After life-changing surgery, Faith Newsome aims to offer hope and a voice for young people with obesity.

Patrick J. Casey, PhD, a faculty member at both the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham and Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, was honored with a 2018 Distinguished Faculty Award during Medical Alumni Reunion in November.

Michael M. Haglund, MD, PhD, a gifted neurosurgeon and life-long humanitarian, launched and runs a partnership between Duke University School of Medicine and three hospitals in Uganda. Haglund's program donates used Duke medical equipment to the Uganda hospitals and trains the next generation of Ugandan neurosurgeons. Haglund was honored with the Humanitarian Award during the 2018 Duke Medical Alumni Reunion in November.

James W. Mold, MD'74, MPH, a pioneer for the concept of patient-centered health care, was honored with a Distinguished Alumnus Award during the 2018 Duke Medical Alumni Reunion in November.

C. Frank Starmer, BSEE'63, G'65, PhD, who began his time at Duke University as an undergraduate electrical engineering major, helped Duke's legendary Chairman of Medicine Eugene Stead, MD, create the Duke Cardiovascular Database, which grew into the largest of its kind in the world.

John 'Jeb' Hallett, MD'73, is a pioneer in vascular surgery. His research into abdominal aortic aneurysms changed the face of modern vascular surgery. Hallett was honored with a Distinguished Alumnus Award during the 2018 Duke Medical Alumni Reunion in November.

Duke’s MD/PhD Program had a profound influence on David Ginsburg, who went on to become an international expert on several bleeding and clotting disorders.

The odds were against Collier before he was even born. Prenatal tests at Duke Children’s showed a problem with his lungs, and when his mother went into premature labor, the neonatology team was ready. Collier arrived at 32 weeks weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces—and he was crying. No one expected him to be able to cry. Collier was quickly taken away to be placed on a ventilator.

When four Duke researchers developed an innovative technique for exploring the non-coding genome--the 98 percent of our DNA that does not encode protein sequences, often the genome's "dark matter"--the implications were clear.

Duke neurobiologist Diego Bohorquez, PhD, and neurologist Richard O'Brien, MD, PhD, discuss the vital connection between the human gut and the brain, and how this is offering insights into the development of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. They also discuss research into learning why a young brain can repair itself but an older brain cannot.