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Duke University School of Medicine students Arthika Chandramohan, Trevor Dickey and Stephanie Ngo were named 2014-2015 North Carolina Albert Schweitzer Fellows. Twenty-nine graduate students from North Carolina were selected as fellows; they will spend the next year learning to effectively address the social factors that impact health, and developing lifelong leadership skills.

Kathryn Andolsek, MD, MPH, has been named assistant dean for premedical education for the School of Medicine. In this new role, Dr. Andolsek will serve as the primary liaison between pre-medical school education programs and the School of Medicine. She will be the academic leader and faculty director of the School’s new Masters of Biomedical Science program, a professional master’s degree aimed at enhancing the academic preparation of students interested in pursuing a career as a healthcare professional or a career in a biomedical related field. 

Michael Kastan, MD, PhD, executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute and the William W. Shingleton MD Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology in School of Medicine, is among four members of the Duke University faculty who have been elected members of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Susan C. Alberts, a Bass Fellow and professor of biology; Paula D. McClain, dean of the graduate school and a professor of political science and public policy; and William M. Reddy, the William T.

Raphael H. Valdivia, PhD, will be the new vice dean for basic science for the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Valdivia will begin his service as vice dean on July 1, 2014, when current Vice Dean for Basic Science Sally Kornbluth, PhD, becomes provost.

Richard J. “Rich” O’Brien, MD, PhD, will join the Duke University School of Medicine as chair of the Department of Neurology, effective July 1, 2014.

After more than a decade of rich scientific discovery and significant faculty and student recruitment, on June 30, 2014, the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) will evolve into three distinct units.

New US News and World Report rankings for medical schools again place Duke University School of Medicine among the top 10 medical schools in the nation. Duke tied for 8th with Columbia University. Five of Duke’s medical education specialty programs also were ranked in the top 10: 3rd        Geriatrics 4th        Internal Medicine 8th        AIDS 9th        Women’s Health 9th        Family medicine

A multi-institutional team, led by Darell Bigner, MD, PhD, director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, has been named recipient of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Team Science Award. The  award recognizes an outstanding interdisciplinary research team for its innovative and meritorious scientific work that has advanced or will likely advance cancer research, detection, diagnosis, prevention or treatment.

David L. Epstein, MD, the Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, passed away on March 4, 2014.Eye Center Ground Breaking04.20.2012 Dr. Epstein served as chair for the last 22 years, building and leading an outstanding community of ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Under his leadership, the department grew to include its current team of 73 faculty members and more than 300 staff members.

Sally Kornbluth, a prominent cell biologist with long experience leading academic programs, has been named provost at Duke University, President Richard H. Brodh029913_kornbluth012ead announced Monday. Kornbluth is currently James B. Duke Professor in the department of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke and the vice dean for basic science in Duke’s School of Medicine. She will succeed Peter Lange, who is stepping down on June 30 after 15 years in the position. Her appointment was approved this weekend by the Board of Trustees.