Highlights of the week:
Duke Raleigh and Duke Regional Earn Platinum Recognition for MI Care
Duke Raleigh Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital have earned national recognition for delivering exceptional heart attack care, receiving the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 2026 National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Chest Pain–MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award.
The ACC’s NCDR Chest Pain–MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award recognizes hospitals that consistently meet rigorous clinical standards and demonstrate sustained excellence in the treatment of heart attack patients. Platinum recognition reflects a commitment to following evidence-based clinical guidelines, improving patient outcomes and continuously advancing the quality of cardiovascular care.
“This achievement recognizes the commitment of an exceptional team dedicated to providing excellent care for every patient,” said Julie Yamadi, director of Heart and Procedural Services at Duke Raleigh Hospital. “I’m proud to be part of a team of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, cardiovascular invasive specialists and many others who share that commitment every day.”
For Duke Regional Hospital, the award reflects the seamless coordination required across every stage of a patient’s care.
“The Chest Pain–MI Platinum award represents far more than the work of our catheterization laboratory,” said J. Matthew Brennan, MD, MPH, interventional cardiologist at Duke Regional Hospital. “It recognizes the collaboration of EMS, emergency medicine, cardiovascular specialists, intensivists, hospital medicine teams, nurses and many others who work together to deliver outstanding care for patients experiencing heart attacks. We appreciate the recognition of the good work happening at both Duke Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital.”
Michael Komada, MD, interventional cardiologist at Duke Regional Hospital, said the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the dedication of the people behind the award.
“You could feel the pride across our team when we learned we’d received this recognition,” Komada said. “Everyone works incredibly hard with the shared goal of providing excellent patient care every day, and it’s gratifying to see that commitment recognized nationally. One of our greatest strengths is our people. Many members of our team have worked together for years, creating an experienced, dedicated group that works seamlessly together on behalf of our patients.”
Komada said nationally recognized care across Duke Health’s hospitals reinforces the strength of the health system’s cardiovascular programs and gives patients confidence they will receive exceptional care close to home.
Together, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital and Duke University Hospital have each achieved Platinum status through the ACC NCDR Chest Pain–MI Registry, reflecting Duke Health’s shared commitment to delivering exceptional, evidence-based cardiovascular care across the Triangle. Awards recognize hospitals, but they are earned by people. Behind this recognition are hundreds of dedicated professionals whose expertise, collaboration, and commitment help ensure patients receive exceptional heart attack care whenever and wherever they enter the Duke Health system.
Congratulations, everyone!
New NHLBI R01 Supports Research to Regenerate Injured Heart Muscle
A new grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) will support an interdisciplinary research team led by cardiologist Ravi Karra, MD, associate professor of medicine and pathology, to develop new, non-invasive approaches for delivering gene therapies directly to injured areas of the heart, with the long-term goal of helping regenerate damaged heart muscle.
The four-year NHLBI R01 grant (1R01HL178953), Non-invasive approaches for gene therapy to regenerate injured myocardium, brings together investigators from Duke and the University of North Carolina to address one of cardiovascular medicine’s most significant challenges: repairing the heart after injury.
Karra’s laboratory, located within the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center, has spent years investigating the biological mechanisms that enable heart regeneration. The newly funded project builds on that foundation by developing targeted, non-invasive methods to deliver regenerative therapies directly to injured areas of the heart.
The research combines expertise from multiple disciplines and institutions. At Duke, Karra is collaborating with Josh Huang, MD, PhD, Morris N. Broad Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology, whose laboratory developed a platform for conditional RNA therapeutics. At UNC, collaborators Phil Durham, PhD, research assistant professor in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Paul Dayton, PhD, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor and chair of the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, contribute expertise in nanobubble technology that may enable more precise delivery of gene therapies.
The project also builds on earlier support from a Duke Science and Technology (DST) seed grant, which enabled Karra’s laboratory to incorporate lipid nanoparticle technology into its research program. That early investment helped lay the foundation for the newly funded NHLBI R01, illustrating how institutional support can catalyze interdisciplinary collaborations that attract major federal research funding.
The NHLBI R01 represents a significant investment in collaborative, translational research aimed at bringing promising regenerative approaches closer to clinical application.
Congratulations, Ravi and team!
