Monthly Archives: September 2026

Highlights of the week:

Triangle Heart Walk is Saturday!

Dear Duke Heart Colleagues,

As you may know, I am currently serving as Volunteer President of the American Heart Association, and I am extending an invitation to join me in supporting Duke Health’s Triangle Heart Walk campaign.

Duke Health has set a goal of raising $170,000 to fund lifesaving research, scientific innovation, and community health programs. Whether or not you can join us at the walk on October 3rd, you can make a meaningful impact by:

• Joining my team – Duke Heart (see fun videos here and here) and support our fundraising goal: Join My Team
• Creating your own team: Create Your Own Team here
• Join another Duke team

The American Heart Association is the largest non-federal funder of cardiovascular research in the country, supporting the kind of discovery that Duke scientists and clinicians contribute to. AHA-supported research informs the guidelines, treatments, and prevention efforts our teams use every day, so the dollars we raise come back to our own patients, our colleagues and our community.  Currently AHA supports 38 grants at Duke for research from basic to clinical science.

I hope you will join me.

Thanks for considering,

Manesh

For those who registered by the T-shirt deadline, shirts are being distributed via team captains this week! Please join us on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek as we walk together in support of healthier hearts and healthier communities. 

From Japan to Duke: Building Connections in Heart Failure Research

When Satoshi Shoji, MD, PhD, came to Duke from Japan in 2023, he already knew how to use clinical research to identify gaps in cardiovascular care. What he wanted to learn was how to take the next step: developing and testing interventions that could actually close those gaps and improve patient care.

Three years later, Shoji is preparing to take what he has learned at Duke into the next stage of his research career.

Now another cardiologist and researcher from Japan, Sho Suzuki, MD, PhD, has arrived at Duke with goals of his own — deepening his experience in heart failure research, learning from Duke investigators, and building relationships that could lead to future international collaborations.

The two physicians are at different points in their Duke experience, but they share interests in heart failure research and a common mentor in Marat Fudim, MD, MHS.

From Identifying Gaps to Testing Solutions

Before coming to Duke, Shoji was a cardiologist at Keio University, where his research used large clinical registries to identify gaps between evidence-based recommendations and everyday clinical practice. He also established and led a multidisciplinary heart failure palliative care team.

Caring for older patients with advanced heart failure helped shape the research questions he would eventually bring to Duke.

“I realized that simply identifying these gaps was not enough to change clinical practice,” Shoji said. “I wanted to learn how to develop and evaluate interventions that could actually improve patient care.”

Shoji found an approach that interested him in CONNECT-HF, a pragmatic clinical trial led by Adam DeVore, MD, MHS. He came to Duke in 2023 to develop expertise in pragmatic trials and implementation science, with DeVore serving as his primary mentor.

At Duke, Shoji has studied the implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy and other challenges in delivering evidence-based heart failure care. His work with Duke investigators has also expanded his experience in heart failure clinical trials and patient-centered research.

Underlying much of that work is a question that grew out of his clinical experience in Japan:

“How can we make patients’ voices an integral part of everyday clinical care?”

Shoji is particularly interested in developing digital interventions that help patients communicate what matters most to them, enabling clinicians to provide evidence-based care that also reflects each patient’s individual values and goals.

More recently, he joined Fudim’s team to gain hands-on experience in clinical trial operations, including protocol development and patient enrollment — an important step toward designing and leading prospective clinical trials of his own.

“My experience at Duke has helped me grow from a researcher primarily focused on identifying problems in cardiovascular care into someone who wants to develop and test practical solutions,” Shoji said.

His long-term goal is to become an independent investigator in patient-centered implementation science, developing strategies that integrate patients’ symptoms, priorities, and preferences into routine heart failure care.

A New Duke Chapter

Suzuki comes to Duke after a decade of clinical practice as a cardiologist in Japan. Born and raised in Tokyo, he earned his medical degree from Shinshu University School of Medicine and completed a fellowship at Japan’s National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center before earning his PhD at Shinshu University.

His clinical and research work has centered on heart failure, with particular expertise in hemodynamics, cardiogenic shock, and advanced heart failure.

Like Shoji before him, Suzuki saw Duke as a place where he could expand his clinical research skills while learning directly from cardiovascular investigators.

“I was especially drawn to Duke’s strong track record in cardiovascular research, its outstanding clinical research environment, and the opportunity to learn directly from leaders in the field,” Suzuki said. “I also saw Duke as a place where I could build relationships that may lead to future international collaborations.”

At Duke, Suzuki is working under Fudim’s mentorship on clinical research involving heart failure hemodynamics and nonpharmacological therapies. He also spends time in outpatient clinics and cardiac catheterization labs and occasionally joins rounds, giving him a chance to see how Duke approaches heart failure care and research.

During his time here, Suzuki hopes to deepen his clinical and research experience while building professional relationships with researchers from around the world. Ultimately, he hopes to take those skills and an expanded international perspective back to colleagues in Japan and create opportunities for future collaboration.

He is also adjusting to a few less scientific aspects of life in the United States.

“I have been surprised by how cold it can be indoors compared with Japan,” Suzuki said. “I am quickly learning that carrying a jacket in the middle of summer is an essential American survival skill.”

Outside of medicine, Suzuki has always enjoyed sports and played baseball throughout his school years. These days, however, his 16-month-old son keeps him busy. On his days off, he hopes to explore new places with his family and make the most of their time together in the United States.

Shoji’s Duke experience has become an important chapter for his family, too. He and his wife welcomed their third child — and first daughter — while living in Durham. Their two older boys, ages 6 and 4, have enjoyed everything from swimming and soccer to experiencing American traditions such as Halloween and Christmas.

One particularly memorable adventure was a week-long family road trip to Yellowstone National Park — in a rented RV. Driving such a large vehicle was a new experience for Shoji, but once he got used to piloting the RV, he found he enjoyed it.

“The kids loved the adventure, and it became an unforgettable family trip,” he said.

As Shoji looks toward the next stage of his research career, he hopes the relationships he has developed at Duke will continue well beyond his time in Durham.

“I hope to share what I have learned with my colleagues in Japan and continue building international collaborations to advance patient-centered cardiovascular research across different healthcare settings,” he said.

Satoshi and Sho, we are so glad to have you here with us!

 

Chang Visits CVRC, Shares Novel Approach to Studying Cardiovascular Disease

The Duke Cardiovascular Research Center (CVRC) welcomed Stephen Chang, MD, PhD, of Stanford University School of Medicine for a two-day visit Sept. 23-24 to share his research using mouse lemurs — the smallest non-human primates — as a model for studying cardiovascular disease.

Chang is an instructor in biochemistry and medicine (cardiovascular medicine) and an attending cardiologist at Stanford. His research is exploring the potential of mouse lemurs as a genetic model for aspects of human cardiovascular biology and disease that are not well represented by traditional laboratory mice.

