Magnify Magazine

Many people incorrectly assume that having a disability lowers a person’s quality of life. Christopher Lunsford, MD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, wants to change that misconception. Lunsford works to increase the conversation around disability as a facet of diversity, emphasizing that disability advocacy can and should be a focus of institutional excellence. Building a stronger disability consciousness, he says, can help improve treatment for patients and teaching for students and trainees.

Cynthia Toth, MD, has revolutionized retinal imaging for both adult and pediatric patients. A pioneer and one of the world’s leading experts in optical coherence tomography (OCT), she has helped develop better ways to diagnose and predict the course of blinding eye diseases such as macular degeneration and retinopathy of prematurity, one of the most common causes of childhood vision loss.

Families affected by Pompe disease gathered at Duke recently to celebrate the remarkable advances generated by Duke researchers that have helped people with the disease live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. Genetic specialists at Duke developed the only FDA-approved treatment for Pompe disease and continue to work on treatments to give even more patients and families a brighter future.

In the Duke Clinical Research Institute, a group of pediatric physician-scientists has built a unique foundation for finding public health answers. Fueled by a deeply ingrained commitment to teamwork and mentorship and a shared ability for recognizing opportunities to advance clinical research, they are having an enormous impact on medical treatments for children — and adults — and influencing public health and student wellness across the country.