Duke Clinical Research Institute

In a new perspective piece published in JHLT, Lung Transplant Consortium leaders shared their strategies for maximizing use of the consortium and the PROMISE Lung Study to advance #LungTX. Don’t miss their key takeaways: duke.is/LTC2026Q1

S.2 Ep. 12 | From Research to Relief: Raising the Standard in Back Pain Treatment Nearly 40% of Americans have experienced back pain in the past three months, yet treatment hasn't kept pace with the science. Host Emily O'Brien talks with DCRI researcher Steven George about biopsych...

DCRI Faculty member Stephen George joined the latest episode of the Beyond the Endpoint podcast to discuss the state of back pain research, and how treatment can better keep up with the science. Listen here: dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-1...

Medera Completes Enrollment in First-In-Human Gene Therapy Trial for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Medera Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on targeting cardiovascular diseases by developing next-generation therapeutics, today announced that the final... Read More

Last month, the first-in-human gene therapy trial for HFpEF completed enrollment, a significant milestone that DCRI’s Marat Fudim says can allow researchers “to gather the additional safety and efficacy data needed” for Phase 2b progression. Read more: www.citybiz.co/article/7886...

S.2 Ep. 12 | From Research to Relief: Raising the Standard in Back Pain Treatment Nearly 40% of Americans have experienced back pain in the past three months, yet treatment hasn't kept pace with the science. Host Emily O'Brien talks with DCRI researcher Steven George about biopsych...

🚨 New Episode | From Research to Relief: Raising the Standard in Back Pain Treatment

We explore how research is raising the standard in back pain treatment with Steven George, ranging from opioid-era lessons to patient-centered care.

dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-1...

YouTube video by Duke Clinical Research Institute DCRI 30 Years & Beyond: Shaping the Future of Clinical Research

Throughout 2026, the DCRI marks 30 years of developing, sharing, and implementing knowledge that improves health around the world. Watch DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez reflect on our impact and share his vision for what comes next. #DCRI30

www.youtube.com/watch?v=70oj...

Cardiometabolic Control Elusive in Adults With Hypertension Despite new therapies, metabolic risk hasn’t improved in more than a decade.

While 1 in 5 adults with hypertension have both diabetes and high cholesterol, only 1 in 4 has all three conditions under control. For DCRI’s Nishant Shah, better system-level coordination should help caregivers “feel empowered to make changes toward [patient] care.” www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

S.2 Ep. 11 | All About Allergies: The Evolution of Care & Evidence with Dr. Zach Rubin Double-board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist Zach Rubin joins Manesh Patel for an evidence-based discussion on allergy science. The conversation dives into the differences between al...

🚨 New Episode: All About Allergies: The Evolution of Care & Evidence Explained

In Season 2, Episode 11 of Beyond the Endpoint, hosts Emily O’Brien and Manesh Patel sit down with Dr. Zachary Rubin to unpack what’s changed in allergy prevention and treatment.
dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-1...

IQVIA, DCRI Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Clinical Research in Obesity, Related Conditions IQVIA, a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries, and the Duke Clinical Research Institute...

The DCRI is excited to partner with IQVIA to enhance the conduct of clinical research in obesity and related cardiometabolic trials, drive meaningful improvements in patient care and set new benchmarks. Read more: dcri.org/news/iqvia-d...

Experts like DCRI's Manesh Patel recommend treating heart risk "like your retirement” and acting sooner rather than later. Now, a new online heart risk calculator could help adults determine their risks up to 30 years in advance: www.nbcnews.com/health/heart...

Even With Optimized GDMT, HFrEF Prognosis Remains Dire Just 7% of HFrEF patients received quadruple therapy, and even in this group, the absolute risk of events at 1 year was high.

Registry data shows that only 7% of HFrEF patients received full GDMT upon hospital discharge – a situation that DCRI’s Stephen Greene says is a “huge problem.” Read more about why Greene believes it’s crucial these therapies are used more often. www.tctmd.com/news/even-op...