During his visit, Chang presented “A Primate Genetic Model Organism for Cardiovascular Disease” as part of the Victor J. Dzau Cardiovascular Research Seminar series and also spoke at Cardiology Grand Rounds.

His recent work has included research into cardiac arrhythmias and the role of the magnesium transporter SLC41A2 in pacemaker function.

Chang was hosted by Howard Rockman, MD, director of the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center.

Thank you to Dr. Chang for visiting Duke and sharing his fascinating work with our cardiovascular research community!

 

Cardiac Ultrasound Program Celebrates Graduates, Welcomes New Class

Congratulations to the ten members of the Duke Cardiac Ultrasound Certificate Program Class of 2026, who celebrated their graduation on Aug. 20 at the Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center for Health Education.

The class capped off a successful year with a 100 percent pass rate on national examinations and 100 percent job placement.

Seven of the ten graduates are staying within Duke Health, including five at Duke University Hospital, one at Duke Regional Hospital and one at Duke Raleigh Hospital. Other graduates have accepted positions at UNC Hospitals, Atrium Health in Charlotte and Stanford University in California, where one graduate will work in the pediatric echo lab.

Laura Miller, BS, RCS, received the Joseph Kisslo, MD Outstanding Student Award.

As the Class of 2026 moves into the next stage of their careers, the Cardiac Ultrasound Certificate Program has already welcomed its next group of students. Ten new students began the program on Aug. 3:

Janelle Bryant, Tiffany Christensen, Tram Enyeart, Jacob Finkbonner, Taiana Round, Leah Themistokleous, Brianna Weidler, Hayle Whaley, Molly Wilson, and Larissa Zhang.

Congratulations to our graduates on their outstanding accomplishments, and a warm welcome to our newest cardiac ultrasound students. We look forward to following their progress in the year ahead!

 

Wu Earns AHA Travel Stipend, Pratt Gardner Fellowship

Congratulations to David Wu, a first-year PhD student in biomedical engineering in the laboratory of Ching Zhu, MD, PhD, who has received two honors just three months after joining Zhu’s lab.

Wu has been selected to receive a 2026 American Heart Association Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) Travel Stipend to attend AHA Scientific Sessions in Chicago this November. He will present the abstract “Disinhibition of Post-Infarct Nerve Sprouting Promotes Ventricular Arrhythmia” and will be recognized as a travel stipend recipient during the BCVS Council Dinner on Nov. 7.

Wu is also a recipient of this semester’s Pratt Gardner Fellowship, a $10,000 merit-based award from Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering.

A recent Cornell University graduate, Wu joined Zhu’s laboratory this summer. Zhu’s entire lab will attend Scientific Sessions this year and will be there to cheer him on.

Congratulations, David!

 

Humphrey Featured Among Duke’s ‘Workplace Rays of Sunshine’

Congratulations to Adair Humphrey, cardiovascular intervention specialist with Duke Heart’s cardiac invasive labs! She was recently featured by Duke Today and Working@Duke as one of several Duke colleagues who make the workday brighter through kindness, encouragement, and positivity.

Humphrey was nominated by Chad Ragains, CRNA manager, who has worked alongside her for more than two decades. “Whether you’re her co-worker or patient, your day will be better because of Adair,” Ragains said.

For Humphrey, kindness is intentional. “I enjoy making a conscious decision to be kind,” she said. “It is not optional.”

Her Duke Heart colleagues were equally enthusiastic about the recognition.

“She is truly a VIP on our team!” said Jonathan Piccini, MD, MHS, director of cardiac electrophysiology. Jane Schutz, nurse practitioner with electrophysiology, agreed: “Adair is amazing, helpful, considerate and a strong patient advocate.”

Read more about Adair and the other Duke colleagues recognized for bringing encouragement and positivity to the workplace in Duke Today.

Congratulations, Adair! We’re delighted to see you recognized for the difference you make for your colleagues and patients each day.

 

Culture Pulse Survey Extended; Will Close Oct. 3

The new Culture Pulse 2026 survey is still going strong and has been extended until Oct. 3 to give teams a little more time to take it. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey! To access, you can use the link you were sent via email or you can capture the QR code and take the survey right on your cell phone. You will need to use your Duke unique ID to launch the survey. You can find that on the back of your work badge.

Within our service line, we saw some solid efforts last week – the EP and Cath Lab teams really surged, with EP swiftly overtaking the Center of Excellence team. Congrats to Pulmonary Function now in the top spot with 100% of their team taking the survey as of Friday afternoon. Will any other Heart & Vascular team reach the top by next weekend?? Let’s go APPs, DMP 7E and 7W, Cardiac Rehab!!! Get those surveys done!

 

Duke-Exeter Collaboration Grants Open for Applications

Duke faculty are invited to apply for the next round of Duke-Exeter Collaboration Grants, a joint funding opportunity from Duke University and the University of Exeter designed to support faculty-led international research partnerships.

The grants provide early-stage funding to help promising collaborations launch or grow, with an emphasis on innovative research with the potential for meaningful global impact. Proposals that engage additional institutional partners, foster international research networks, and strengthen collaborations with organizations and scholars in the Global South are particularly encouraged.

Two funding tracks are available:

• Initiator Grants: up to $7,500 to support new collaborations and exploratory activities.
• Accelerator Grants: up to $15,000 to advance established partnerships toward larger research initiatives and external funding.

Applications are due Oct. 30, 2026. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by Nov. 30.

Full application guidelines, eligibility information, and application forms are available through Duke Global.

For questions, contact Katherine Black Conte, senior program coordinator for international partnerships with Duke Global, at kb206@duke.edu.

 

Upcoming Flu Vax Campaign

Flu vaccination season will take place from Thursday, Oct. 8 – Nov. 17 and must be completed by 10 a.m. on Nov. 17. Duke University Health System requires all healthcare workers to comply with our Healthcare Worker Flu Vaccination policy by receiving an annual vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption. Review the policy and related information here.

 

DUHS Reminder: Political Activity, Engagement with Government Officials, Lobbying, and Voting

As we approach election season this fall, Duke Health Government Relations reminds the Duke community to review Duke’s policies on Political Activity, Engagement with Government Officials, Lobbying, and Voting.

As a nonprofit, tax-exempt entity, Duke must abide by federal and state laws regarding political activities, including restrictions on the use of Duke facilities, funds, services, personnel, or other resources to support or oppose individuals or organizations campaigning for public office. The policies provide guidance regarding permissible political activity on campus, visits by government officials and lobbying, and apply specifically to Duke faculty, staff, and contractors.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31. The Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center on Duke’s campus will serve as an early-voting location in Durham County.

Additional information and voting resources are available through Duke Votes.

Questions about specific situations may be directed to Duke University Government Relations, Duke Health Government Relations or Duke State Relations.

 

Upcoming CME Events & Other Opportunities

• September is national Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month and national Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.
• The annual Duke Health Culture Pulse survey will be conducted Sept. 14- Oct. 3.
• Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15.
• Flu vaccination for employees: Oct. 8-Nov.17 (deadline Nov. 17 is 10 a.m.)
• Department of Medicine Annual Research Day: Oct. 23.

