Basic Science News at Duke School of Medicine

A new algorithm could help researchers better predict how molecules bind to proteins —an essential step in designing more effective drugs to treat a wide range of diseases.

Research led by Virginia Byers Kraus, MD, PhD, indicates that key proteins in the ankles are similar to those used by salamanders to regenerate severed limbs and might hold the key to a new therapeutic approach for joint disease.

Duke University School of Medicine researchers will launch a new national Center of Excellence for Multiscale Immune Systems Modeling (MISM), funded by a U54 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Long seen as defenders against disease, immune cells in the brain are now emerging as architects of early brain development.

Scientists at Duke University School of Medicine are developing a new CAR-T cell therapy that could finally help immunotherapy take aim at solid tumors. Early tests look promising, and it started with one patient’s immune system doing something extraordinary.

Ashley Moseman, PhD, assistant professor of integrative immunobiology, has been named a 2025 recipient of the highly competitive Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease award.

Researchers at Duke University are developing a new, non-addictive way to treat chronic pain using a natural compound in the body called adenosine. Their early results show this approach could be more effective than current medications and offer a safer alternative to opioids, with fewer side effects and no risk of addiction.

She’s mapping the brain in bold new ways and the ripple effects are already reaching patients. How Nanthia Suthana’s cutting-edge brain stimulation technique is shaping treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and binge eating.

As global temperatures rise, fungi are evolving to survive in warmer environments—potentially breaching the human body’s natural thermal defenses. At a Duke University symposium, scientists warned that climate change may be fueling the emergence of heat-tolerant fungal pathogens, posing a growing threat to public health.

Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD, has received the Lucille Georg Award in the basic scientist category from the International Society of Human and Animal Mycoses (ISHAM). This distinguished award recognizes lifetime achievements and outstanding contributions to the field of medical mycology.