Meet Physicians and Scientists

With sepsis, time is of the essence. Left untreated, the illness—a runaway immune response to infection—can quickly become life-threatening. Duke hospital medicine physician Cara O’Brien, MD, is partnering with the Duke Institute for Health Innovation to lead a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, and biostatisticians that is using data science to rapidly identify at-risk patients, speed treatment, and improve outcomes.

Two pediatric heart specialists have made it their mission to improve the lives of some of Duke's most vulnerable patients.

Through the Regeneration Next Initiative, Duke researchers are gaining insights into how to stimulate heart muscle to regrow after injury.

'Big Data' is transforming medicine, and Duke is at the forefront

Most studies of new treatments don't reflect the diversity of people in the real world. That's a problem.

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.

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.

John Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, MHSc, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, discusses how the Duke Cancer Institute is studying DNA and genetics with the goal of creating each individual's unique cancer "fingerprint" to offer targeted therapies. Dr. Sampson is the Robert H. Wilkins and Gloria Wilkins Professor of Neurosurgery. This professorship was given by Michael I. Wilkins and Sheila M. Duignan in honor of his parents, Robert and Gloria. Robert H. Wilkins, MD, completed an internship and neurosurgical residency at Duke, and was chief of the Division of Neurosurgery from 1976 to 1996. He was founding editor of the journal Neurosurgery and served on numerous national professional boards.

A young woman comes to a clinic in San Antonio, Texas, after her boyfriend goes to prison. She wants to begin a new life outside of the gang world they were part of. Before he went to prison, her boyfriend left reminders to ensure she would not forget him: his name tattooed on her breasts. She asks the doctor to help her start a new phase in life by removing the tattoos, but she can’t afford laser removal.