 

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 29: Present and Future of Stroke Prevention Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation with Jeff Healy, MD. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.

Oct. 6: The Role of Ischemia in SCD: Implications for the Role of Coronary Revascularization and the ICD with Bernard Gersh, MD. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom .

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.

 

Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds

Oct. 1: Quality in Echo Lab with Ashlee Davis. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 8: RV with Willard Applefeld. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 15: AOV Disorders with Jon Owensby. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 22: TBD with Fawaz Alenezi. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 29: Peri-Device Leak Post-Watchman Device LAAC: Echo vs. Cardiac CT with Anita Sadeghpour. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

 

DCRI Research Forum

The October DCRI Research Forum will feature Kenneth Stein, MD, senior vice president and global chief medical officer at Boston Scientific, for a fireside chat co-hosted by DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, and DCRI cardiology faculty member Jonathan Piccini, MD, MHS. 

What: DCRI Research Forum: A Fireside Chat with Kenneth Stein, MD

When: Tuesday, Oct. 6, noon to 1 p.m. ET

Who: Featuring Dr. Kenneth Stein, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Medical Officer, Boston Scientific

Where: Held remotely via Zoom

Zoom link: https://duke.zoom.us/j/92693016776?pwd=8VTVfo4MUfG1ai4Ngcs7aMA6RojmaX.1

Webinar ID: 926 9301 6776

Passcode: 379186

 

Upcoming Symposia

The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.

• 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, 2027: Duke EP Symposium. Course director is Jon Piccini. Location: JB Duke Hotel.

Please save the dates!

 

‘Disagree Better’ Forum, Sept. 29

Duke will host “Disagree Better,” a university forum focused on healthy conflict and constructive dialogue across political differences, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 5:45 p.m. in Page Auditorium.

The discussion will bring together New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, for a conversation about strengthening American democracy through civil discourse. Judy Woodruff, journalist and Duke alumna, will moderate the discussion, and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein will deliver a video message.

The event is sponsored by the Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging and is open to members of the Duke, Durham, and Triangle communities.

Learn more and register for tickets.

 

Triangle Heart Walk

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.

For more information or to register as a walker or a team captain, please visit: Triangle Heart Walk 2026.

 

 

 

 

NC Biotechnology Center Grants Information Session, Oct. 15

Faculty and research teams interested in funding opportunities through the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are invited to a grant information session on Thursday, Oct. 15, from noon–1 p.m. in the Bolton Family Tower Room at the Brodhead Center. Lunch will be provided.

Tracey du Laney, PhD, senior vice president for science and technology development at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and a Duke alumna, will provide an overview of funding opportunities available through the center, including its Flash Grant, Translational Research Grant, and Innovation Impact Grant programs.

To RSVP, contact Kylie Snyder, assistant director, at kylie.snyder@duke.edu.

 

DIHI 2027 RFA – Deadline Oct. 17

The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) has opened its 2027 Request for Applications (RFA), seeking practical, scalable solutions to high-priority challenges across Duke’s clinical enterprise.

The 2027 RFA seeks proposals in three focus areas: AI-powered solutions for a virtual care platform; automation and workflow redesign; and sustainable, patient-facing AI solutions. The opportunity is open to faculty, staff, students and trainees across Duke University and Duke University Health System.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 17. Finalists are expected to present to leadership in February 2027, with funding beginning in May.

Learn more, download the information packet and apply

 

Duke Football to Celebrate Healthcare Professionals Oct. 17

Duke Football will celebrate healthcare professionals during its Healthcare Appreciation Game against North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Wallace Wade Stadium. The annual event recognizes the dedication and contributions of healthcare professionals throughout our community.

A special discounted ticket offer is available for healthcare professionals, along with their families, friends, and colleagues.

We’d love to see a strong Duke Heart & Vascular presence at Wallace Wade!

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.

Chief’s message: Visiting Reeves Lecture, Rally for Medical Research, Heart Walk,  Duke Heart AI work noted in NY Times

Hope you are all having a restful weekend with family and likely sports – watching, playing, or taking kids to games.  This was another busy week with Duke Heart with announcements around new faculty (Aarti Thakkar, MD), new awards on teamwork and collaboration, and multiple shout outs for recognition of care.  We were also lucky to have Dr. Jeff Balser, CEO of Vanderbilt Health and Dean of the School of Medicine as the Visiting Jerry Reves Lecturer, and cardiology grand rounds this week.  He provided the story of how Vanderbilt became a global leader in health information technology and precision medicine, with research funding approaching $1 billion annually and NIH rankings rising from 28th to 7th by 2025. Dr. Balser helped establish key precision medicine initiatives, including BioVU, the nation’s largest single-site whole-genome sequenced DNA repository linked to deidentified health records. He serves on the boards of Vanderbilt Health and CVS Health.

He provided an amazing overview of the evolution of academic medicine, the work Vanderbilt has done to truly put in data science, precision medicine, and AI in to broad growth and clinical care strategies. He also shared how in 2016, he led Vanderbilt Health’s $1.2 billion debt issuance, enabling the purchase of Vanderbilt University’s health-related assets and creating an independent not-for-profit health system. Vanderbilt Health now integrates the clinical, research, and educational activities of more than 5,000 clinicians and scientists and 43,000 staff. 

Additionally this week, I was lucky to be able to participate as the Volunteer President of the American Heart Assocation in the Rally for Medical Research.  This is a lobby day where multiple medical associations, American Cancer Research Society, the American Heart Association, and multiple other groups spend the day on capital hill with patients, scientists, and advocates to ensure both the NIH spending on medical research and the importance of independent peer review of grants.  I was able to introduce Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois, also the NIH director was present, providing remarks – Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.  There was also an important video message from Senator Ben Sasse on value of cancer research and some recent breakthroughs with Pancreatic Cancer.  Finally, Reed Jobs, son of Steve Jobs also presented on public-private partnerships and the importance of NIH research to improve health. Some Pictures from the important event are shown below.  

AHA Heart Walk is 2 weeks away (Saturday October 3rd)  – please join teams, support Duke Health and come out and walk for a good cause.  I will be sending out my team if anyone wants to join – and as fun the DCRI and Duke Heart will be releasing a video from me each week to get people excited over the next two weeks.

Finally, Duke was highlighted in the NY times this week highlighted work we are doing with others around testing medical AI for heart failure patients.  This was part of the ongoing story on regulation and proof in AI.  The key for our teams is that the philanthropic support from the Duke Heart board provided to the heart center helped build a testing lab and partnerships that now are leading to large grants and national presence in this importance space.  Thanks to all that have and continue to support our work to ensure we can improve health with all available tools.

 

Highlights of the week:

Thakkar Joins Duke Cardiology Faculty

At her very first medical school interview, Aarti Thakkar, MD, said there was one specialty she knew she didn’t want to pursue: cardiology.

