Michael “Luke” James, M.D. Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Neurology serves as the Duke-NUS Clinical Research Liaison. In this role, he works with the Vice Chancellor of Duke-NUS Affairs to maintain existing Duke / Duke-NUS research links and develop new ones in key strategic areas. He oversees the Duke-NUS clinical research fellowship exchange program, the Duke/Duke-NUS pilot grants, travel grants, and the Duke/Duke-NUS/SingHealth mentoring program. Dr. James has established collaborations with SingHealth National Neuroscience Institute and Duke Department of Anesthesiology and has often visited Singapore. He serves as a point of contact for those who already have research collaborations with Duke-NUS and for anyone interested in exploring research possibilities going forward.
After completing residencies in neurology and anesthesiology with fellowships in neurocritical care, neuroanesthesia, and vascular neurology, Dr. James joined the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University and developed a murine model of intracerebral hemorrhage in the Multidisciplinary Neuroprotection Laboratories. Under the mentorship of Drs. David Warner and Daniel Laskowitz, he pursued translatable mechanisms of modifying neuroinflammation after intracerebral hemorrhage to improve long-term functional recovery. In addition, he has used the model to evaluate the potential of several novel therapeutics for translation into human clinical trials. While maintaining an active and productive laboratory, Dr. James engaged in clinical research as a Principal Investigator on several clinical trials involving patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. As part of the Translational Acute Brain Injury Research Center at Duke University, he has been, the Duke site-PI for large, multicenter trials funded by the NIH, including CLEAR- IVH, MISTIE, ERICH, and HI-Def studies. In addition to a research focus in intracerebral hemorrhage, Dr. James has an active clinical practice in neuroanesthesia and neurocritical care. Duke University Hospital consistently handles a high volume of neurovascular and brain tumor neurosurgical cases, which require neuroanesthesia sub specialization. Our small group of neuroanesthesiologists handles patient care and research opportunities during the peri-operative period, as patients move between the emergency department, neurointensive care unit, operative suites, and neurointerventional suites. Dr. James has visited Duke-NUS and SingHealth numerous times. He visited initially on a Duke-NUS Travel Grant Award and then on a 30 day Academic Leave Award. Subsequently he has visited to continue research collaborations with the National Neuroscience Institute in SingHealth as well as to speak at Anesthesiology conferences.