Magnify Magazine

Magnify is Duke University School of Medicine's flagship magazine, publishing both online and print versions. Two stories a month are posted online, focused on the people who make up the School of Medicine community. A bi-annual print magazine is distributed to School of Medicine alumni, donors, and faculty.

If you have an idea for a Magnify story, we'd love to hear it. Please contact Shantell Kirkendoll at shantell.kirkendoll@duke.edu.

A nerve-based approach to helping older adults bounce back after surgery

January 28, 2026 By Shantell Kirkendoll

Electrical nerve stimulation shows promise in preventing post-surgery delirium

Third-year student medical Student at Duke University School of Medicine, Dominic Tanzillo

Medical Mystery in Microgravity: Can Space Travel Raise the Risk of Blood Clots?

Dominic Tanzillo is on a mission—not to space, but to the lab, where he’s unraveling a mystery that could have life-or-death consequences for astronauts.

The third-year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine is investigating whether microgravity—the near-weightless environment of space—raises the risk of blood clots. It’s a question with growing urgency as NASA prepares to send humans back to the Moon in 2027 through the Artemis III mission, marking the first time in over 50 years that astronauts will walk on the lunar surface.

Dr. Shelley Hwang, MD, Mary and Deryl Hart Distinguished Professor of Surgery, and husband John Kim on top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya.

Reaching New Heights in Cancer Care

Patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are usually treated with surgery and radiation, even though it may not develop into invasive breast cancer. Dr. Shelley Hwang recently presented a study suggesting that active monitoring could be an equally effective and less aggressive option for many women.

student on her computer in the Medical Center Library.

First, a Library: Celebrating Duke University Medical Center Library

The Duke University Medical Center Library began in 1927 with a bold vision from founding dean Wilburt Davison, MD, who prioritized a library even before hiring faculty. Today, it’s a dynamic hub supporting students and faculty with cutting-edge resources and partnerships, from systematic literature reviews to advancing health equity.

Nuo Li, PhD, associate professor of Neurobiology

One Way Your Brain Beats AI:  Learning Motor Tasks  

Research from Duke Science and Technology scholar Nuo Li, PhD, reveals that the brain's storage of certain memories is more complex and stable than previously thought.