“And here we are, 16 years later!” she says.

Tomorrow, Sept. 21, Thakkar will officially join the Duke Division of Cardiology, transitioning from cardiology fellow to a faculty member in our Cardiometabolic Prevention Section.

Despite her early determination to avoid cardiology, the field was part of Thakkar’s life from an early age. She remembers her father, Duke cardiologist Maitreya Thakkar, MD, drawing heart diagrams on napkins at the dinner table when she was growing up. Ultimately, though, it was her own experiences — including time in the cardiac intensive care unit as a medical student and work on a public health project in Kenya with Gerald Bloomfield, MD — that began drawing her toward the field.

During her internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins, that interest solidified.

“I spent more and more time around cardiology and realized just how much I loved the physiology and how beautifully everything fits together,” Thakkar said. “I also realized that cardiology gave me a way to bring together a lot of the things I care about, from the clinical pathophysiology to prevention and implementation.”

Thakkar will bring together interests in cardiovascular prevention, imaging, and structural heart disease in her clinical practice. She is particularly interested in identifying cardiovascular risk earlier and using imaging and other tools to personalize prevention and care.

Her academic work has spanned cardiovascular prevention, women’s cardiovascular health, cardio-obstetrics and cardiometabolic health, with research examining questions ranging from cardiovascular risk following adverse pregnancy outcomes to disparities in lipid management and cardiometabolic risk.

As a faculty member, she hopes to build on that work through implementation projects within the Cardiometabolic Prevention Section and by helping bring evidence-based medications and clinical trials into practice.

“I’m especially interested in the space between what we know works and how we can make sure our patients actually have access to it,” she said.

That focus was recognized in 2025 when Thakkar received a NewAmsterdam Pharma Young Researcher Award for work addressing disparities in lipid management through health-system interventions, including remote monitoring.

Joining the faculty is the latest chapter in a Duke connection that stretches back to Thakkar’s undergraduate years. She earned both her undergraduate and medical degrees at Duke before completing her internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins and returning to Duke for cardiology fellowship.

Hopkins also has an important place in her story: it’s where she says she truly grew into a physician — and where she met her husband, Eric Xie, MD, now a Duke electrophysiology fellow.

When it was time to choose a cardiology fellowship, Thakkar knew she wanted to return to Duke. She points to mentors including Bloomfield and Nishant Shah, MD, whose careers helped her envision her own path in cardiovascular prevention and imaging.

“I knew I wanted to come back to Duke … well, back home,” she said.

Now, the place where she trained is becoming the place where she will begin establishing herself as an attending and faculty member.

“Duke is where I grew up professionally, where I found mentors who shaped — and continue to shape — the physician I wanted to become, and where I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some truly incredible people,” she said. “It feels very special to now come full circle and have the opportunity to give back to the place that has given me so much.”

Outside of work, Thakkar enjoys spending time with Xie and their daughter, Asha, as well as her parents, who live nearby. She still loves being outdoors, whether exploring a new walking path, finding a trail or taking Asha to a park. She also enjoys gym classes, swimming and, naturally, Duke basketball.

“I’m incredibly excited to continue being part of the Duke family,” Thakkar said. “I’m excited to begin developing my own identity as an attending and to find new ways to contribute to the community that has given me so much.”

Please join us in welcoming Aarti to Duke Heart & Vascular!

 

Celebrating Our Advanced Practice Providers During APP Week

In recognition of national APP Week, Duke Heart & Vascular Services celebrates our advanced practice providers and the vital role they play across our service line:

Every day, our APPs bring exceptional clinical expertise, compassion, professionalism and dedication to the patients and families we serve. They are integral members of our multidisciplinary teams, providing direct patient care, coordinating complex treatment plans, supporting quality initiatives, educating patients and colleagues, and advancing our clinical programs.

Thank you for your dedication, resilience, and leadership. Duke Heart & Vascular Services is stronger because of your expertise and commitment, and we are deeply grateful for all that you do. — Diane Sauro, Jill Engel, Manesh Patel, MD, and the Heart & Vascular Service Line team

Inaugural Heart APP Team Awards

This year’s APP Week celebration includes the recipients of our inaugural Heart APP Team Awards. Congratulations to the following team members and colleagues:

Cardiology
Team Spirit Award: Chelsey Weinbrecht
Preceptor of the Year: Sandy Anton
Excellence Award: Jade Clausen
APP Collaboration and Support: Alyssa Vora, PharmD, and Amanda Ball, PharmD

CTICU
Team Spirit Award: Russell Perkins
Preceptor of the Year: Jackie Narron
Excellence Award: Lynn McGugan and Teresa Wood
APP Collaboration and Support: Mihai Podgoreanu, MD

CTSDU
Team Spirit Award: Braylee Moore
Preceptor of the Year: Laura Shpak
Excellence Award: Laura Sisson
APP Collaboration and Support: Kristi Beerman, PharmD

CICU
Team Spirit Award: Leslie Beer
Excellence Award: Erika Schwengel
APP Collaboration and Support: Akshay Pendyal, MD

Duke Raleigh
Team Spirit Award: Hannah King
Excellence Award: Hannah Walker
APP Collaboration and Support: Sean Pokorney, MD

Please join us in celebrating and recognizing our Advanced Practice Providers for the invaluable contributions they make each and every day!

 

Shout-out — Patient Praises CT SDU Team for Exceptional Care

We love hearing when our teams make a difference — and a recent message shared publicly by a Duke University Hospital patient offered an especially moving example.

Following a three-week hospitalization, the patient wrote about the exceptional care and compassion she received from members of our cardiothoracic step-down team. She described team members who comforted and encouraged her through difficult moments, celebrated her progress, listened to her concerns, helped her feel safe and cared for, and stepped in as a source of support when family and friends could not always be at her bedside.

She offered special thanks to nurses Womi, Nia, Rylee, Sarah, Kelsie and Sheba, along with two team members she affectionately called “the Kristens — one C and one K.” She also recognized nurse practitioners Roman and Mallory, and expressed gratitude for the entire team involved in her care, including Jacob Schroder, MD, and Geoffroy Sisk, MD.

Perhaps the greatest testament to their care’s impact: the patient said her experience at Duke inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. She hopes one day to provide another patient with the same compassion, encouragement, and sense of safety that the Duke team provided to her.

What an incredible reflection of the difference our teams make — not only through the care they provide, but through the way they make people feel during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Outstanding work, and congratulations to everyone involved!

 

Culture Pulse Survey Closes Sept. 28

The new Culture Pulse 2026 survey opened on Monday. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey before it closes on Sept. 28! To access it, you can use the link you were sent via email, or you can capture the QR code and take the survey right on your cell phone. You will need to use your Duke unique ID to launch the survey. You can find that on the back of your work badge.

 

Within our service line, the Center of Excellence team is leading, with 88% of their team having taken the survey as of Friday morning. Can any other Duke Heart & Vascular team beat them this weekend?? Come on EP, Cath Lab, DMP 7E, and 7W! Get those surveys done and take the lead!