Michael Sketch, MD, Honored as Distinguished Emeritus Faculty
Congratulations to Michael H. Sketch Jr., MD, who was recently recognized by the Duke University School of Medicine as one of its 2026 Distinguished Emeriti Faculty. The annual honor recognizes faculty members who retired with tenured emeritus status during the previous calendar year, celebrating a lifetime of achievement and enduring contributions to Duke’s missions of patient care, research, education and service.
A nationally recognized leader in interventional cardiology, Sketch devoted more than four decades to advancing cardiovascular medicine through groundbreaking clinical research, exceptional patient care and the education of future physician leaders. During his career at Duke, he directed both the Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories and the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program for more than 20 years, helping train generations of interventional cardiologists while contributing to advances in coronary intervention and national cardiovascular practice guidelines.
The Distinguished Emeriti Faculty recognition reflects the lasting impact Dr. Sketch has made on Duke Heart, the School of Medicine and the broader field of cardiovascular medicine. We congratulate Mike on this well-deserved honor and thank him for his extraordinary career of leadership, mentorship and service!
Kudos to Duke PREEMPT Team for Marking Early Trial Milestones
Congratulations to the Duke PREEMPT study site team within the Duke Heart Center Clinical Research Unit (CRU) for reaching two important early milestones in the PREEMPT clinical trial.
The NHLBI-funded PREEMPT trial is evaluating whether identifying and treating early coronary artery plaque can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis before symptoms develop.
The Duke team was the first site activated for the national clinical trial, and this week enrolled the first participant, marking two important early milestones that reflect exceptional teamwork, preparation, and collaboration.
Special recognition goes to Nishant Shah, MD, associate professor of medicine in cardiology and associate program director of the Duke Cardiology Fellowship; Niki Huffman; and Latasha Phillips for making these milestones possible. The effort was supported by the Duke Heart Center Clinical Research Unit in collaboration with colleagues at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI).
Shah described the accomplishment as “totally a team effort.”
The achievement also earned praise from Neha Pagidipati, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine in cardiology and chief of Duke Cardiology’s Prevention Section, who wrote, “We always talk about Duke being first, and Nishant, Niki, Latasha, and the entire site team have proven that it can be done!”
Congratulations to all!
Cardiac Sonography Team Volunteers to Teach POCUS Skills to Duke NP Students
Members of Duke Heart & Vascular cardiac sonography team recently volunteered their time to help educate the next generation of advanced practice providers by leading a hands-on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training session for students in the Duke University Nurse Practitioner Program.
During the Saturday workshop, sonographers guided students through scanning techniques, image acquisition, and the fundamentals of cardiac ultrasound views, helping build the skills needed to incorporate bedside ultrasound into future clinical practice.
The session highlights the cardiac sonography team’s expertise as educators and their important role in supporting clinical training across Duke. Special thanks to Rachel O’Brien, Viviana Lujan, Mia Henry, and Jean Woolard for volunteering their Saturday to make this learning opportunity possible.
Way to go, team!
Save the Date: Duke EP Symposium Scheduled
We’re pleased to announce that Duke Heart & Vascular will host the Duke Electrophysiology Symposium on Saturday, January 9, 2027. Jon Piccini, MD, will serve as course director. The event will be held at the JB Duke Hotel. We will have more details to share soon.
Upcoming CME Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
CGRs have concluded for the summer. We will return in the fall! Meanwhile, please enjoy past recordings.
All Duke CGR Recordings (except for those containing PHI) can be found on Duke Warpwire by year: 2026, 2025, 2024. Questions about recordings? Contact Tracey Koepke.
2026 Symposia
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- September 26: Duke Case-Based Multimodality Imaging Symposium – Registration is now open. Course directors are Sreekanth Vemulapalli and Anita Kelsey. Location: Trent Semans Center, Great Hall.
- October 30: 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Vascular Symposium – Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- January 9: Duke EP Symposium. Course director is Jon Piccini. Location: JB Duke Hotel.
Please save the dates!
Hitting with Heart Softball Tournament
The 10th Annual Hitting with Heart Softball tournament will be held on Saturday, August 22 at Valley Springs Park, 3805 Valley Springs Road, in Durham. The tournament raises funds that will, in part, support the American Heart Association’s 2026 Triangle Heart Walk.
Triangle Heart Walk Date Announced
The American Heart Association’s 2026 Triangle Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh.
The Walk is expected to start around 9:30 a.m., but that may change. Stay tuned for a more formal announcement from the AHA. Meanwhile, registration for team captains and walkers is open!
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.
