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Study shows that delaying CPR is associated with worse survival Surviving cardiac arrest often seems like a matter of luck – whether a passerby knows CPR, or a defibrillator is close at hand or the ambulance arrives quickly. But one surprising factor also plays a role: The racial makeup of your neighborhood.

Genetics of digestion little-changed in 420 million years Scientists have discovered a network of genes and genetic regulatory elements in the lining of the intestines that has stayed remarkably the same from fishes to humans. Many of these genes are linked to human illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes and obesity. 

In 2009, Deans Edward Buckley, MD and Colleen Grochowski, PhD of the Duke School of Medicine (SoM) asked for a group to come together to figure out how to promote primary care at the school.  Duke had received a gift from the estate of Edith Martin that stipulated that the money be used to promote primary care.  A group of dedicated educators started brainstorming together.  Among that group, Dr.

Improving use of anticoagulation drugs is a key to preventing strokes DURHAM, N.C. -- Only about half of patients with atrial fibrillation worldwide take anticoagulant drugs, despite the medications being highly effective in preventing strokes. Increasing the use of anticoagulation therapies could prevent hundreds of thousands of strokes each year. A new study shows that education, measurement and feedback are effective approaches to increasing the use of anticoagulants, and demonstrate on a large scale how this improvement can be achieved.

Electronics developed for deep brain stimulation useful for electric vehicles too Technology developed to help neurosurgeons control electric currents during noninvasive brain stimulation could also lead to safer, more efficient batteries for electric cars and solar panels, thanks to seed funding from the Duke University Energy Initiative.

Earlier this summer, Boston-area medical alumni welcomed new Duke SOM graduates who were beginning their training at hospitals in the city. More than 20 alumni gathered at the event to toast the new residents and provide them with insights on living and working in the Boston area.

Alumni Spotlight - Fixing the Unimaginable Pediatric and fetal surgeon Holly Hedrick, MD’91, gives hope for families and babies with complex birth defects By Aliza Inbari

Would you like to be nominated to represent the School of Medicine on your local Duke alumni regional board? The Duke Alumni Association has regional volunteers serving in nearly 40 domestic regions and a dozen international locations.  Volunteers drive the activity of these Duke alumni groups. You can help mobilize alumni in your area by planning programs, hosting and organizing events, or even just suggesting ideas for ways to connect alumni in your community.

Typhoid, Ebola use cholesterol to enter cells   That statin you’ve been taking to lower your risk of heart attack or stroke may one day pull double duty, providing protection against a whole host of infectious diseases, including typhoid fever, chlamydia, and malaria.

Anthony Viera, MD, MPH, has been named the new chair of the Department of Community and Family Medicine, effective October 1, 2017. Dr. Viera is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He also holds appointments as adjunct professor in the Department of Epidemiology and in the Public Health Leadership Program at UNC. This decision was made after a national search, and I want to thank members of the search committee, led by Allan Kirk, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery, for all of their efforts.