 

Join Us at the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk

Duke Health once again is serving as a lead sponsor of the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk. On Saturday, Oct. 3, please join us again as we walk alongside our colleagues, family members, friends, and many of our cardiovascular patients to celebrate our community.

The American Heart Association is one of the largest non-federal funding sources of cardiovascular research in the country. AHA-supported research informs the guidelines, treatments, and prevention efforts our teams use every day, so the dollars we raise come back to our own patients, our colleagues, and our community.

For those who registered by the t-shirt deadline, shirts will be distributed via team captains during the last week of September!

We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek as we walk together in support of healthier hearts and healthier communities.

Let’s support Manesh Patel – current AHA volunteer president – by making this year the most successful showing for Duke Heart & Vascular yet!

 

Upcoming Flu Vax Campaign

Flu vaccination season will take place from Thursday, October 8 – November 17 at 10 a.m. Duke University Health System requires all healthcare workers to comply with our Healthcare Worker Flu Vaccination policy by receiving an annual vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption. Review the policy and related information here.

 

DUHS Reminder: Political Activity, Engagement with Government Officials, Lobbying, and Voting

As we approach election season this fall, Duke Health Government Relations reminds the Duke community to review Duke’s policies on Political Activity, Engagement with Government Officials, Lobbying, and Voting.

As a nonprofit, tax-exempt entity, Duke must abide by federal and state laws regarding political activities, including restrictions on the use of Duke facilities, funds, services, personnel or other resources to support or oppose individuals or organizations campaigning for public office. The policies provide guidance regarding permissible political activity on campus, visits by government officials and lobbying, and apply specifically to Duke faculty, staff and contractors.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31. The Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center on Duke’s campus will serve as an early-voting location in Durham County.

Additional information and voting resources are available through Duke Votes.

Questions about specific situations may be directed to Duke University Government Relations, Duke Health Government Relations or Duke State Relations.

 

Upcoming CME Events & Other Opportunities

• September is national Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month and national Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.
• The annual Duke Health Culture Pulse survey will be conducted 14-28.
• Hispanic Heritage Month runs from 15 – Oct. 15.
• National APP Week is 21-25.
• Flu vaccination for employees: 8-Nov.17, 10 a.m.
• of Medicine Research Day: Oct. 23.

 

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 22: Cardiology, Immunology and Rheumatology with Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, of UVA Health. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 23: A Primate Genetic Model Organism for Cardiovascular Disease with Stephen Chang, MD, PhD, of Stanford Medicine. 5 p.m., HAFS 7683. This special CGR session will be in person only.

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.

 

Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds

Oct. 1: Quality in Echo Lab with Ashlee Davis. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 8: RV with Willard Applefeld. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 15: AOV Disorders with Jon Owensby. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 22: TBD with Fawaz Alenezi. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 29: Peri-Device Leak Post-Watchman Device LAAC: Echo vs. Cardiac CT with Anita Sadeghpour. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

 

DCRI Research Forum

September Forum — John Sundy, MD, PhD

The FY27 DCRI Research Forum season kicks off next week with a fireside chat featuring John Sundy, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and head of research and development at Seismic Therapeutic, from noon-1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 22. This forum will be co-hosted by DCRI executive director Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, and DCRI respiratory faculty member and Medicine Plus Therapeutic Area Director Scott Palmer, MD, MHS.

What: DCRI Research Forum: A Fireside Chat with John Sundy, MD, PhD

When: Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 22

Where: Held remotely via Zoom

Zoom link: https://duke.zoom.us/j/92576878437?pwd=eXwbZ2n6V6GF9prymmUgVkem4LIdzg.1

Webinar ID: 925 7687 8437

Passcode: 534206

 

October Forum — Kenneth Stein, MD

The October DCRI Research Forum will feature Kenneth Stein, MD, senior vice president and global chief medical officer at Boston Scientific, for a fireside chat co-hosted by DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, and DCRI cardiology faculty member Jonathan Piccini, MD, MHS. 

What: DCRI Research Forum: A Fireside Chat with Kenneth Stein, MD

When: Tuesday, Oct. 6, noon to 1 p.m. ET

Who: Featuring Dr. Kenneth Stein, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Medical Officer, Boston Scientific

Where: Held remotely via Zoom

Zoom link: https://duke.zoom.us/j/92693016776?pwd=8VTVfo4MUfG1ai4Ngcs7aMA6RojmaX.1

Webinar ID: 926 9301 6776

Passcode: 379186

 

Upcoming 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, 2027: Duke EP Symposium. Course director is Jon Piccini. Location: JB Duke Hotel.

Please save the dates!

 

¡DALHE! Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 22

¡DALHE!, Duke University School of Medicine’s employee resource group dedicated to advancing Latine/Hispanic excellence, will host its annual Hispanic Heritage Month event, “Celebrating Culture, Inspiring Careers,” on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in Trent Semans Great Hall.

This year’s event will feature three panelists who will share insights into their roles at Duke, their career paths, and the ways their cultural backgrounds have influenced and shaped their professional journeys. Panelists are Stephanie Lopez, director of the Duke Health News Office; Kevin D’Arco, senior associate dean of international students at Duke University; and Iris Padilla, clinical professor in the Duke University School of Nursing.

Jeannet Constante, M.Ed., with Faculty Development, DAPT & Wellness Coordination in the Department of Pediatrics, will moderate the discussion, which will conclude with a Q&A session.

The event will also highlight the work of artist Anthony Garza. Lunch will be provided.

 

‘Disagree Better’ Forum, Sept. 29

Duke will host “Disagree Better,” a university forum focused on healthy conflict and constructive dialogue across political differences, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 5:45 p.m. in Page Auditorium.

The discussion will bring together New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, for a conversation about strengthening American democracy through civil discourse. Judy Woodruff, journalist and Duke alumna, will moderate the discussion, and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein will deliver a video message.

The event is sponsored by the Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging and is open to members of the Duke, Durham, and Triangle communities.

Learn more and register for tickets.

 

Triangle Heart Walk

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.

For more information or to register as a walker or a team captain, please visit: Triangle Heart Walk 2026.

 

NC Biotechnology Center Grants Information Session, Oct. 15

Faculty and research teams interested in funding opportunities through the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are invited to a grant information session on Thursday, Oct. 15, from noon–1 p.m. in the Bolton Family Tower Room at the Brodhead Center. Lunch will be provided.

Tracey du Laney, PhD, senior vice president for science and technology development at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and a Duke alumna, will provide an overview of funding opportunities available through the center, including its Flash Grant, Translational Research Grant, and Innovation Impact Grant programs.

To RSVP, contact Kylie Snyder, assistant director, at kylie.snyder@duke.edu.

 

DIHI 2027 RFA – Deadline Oct. 17

The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) has opened its 2027 Request for Applications (RFA), seeking practical, scalable solutions to high-priority challenges across Duke’s clinical enterprise.