Looking Beyond Statins For New Ways To Lower Cholesterol When it comes to “bad” cholesterol, most cardiologists say lower is better. But what’s the best way to get that number down?

What’s the best way to lower “bad” cholesterol? DCRI’s Neha Pagidipati joined Kiran Musunuru and Ira Flatow for a conversation on the latest in cholesterol-lowering options, including CRISPR technology. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/new...

S.2 Ep. 10 | From Innovation to Implementation: AI in Action Guests Michael Pencina and Suresh Balu join the Beyond the Endpoint hosts to explore the impact of AI in healthcare. They discuss the role of AI-powered tools in research, clinical care, and operation...

🚨 New Episode: From Innovation to Implementation: AI in Action

Hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O’Brien talk with Michael Pencina, PhD and Suresh Balu, MS, MBA about how AI is transforming medicine and what is needed for responsible usage.

dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-1...

Is It Heartburn or a Heart Attack? How to Know A heart attack can feel a lot like heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux. Here’s how to tell the difference and seek appropriate help.

Heartburn or heart attack – how can you tell the difference? Learn the key signs between the two, featuring input from DCRI’s Nishant Shah: www.everydayhealth.com/cardiovascul...

There’s still time to register for the virtual three-day ORBIT Hub Winter School in Real-World Data (RWD) Analytics. This three-day event is open to anyone interested in the application of real-world data analytics. Secure your spot: duke.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

YouTube video by Duke Health What Do My Cholesterol Results Even Mean? | Duke Health

Curious about what exactly separates good cholesterol from bad cholesterol? DCRI’s Nishant Shah breaks down how to read cholesterol results, why they’re important, and when it’s time to consider lifestyle and medication changes: youtu.be/cFKt312qj9E?...

S.2 Ep. 9 | Beyond the Headlines Kick off 2026 with hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O'Brien as they evaluate last year's most discussed health stories and wellness trends, cannabis reclassification, and a shingles vaccine-dementia study...

🚨 New Episode: Looking back at 2025’s biggest health headlines

In this “Beyond the Headlines” episode hosts Emily O’Brien and Manesh Patel discuss:

• The biggest health headlines of 2025
• Dementia & vaccines
• Cannabis research

dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-9...

Duke researchers deploy drones to speed AED delivery in cardiac emergencies Each year, more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest in the United States but less than 10% survive. Cardiologist Monique Starks says the program has the potential to save thousands of lives.

DCRI's Monique Starks is leading a first-of-its-kind study exploring how drones can quickly deliver AEDs to 911 callers faster than emergency services can arrive, improving response times and saving lives. dukechronicle.com/article/duke...

Standardization of Baseline and Provocative Invasive Hemodynamic Protocols for the Evaluation of Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension Invasive hemodynamic testing guides heart failure and pulmonary hypertension care, optimizing therapy, predicting outcomes, and transplant eligibility.

DCRI’s Marat Fudim, leader of the institute’s Hemodynamic Core Lab, served as the co-chair on a new AHA statement on hemodynamic standardization, which will serve as a key reference document for trainees globally. Read more: professional.heart.org/en/science-n...

Coronary Reperfusion in Patients With ST-Elevation MI Requiring Transfer This Viewpoint evaluates the evolution of ST-elevation myocardial infarction guidelines on reperfusion choices and the evidence that adherence to timely reperfusion recommendations affects outcomes in...

DCRI’s Chris Granger was one of the authors of a recent opinion viewpoint piece for JAMA Cardiology on the necessity to revisit the time metrics guiding STEMI care and how to best align them with what is now feasible at the first point-of-care: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

#cardiosky

Heart Failure Risk and Events in People With HIV: The Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV (REPRIEVE) | Circulation: Heart Failure BACKGROUND: People with HIV (PWH) may have a higher risk of heart failure (HF) due to traditional and HIV-related factors. Incidence and risk prediction of HF in PWH are not well characterized. We aim...

