DukeMed Alumni News

DMAN 2024 Fall Cover

DukeMed Alumni News, Fall 2024

What Comes Next: Geriatric Medicine

Geriatrician Heather Whitson, MD, is the Duke School of Medicine Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience, the director of the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, and the co-director of the Duke-UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “For me, the true north is to help people maintain function, independence, quality of life, and resilience,” she says.

What Comes Next: Health Equity

Kimberly Johnson, MD, MHS’05, HS’00-’02, is the Brenda E. Armstrong, MD Distinguished Professor in medicine and geriatrics. She emphasizes the need to shift health care disparities research from documenting disparities to developing interventions that improve equity, particularly in serious illness care for African Americans.

What Comes Next: Cancer Research and Care

Dr. Michael Kastan, director of the Duke Cancer Institute, highlights the progress in cancer diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing prevention, screening, and personalized medicine. He envisions future advancements through genetic and biochemical discoveries, improved technologies, and targeted therapies, fulfilling DCI's mission to revolutionize cancer care.

What Comes Next: Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health

Tomi Akinyemiju, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences. She emphasizes the importance of prevention and health equity in epidemiology and advocates for personalized approaches, leveraging big data and AI for risk prediction, and ensuring equitable access to medical and policy solutions to address health disparities.

What Comes Next: Integrative Immunobiology

Dr. Raphael Valdivia, the Nanaline H. Duke Distinguished Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, emphasizes the need to understand the human immune system to address diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. His research focuses on leveraging AI and genetic engineering to guide immunity, highlighting Duke's strengths in transplant immunology and infectious disease research.

What Comes Next: Genomics and Precision Health

Dr. Svati Shah, a leader in cardiovascular genetics at Duke, directs the OneDukeGen program, aiming to sequence 150,000 patients to identify actionable genetic variants. Her vision is a future where genetic sequencing at birth enables precise, equitable healthcare, potentially preventing diseases through advanced gene editing and personalized medical care.

Addressing the Health Challenges of a Changing Climate

Health experts at Duke University School of Medicine are scrutinizing the myriad ways in which shifting environmental conditions, from sweltering temperatures to severe storms, shape our well-being.  In university laboratories, North Carolina homes and on the coastlines of faraway places, they've learned not everyone is equally at risk. Their efforts involve pinpointing solutions to help those susceptible to environmental disruptions, which could affect respiratory and cardiovascular health, food security, infection resilience, and mental health.

A Scientist's Race Against Fungal Evolution

In a new study, scientists at Duke University School of Medicine have identified a potential new front in the battle against fungal infections, a growing health threat. By determining two structures of a crucial enzyme involved in fungal survival, scientists have pinpointed a pathway that could be key to developing new antifungal drugs.

The Deans: Mary E. Klotman, BS'76, MD'80, HS'80-'85

Mary E. Klotman, BS’76, MD’80, HS’80-85, is Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Duke University, Dean of Duke University School of Medicine, and Chief Academic Officer for Duke University Health System. She was appointed dean in 2017, after serving for seven years as chair of the Department of Medicine, and re-appointed in 2022.

The Deans: R. Sanders “Sandy” Williams, MD’74, HS’77-’80

R. Sanders “Sandy” Williams, MD’74, HS’77-’80, is a professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke University School of Medicine. He was Dean of the School of Medicine from 2001-2007 and Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs from 2001-2010. He currently serves in advisory roles on issues including Duke Science and Technology and research translation and commercialization.

About DukeMed Alumni News

DukeMed Alumni News is published twice a year. If you have a story idea, please write to us at the address below or send an e-mail to dukemed@dm.duke.edu. We are interested in remembrances of favorite faculty or stories about your time at the School of Medicine, as well as alumni who have interesting hobbies, alternative careers, global and community health experiences, and anything you think would be of interest to other Duke medical alumni. Letters to the editor are also welcome.

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