The 2027 RFA seeks proposals in three focus areas: AI-powered solutions for a virtual care platform; automation and workflow redesign; and sustainable, patient-facing AI solutions. The opportunity is open to faculty, staff, students, and trainees across Duke University and Duke University Health System.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 17. Finalists are expected to present to leadership in February 2027, with funding beginning in May.

Learn more, download the information packet, and apply

 

Duke Football to Celebrate Healthcare Professionals Oct. 17

Duke Football will celebrate healthcare professionals during its Healthcare Appreciation Game against North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Wallace Wade Stadium. The annual event recognizes the dedication and contributions of healthcare professionals throughout our community.

A special discounted ticket offer is available for healthcare professionals, along with their families, friends, and colleagues.

We’d love to see a strong Duke Heart & Vascular presence at Wallace Wade!

 

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.

Highlights of the week:

Robotic Cardiac Surgery Team Marks Growth, New Milestones

Duke’s robotic cardiac surgery program has reached a series of new milestones in 2026, expanding both the volume and types of procedures performed using the robotic platform.

In 2025, the program performed 25 robotic mitral valve repairs. Through Sept. 9 of this year, the team has performed 40 intracardiac robotic procedures, including 27 mitral valve repairs, seven mitral valve replacements, two redo mitral valve replacements, three left atrial mass resections, and one tricuspid valve repair.

The program has also expanded to include MAZE procedures and left atrial appendage closure performed alongside other robotic cardiac procedures.

Brittany Zwischenberger, MD, MHSc, associate professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, performs the robotic cardiac surgery cases, working alongside a multidisciplinary team of nurses, surgical technologists and physician assistants. Together, the team has expanded the robotic program in both volume and case mix over the past year.

Zwischenberger recently hosted team members at her home to celebrate their accomplishments and the program’s continued growth.

Congratulations to all!

 

HVSL Team Takes Part in ACLS, BLS Training

Physicians participated in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) training on Sept. 8 as part of Duke Heart & Vascular’s biannual training.

The session, taught by Kristin Newby, Jill Engel, Laura Dickerson and Mary Lindsay, was one of two ACLS and BLS training opportunities being offered in September.

Way to go!

 

Lewis Featured in PCNA Podcast on ATTR-CM

Morgan Lewis, RN, with Duke’s Advanced Heart Failure team, is featured in a new podcast from the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) focused on transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

Lewis joined PCNA for “Turning the Tide on ATTR Matters,” an episode of the association’s Heart to Heart Nurses podcast. The episode is part of a three-part series providing information about ATTR-CM, a form of cardiac amyloidosis that can lead to heart failure.

The podcast is available in both audio and video formats through PCNA and can also be found through major podcast platforms.

Listen to “Turning the Tide on ATTR Matters”:
https://pcna.net/podcast/turning-the-tide-on-attr-matters/

Great job, Morgan!

 

Join Us at the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk

Duke Health once again is serving as a lead sponsor of the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk. On Saturday, Oct. 3, please join us again as we walk alongside our colleagues, family members, friends, and many of our cardiovascular patients to celebrate our community.

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier fundraising event, drawing communities together from across the U.S. to raise funds and celebrate progress in the fight against heart disease and stroke. This year’s Triangle Heart Walk will unite us in our commitment to living heart-healthy lifestyles and raising lifesaving funds, all while having a fun time together!

This year, the goal for Duke Health is 250 teams, with 10 people per team, and to raise $170,000. We need your help to accomplish this. Please consider signing up as a team captain to lead a Heart Walk team or simply join one as a walker.

The American Heart Association is one of the largest non-federal funding sources of cardiovascular research in the country. AHA-supported research informs the guidelines, treatments, and prevention efforts our teams use every day, so the dollars we raise come back to our own patients, our colleagues, and our community.

We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, October 3, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek as we walk together in support of healthier hearts and healthier communities.

Let’s support Manesh Patel – current AHA volunteer president – by making this year the most successful showing for Duke Heart & Vascular yet!

 

Upcoming Flu Vax Campaign

Flu vaccination season will take place from Thursday, October 8 – November 17 at 10 a.m. Duke University Health System requires all healthcare workers to comply with our Healthcare Worker Flu Vaccination policy by receiving an annual vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption. Review the policy and related information here.

  

Culture Pulse Launches Tomorrow, Sept. 14

The new Culture Pulse 2026 opens on Monday, September 14 and closes September 28.

Your feedback will help shape a variety of Duke Health initiatives, including support for GME trainees, and we need your input. All survey results are confidential. Your opinion is important! Your Voice Matters. Be Heard. Take the Survey.

Watch for the Culture Pulse survey in your inbox beginning Sept. 14 — and please take five minutes to participate!

 

¡DALHE! Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 22

¡DALHE!, Duke University School of Medicine’s employee resource group dedicated to advancing Latine/Hispanic excellence, will host its annual Hispanic Heritage Month event, “Celebrating Culture, Inspiring Careers,” on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in Trent Semans Great Hall.

This year’s event will feature three panelists who will share insights into their roles at Duke, their career paths, and the ways their cultural backgrounds have influenced and shaped their professional journeys. Panelists are Stephanie Lopez, director of the Duke Health News Office; Kevin D’Arco, senior associate dean of international students at Duke University; and Iris Padilla, PhD, MBA, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, clinical professor in the Duke University School of Nursing.

Jeannet Constante, M.Ed., with Faculty Development, DAPT & Wellness Coordination in the Department of Pediatrics, will moderate the discussion, which will conclude with a Q&A session.

The event will also showcase the work of artist Anthony Garza. Lunch will be provided.

 

 

‘Disagree Better’ Duke University Forum Set for Sept. 29

Duke will host “Disagree Better,” a university forum focused on healthy conflict and constructive dialogue across political differences, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 5:45 p.m. in Page Auditorium.

The discussion will bring together New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, for a conversation about strengthening American democracy through civil discourse. Judy Woodruff, journalist and Duke alumna, will moderate the discussion, and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein will deliver a video message.

The event is sponsored by the Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging and is open to members of the Duke, Durham, and Triangle communities.

Learn more and register for tickets.

 

NC Biotechnology Center Grants Information Session Set for Oct. 15

Faculty and research teams interested in funding opportunities through the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are invited to a grants information session on Thursday, Oct. 15, from noon–1 p.m. in the Bolton Family Tower Room at the Brodhead Center. Lunch will be provided.

Tracey du Laney, PhD, senior vice president for science and technology development at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and a Duke alumna, will provide an overview of funding opportunities available through the center, including its Flash Grant, Translational Research Grant, and Innovation Impact Grant programs.

The session will offer an opportunity to learn more about the programs, the types of projects they support, and how NC Biotechnology Center funding may help advance research and innovation.

The session is hosted by Duke University Foundation Relations, the Duke Health Office of Foundation Relations and Strategic Partnerships (FRASP), Duke’s Office for External Partnerships, and the Office for Translation & Commercialization.