People living with HIV are twice as likely to experience heart failure. The REPRIEVE Trial aimed to quantify the risk of HF events in this population, covering demographics, clinical factors, and global regions. www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10....

Chest X-ray Before Cath—Is There a Point? Interventionalists don’t often order a CXR ahead of time, but when it’s already been done, some find the added info useful.

Is it worth waiting for a chest x-ray before a cardiac catheterization? DCRI’s Mitchel Krucoff was among the experts asked this question by Morton Kern in a recent opinion piece for TCTMD: www.tctmd.com/news/chest-x...

S.2 Ep. 8 | Behind the Voices: Get to Know Emily & Manesh Hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O'Brien share their amusing and inspiring personal and professional trajectories, exploring how mentors shaped their paths in clinical research, why asking unconventional ...

Meet the voices behind Beyond the Endpoint as Emily O’Brien and Manesh Patel chat unscripted about their careers, research, and more.

dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-8...

Last week, Duke Heart Center Chief of Cardiology and DCRI faculty Manesh Patel, MD joined federal, state, academic, and industry leaders, including FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, NC Governor Josh Stein, and senior Novartis leadership at the groundbreaking of a new biomanufacturing facility in RTP.

While at CVCT, DCRI faculty Jennifer Green MD and Christoph Hornik chaired a session covering CKD developments and the AI in healthcare, both of which the DCRI has been heavily involved in. Learn more about the ways we're working to improve care for all: dcri.org/solutions

Where are we in the battle against antibiotic-resistant infections? The World Health Organization says that antibiotic resistance rose during the COVID pandemic. But antibiotic stewardship and other efforts are yielding results.

An October report from the World Health Organization found many antibiotics are losing effectiveness, increasing the risk of drug-resistant superbugs. DCRI's Vance Fowler joined other experts to offer insights into this growing concern.

www.aamc.org/news/where-a...

Next week, catch the following DCRI faculty members, many of whom are also a part of the CardioHealth Alliance, at CVCT in Washington, D.C, from December 8-10. Check the full list of forum sessions here: www.globalcvctforum.com/_files/ugd/d...

DCRI Accomplishments – Fall 2025 DCRI Accomplishments showcases the publications, awards, and other achievements of our faculty members. Each quarter, a new collection will highlight the most recent accomplishments.

The latest DCRI Accomplishments is here, highlighting recent awards and recognitions for faculty members Christopher Granger, Pamela Douglas, Vance Fowler, Adrian Hernandez, and Renato Lopes. Click the link below to read more: dcri.org/news/dcri-ac...

S.2 Ep. 7 | From Provider to Patient: A Dual Perspective on Colorectal Cancer Colon cancer is increasingly impacting younger adults. Hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O'Brien speak with a seemingly healthy, marathon-running patient diagnosed at 42, and a Duke gastroenterologist abou...

🚨New Episode Alert🚨

Hosts Emily O’Brien and Manesh Patel are joined by Dr. Ajay Kohli and Dr. Julius Wilder to discuss colorectal cancer, including survivorship, screening, and why care access matters.

dcri.org/blog/s2-ep-7...

#MedSky #podcast

DCRI reveals new results, shares expert insights at AHA25 The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) had a broad and visible presence throughout the 2025 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Nov. 7-10 in New Orleans. Faculty and staff participate...

At #AHA25, DCRI’s Neha Pagidipati stressed how cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic caregivers play a critical role in helping patients navigate a complex treatment landscape, while sharing strategies for streamlining care overall. dcri.org/news/dcri-re...

New heart disease calculator predicts 30-year risk for young adults Factors linked to heart problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and bad cholesterol levels, can start years, sometimes decades, earlier.

Young adults “have more cardiovascular risk or conditions than they did in the past,” according to DCRI’s Manesh Patel. Now, a new heart risk calculator could help them learn more about their heart disease risks up to 30 years in the future. Read more: www.nbcnews.com/health/heart...