1/2 A Phase 2 Study of Elafin (Tiprelestat) for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH).” Total funding will be $82,989.
Industry-Sponsored Research
- Stephen Greene has received an award from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP for a project entitled “REFOCUS-HTN US.” Total funding will be $2,022,948.
- Neha Pagidipati has received an award from Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH for a project entitled “BI OBESITY+ DESIGN STUDIO – MASLD, Switch, Women’s Health.” Total funding will be $100,685.
- Sean Pokorney has received an award from Biotronik, Inc. for a project entitled “Independent Core Lab.” Total funding will be $584,644.
- Nishant Shah has received an award from Kardigan Inc. for a project entitled “Biomarkers in Acute Severe Hypertension (ASH): Analysis of Clinical Blood Samples from patients presenting to the ED and/or admitted with a diagnosis of Acute Severe Hypertension or recorded SBP � 180 mmHg.” Total funding will be $219,675.
- Sreekanth Vemulapalli has received an award from the American Heart Association for a project entitled “AHA AI HCM.” Total funding will be $543,793.
Congratulations to all!
Join Pagidipati and Research Goes Red
Neha Pagidipati, MD,
is serving as a 2026 Clinical Lead for the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Research Goes Red initiative. Let’s help her with her recruitment push so that Duke can have a great showing this year!
What is Research Goes Red?
Historically, clinical studies haven’t included enough women, particularly women of color. As of 2020, women represent only 38% of research participants. We need women to be equally represented, allowing us to understand their specific risks, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Research Goes Red is an AHA-led initiative calling on women across the United States to contribute to health research. The AHA’s vision for Research Goes Red is to create the world’s most engaged and largest women’s health registry and research platform designed to put women directly in the driver’s seat to accelerate our understanding of how cardiovascular disease uniquely impacts women.
Both healthy women and those with an episodic or chronic health condition are encouraged to participate in research. The more we know about women and their overall health and well-being, the better we can treat, beat, and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Be on the lookout for flyers, posters, and postcards in the clinics. It’s easy for anyone to sign up for Research Goes Red – just look for the QR code and scan it. If you have any questions regarding how best to support Neha in this recruitment drive, please let her know.
Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Arrhythmias Support Meeting Held
Our Duke Heart Sarcoidosis team held a successful second gathering of their Sarcoidosis Patient Support Group this week. The event, Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Arrhythmias, was held on Wednesday, Jan. 21, with excellent presentations — including one by electrophysiologist Daniel Friedman, MD, who was the key presenter on heart abnormalities that can be seen in this patient population. Johana Fajardo, one of our excellent Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Nurse Practitioners, planned and moderated the meeting, which had more than 40 patients registered to attend.
Great job, everyone!
ICYMI: Duke Network Services Becomes Duke Health Affiliations & Networks
For more than 30 years, Duke Network Services has supported a wide range of community-based specialty and hospital affiliations by connecting them with the world-class expertise of Duke Health. However, the department’s name caused many people to think it was responsible for IT or technology at Duke.
As a result, Duke Network Services is now known as Duke Health Affiliations & Networks – a new name that better conveys the department’s mission to collaborate with community hospitals that advance patient safety and clinical quality, improve community health, and facilitate access to expert care and research.
We look forward to our continued partnership with the team!
Mandatory Masking on Heart Units; Tier 2 Visitation Restrictions
As of Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, Duke Heart has implemented mandatory masking for staff and is strongly recommending them for visitors. Meanwhile, Duke has moved to Tier 2 Visitation Restrictions as of Jan. 6. Complete information is available on Duke Health Now.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
National Wear Red Day & Heart Month
February is Heart Month – and National Wear Red Day — part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women awareness campaign — is Friday, Feb. 6th. Wear your red and get some team selfies – submit them to Tracey Koepke for inclusion in Pulse!
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Feb. 3: RV-PA Coupling- State of the Art with Khodr Tello, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 and via Zoom.
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
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.
Jan. 29: NO CONFERENCE
Feb. 5: Quality in the Echo lab with Ashlee Davis
Feb. 12: Mitral Stenosis with Jon Mark
Feb. 19: LV Strain with Fawaz Alenezi
Feb. 26: Mitral Valve Pre-Interventional Imaging Screening with Fawaz Alenezi
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.
School of Medicine Events:
School of Medicine Forum
January 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Join leadership to discuss strategic priorities for education, research, clinical care, and community partnership. Your input is essential as we shape the future together.
Join the Webinar | Add to Your Calendar
Research Symposium: Metabolism and Health Across the Lifespan*
*Speakers include Leanna Ross, PhD and Svati Shah, MD, MHS
February 5, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Great Hall, Trent Semans Center for Health Education
Includes the Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz Distinguished Lecture by Dr. Daniel Drucker: “Emerging Indications, Molecules, and Mechanisms for GLP-1 Medicines.”
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:
January 20 — Nishant Shah
Everyday Health
Heartburn or Heart Attack? How to Tell the Difference
January 21 — Neha Pagidipati
Science Friday podcast
Looking Beyond Statins For New Ways To Lower Cholesterol
January 22 — Duke Health
Becker’s Hospital Review
100 hospitals and health systems with great heart programs (2025)