To RSVP, contact Kylie Snyder, assistant director, at kylie.snyder@duke.edu.

 

DIHI Opens 2027 Request for Innovation Applications

The Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) has opened its 2027 Request for Applications (RFA), seeking practical, scalable solutions to high-priority challenges across Duke’s clinical enterprise.

The 2027 RFA seeks proposals in three focus areas: AI-powered solutions for a virtual care platform; automation and workflow redesign; and sustainable, patient-facing AI solutions. The opportunity is open to faculty, staff, students, and trainees across Duke University and Duke University Health System.

Up to 10 applications will be selected for support, with most projects expected to request $25,000–$60,000 in funding for one year. Funding does not cover faculty time. Each proposal must also have a DUHS operational lead as a co-sponsor to be considered for review.

DIHI encourages teams to engage with its staff as they develop proposals. The team can help refine early ideas, assess alignment with this year’s focus areas, identify operational partners, and strengthen plans for moving an idea toward measurable impact.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 17. Finalists are expected to present to leadership in February 2027, with funding beginning in May.

Learn more, download the information packet, and apply

 

Duke Football to Celebrate Healthcare Professionals Oct. 17

Duke Football will celebrate healthcare professionals during its Healthcare Appreciation Game against North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Wallace Wade Stadium. The annual event recognizes the dedication and contributions of healthcare professionals throughout our community.

A special discounted ticket offer is available for healthcare professionals, along with their families, friends, and colleagues — and interest is already strong, with nearly 1,000 tickets sold through the promotional offer.

We’d love to see a strong Duke Heart & Vascular presence at Wallace Wade!

 

Upcoming CME Events & Other Opportunities

• September is national Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month and national Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.
• The annual Duke Health Culture Pulse survey will be conducted 14-28.
• Flu vaccination for employees: 8-Nov.17, 10 a.m.
• of Medicine Research Day: October 23.

 

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 15: Powering Genomics with Health IT with Jeffrey Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 22: Cardiology, Immunology and Rheumatology with Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, of UVA Health. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 23: A Primate Genetic Model Organism for Cardiovascular Disease with Stephen Chang, MD, PhD, of Stanford Medicine. 5 p.m., HAFS 7683. This special CGR session will be in person only.

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.

 

Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds

Sept. 17: Differentiating LVH with Fawaz Alenezi. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 1: Quality in Echo Lab with Ashlee Davis. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

 

Upcoming 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, 2027: Duke EP Symposium. Course director is Jon Piccini. Location: JB Duke Hotel.

Please save the dates!

 

Triangle Heart Walk

The American Heart Association’s 2026 Triangle Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh.

For more information or to register as a walker or a team captain, please visit: Triangle Heart Walk 2026.

 

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.

Highlights of the week: Labor Day Weekend and Ongoing CV science 

Hopefully you are all having a great labor day weekend.  Over the last week we have seen several scientific updates in the cardiovascular field with lots of great presentations and science from the European Society of Cardiology Meeting, reports on trials that have not met their endpoint with Lp(a)- Horizons, and updates from many in our institution around evolving CV care.  As with these scientific updates, our clinical services have remained busy as we serve our community, and we want to especially thank our faculty, staff, fellows, APPs, residents, and clinical teams all of whom are helping care for our patients over the holiday weekend.  In this week’s pulse – you will see updates from the meetings, new leadership roles, and new members of our team.  Finally, we will have increasing updates and events as we approach the AHA Triangle Heart walk next month. Thanks to all that have already engaged and joined.

ESC.26: Duke Studies Advance AI in Heart Imaging

Two new Duke-led studies demonstrate how artificial intelligence (AI) could dramatically expand the clinical information available to physicians from standard heart imaging. Researchers found that AI could identify evidence of two complex cardiovascular diseases and provide information about the type and severity of disease from images commonly collected during standard care. The findings could eventually help physicians recognize disease earlier and determine which patients need further evaluation.

The studies, presented as Late-Breaking Science on Saturday, Aug. 29, at the 2026 European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, examined the use of AI with echocardiography to identify and characterize pulmonary hypertension (PH) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Fawaz Alenezi, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology, was first author and presenting investigator for both studies.

Together, the studies involved thousands of patients across multiple institutions, countries, and imaging platforms. Rather than simply using AI to automate measurements already performed by clinicians, the researchers explored whether AI could uncover additional information about disease from echocardiographic images collected during standard care.

In the first study, researchers found that AI could identify pulmonary hypertension — a condition in which blood pressure in the vessels carrying blood from the heart to the lungs is abnormally high — using only a single standard four-chamber echocardiographic video clip. The model did not require Doppler imaging, additional imaging views, or manual measurements.

The model was developed using data from 17,969 Duke patients, including 8,644 patients with PH confirmed through right-heart catheterization, and independently evaluated using patient cohorts from France, Stanford University and China. Its performance increased as disease severity increased, and the model was also able to distinguish among clinically important forms of PH that reflect different underlying pressure patterns in the heart and lung circulation.

The findings suggest that even a single standard echo clip may contain information that can be analyzed in new ways to reveal additional clues about cardiovascular function. In the future, this type of technology could help physicians identify patients who need earlier expert evaluation, including those undergoing echocardiography in community hospitals or other settings where specialized cardiovascular expertise may be less readily available.

The second study focused on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. The AI model was developed using a multinational cohort of 9,578 patients from Duke and the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Japan, followed by internal testing in 1,294 patients and independent external validation in 791 patients at Rutgers.

The fully automated system detected HCM from standard echocardiography and distinguished it from other conditions that can cause similar thickening of the heart muscle, including cardiac amyloidosis, aortic stenosis, and hypertensive heart disease. It was also able to recognize different forms of HCM.

A separate AI model evaluated whether the thickened heart muscle was obstructing the flow of blood out of the heart and measured the severity of that obstruction. Together, the models could provide physicians with information not only about whether HCM is present, but also about the form of the disease and how it is affecting heart function.

Taken together, the studies point toward a future in which AI could allow physicians to obtain substantially more clinical information from cardiovascular images already being collected as part of standard care — potentially helping identify disease, determine its type and severity, and guide decisions about further evaluation and care.

“I am especially grateful for the support, mentorship and close collaboration of Sreekanth Vemulapalli and Andrew Wang on the HCM project, and Sudarshan Rajagopal on the pulmonary hypertension project,” Alenezi said. “I am also very grateful to Camille Frazier-Mills and Manesh Patel for their continued support, and to our Duke colleagues and national and international collaborators who made these studies possible.”

Both studies were supported internally by Duke and did not receive external funding.

Great work, Fawaz! Congrats to you and your team!

 

Rajagopal named director of Strong Start Award Program

Congratulations to cardiologist Sudarshan Rajagopal, MD, PhD! Rajagopal has been named the new director of the Duke Physician-Scientist Strong Start Award Program, a flagship initiative funded by the Nanaline H. Duke Foundation that supports the development of early-career physician-scientists as they transition to independent research careers.

An accomplished physician-scientist, Rajagopal is internationally recognized for his work in G protein-coupled receptor signaling in inflammation and vascular disease, with a clinical focus on pulmonary vascular disease. He serves as co-director of the Duke Pulmonary Vascular Disease Center, and his research portfolio spans clinical research in pulmonary vascular disease, translational cardiovascular research, and the basic science of receptor signaling.

Rajagopal brings a deep commitment to physician-scientist training and mentorship. He views the transition from mentored research to independent investigation as one of the most critical stages in a physician-scientist’s career and sees the Strong Start program as an important mechanism for helping talented researchers successfully navigate that path.

As director, Rajagopal will focus on recruiting outstanding candidates, supporting awardees’ professional development, and strengthening pathways to research independence. He also serves as director of the Robert J. Lefkowitz Society and is eager to build stronger connections across Duke’s physician-scientist training ecosystem, fostering mentorship and collaboration among trainees and faculty at multiple career stages.

The Duke Physician-Scientist Strong Start Award Program provides critical support to promising early-career physician-scientists, helping them establish research programs that advance discoveries and improve patient care.

Rajagopal succeeds Gowthami Arepally, MD, whose leadership helped shape and grow the program. Under her direction, Strong Start strengthened support for emerging physician-scientists and advanced Duke’s longstanding commitment to developing the next generation of clinician-researchers.

With Rajagopal at the helm, the program is well positioned to continue cultivating physician-scientists whose research will drive future advances in medicine and health.

Well-deserved, Sudar!

 

Welcome to Duke Cardiology of Raleigh, Blake!

Blake Wilcock, PA-C, joined Duke Cardiology of Raleigh on Aug. 17. He will support Radha Kachhy, MD, and Deepa Upadhyaya, MD, caring for patients with a range of cardiovascular conditions.

Blake’s interest in cardiology has a personal connection: His grandfather experienced a severe and unexpected heart attack when Blake was a teenager. Watching his grandfather’s recovery — and experiencing the uncertainty that a cardiac event can bring to an entire family — helped inspire Blake’s interest in heart care.

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Blake and his wife, Abby, have been married for 10 years. Abby recently completed PA school, and the couple has two children, Jackson, 5, and Hayden, who joined the family at the end of May.

Outside of work, Blake enjoys spending time with his family, and basketball is a big part of the Wilcock household. Each year, the family holds its own March Madness bracket competition — and Jackson has quickly become the one to beat. This year, they took the tradition to another level, creating an 8-by-12-foot bracket on a wall in their home.

Blake says he is excited to join Duke Cardiology of Raleigh and looks forward to building relationships with his new colleagues.

Welcome to Duke Cardiology, Blake! We’re glad to have you on the team.

 

Luggage Drive Success

The luggage drive to support the 2026 Heart for Honduras medical mission went well! The team collected about a dozen suitcases and now has everything needed for the mission, taking place Sept. 19-26.

This will be Duke’s fifth mission trip in collaboration with Dr. Hugo Orellana, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Hospital Escuela and president of the Honduran Red Cross. A 27-member Duke team will participate.

We wish them safe travels and look forward to hearing all about it when they return!

 

Culture Pulse Survey Opens Sept. 14

The annual Culture Pulse survey opens Monday, Sept. 14, and runs through Sept. 28. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and is an important opportunity to share your experience working at Duke Health.

Your feedback helps identify what’s working well, where team members need greater support and where there are opportunities to improve. Strong participation gives us a more complete picture of our workplace culture and helps inform efforts to make Duke Health an even better place to work. Our goal is participation of 80% or higher, so please take a few minutes to make your voice heard.

Survey responses are confidential, so we encourage you to provide thoughtful, candid feedback.

Eligible team members will receive an email from Culture Amp with a link to the survey. The survey includes DUHS, School of Medicine and School of Nursing team members. Affiliate-site employees, team members who have been with Duke Health for fewer than 90 days and those on continuous leave during the survey period will not participate in this survey cycle.

Watch for the Culture Pulse survey in your inbox beginning Sept. 14 — and please take five minutes to participate!

 

Join Us at the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk

Duke Health once again is serving as a lead sponsor of the 2026 Triangle Heart Walk. On Saturday, October 3, please join us again as we walk alongside our colleagues, family members, friends, and many of our cardiovascular patients to celebrate our community.

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier fundraising event, drawing communities together from across the U.S. to raise funds and celebrate progress in the fight against heart disease and stroke. This year’s Triangle Heart Walk will unite us in our commitment to living heart-healthy lifestyles and raising lifesaving funds, all while having a fun time together!

This year, the goal for Duke Health is 250 teams, with 10 people per team, and to raise $170,000. We need your help to accomplish this. Please consider signing up as a team captain to lead a Heart Walk team or simply join one as a walker.

The American Heart Association is one of the largest non-federal funding sources of cardiovascular research in the country. AHA-supported research informs the guidelines, treatments and prevention efforts our teams use every day, so the dollars we raise come back to our own patients, our colleagues and our community.

We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, October 3, at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek as we walk together in support of healthier hearts and healthier communities.

Let’s support Manesh Patel – current AHA volunteer president – by making this year the most successful showing for Duke Heart & Vascular yet!

  

Duke Football to Celebrate Healthcare Professionals Oct. 17

Duke Football will celebrate healthcare professionals during its Healthcare Appreciation Game against North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Wallace Wade Stadium. The annual event recognizes the dedication and contributions of healthcare professionals throughout our community.

A special discounted ticket offer is available for healthcare professionals, along with their families, friends, and colleagues — and interest is already strong, with nearly 1,000 tickets sold through the promotional offer.

We’d love to see a strong Duke Heart & Vascular presence at Wallace Wade!

 

Upcoming CME Events & Other Opportunities

• September is national Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month and national Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.
• The annual Duke Health Culture Pulse survey will be conducted 14-28.
• Flu vaccination for employees: 8-Nov.17, 10 a.m.
• Duke Dept. of Medicine Research Day: October 23.

 

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 8: ESC Updates with Christopher Granger, MD. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 15: Powering Genomics with Health IT with Jeffrey Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 22: Cardiology, Immunology and Rheumatology with Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, of UVA Health. 5 p.m., DN2002 and via Zoom.

Sept. 23: A Primate Genetic Model Organism for Cardiovascular Disease with Stephen Chang, MD, PhD, of Stanford Medicine. 5 p.m., HAFS 7683. This special CGR session will be in person only.

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.

 

Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds

Sept. 10: Mitral Regurgitation with Richard Palma. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Sept. 17: Differentiating LVH with Fawaz Alenezi. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

Oct. 1: Quality in Echo Lab with Ashlee Davis. Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom.

 

Upcoming 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, 2027: Duke EP Symposium. Course director is Jon Piccini. Location: JB Duke Hotel.

Please save the dates!

 

Triangle Heart Walk

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.

For more information or to register as a walker or a team captain, please visit: Triangle Heart Walk 2026.

 

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.