Basic Science News at Duke School of Medicine

Rising global temperatures are doing more than intensifying storms and heatwaves. 

Scientists at the recent "Fungi in a Warming World: Adaptations, Challenges and Resilience"  Symposium held at Duke University School of Medicine warned that rising temperatures may be helping environmental fungi to survive inside the human body, putting more people at risk of serious infections. 

So far, we’ve had one big advantage: body temperatures too high for most fungi to survive. But that line of defense may be slipping away. 

Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD, has received the Lucille Georg Award in the basic scientist category from the International Society of Human and Animal Mycoses (ISHAM). This distinguished award recognizes lifetime achievements and outstanding contributions to the field of medical mycology.

If 98.8% of our DNA is the same as that of a chimpanzee, what changes in the remaining 1.2% make us human?

Study led by Duke School of Medicine reveals cancer’s weak spot – a protein that helps cells make energy and stops cancer from growing.

A new, high-resolution atlas of the mouse brain will increase precision in measuring changes in brain structure and make it easier to share results for scientists working to understand neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

A Duke University School of Medicine team reimagines a sci-fi classic as real-world biotech that can speed up biological research.

New strategy could change how we design drugs—especially the large and polar ones that were once too big to work.

An epic collaboration between neuroscientists at Duke and six other institutions has yielded an AI tool that paves the way for new approaches to treating neurological disorders.

When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, it left more than flood damage—it created fertile ground for mold and fungus to growth. Now, a Duke University team is studying how post-disaster fungi could affect health and recovery in a warming world.

A multi-faceted study from Duke University School of Medicine researchers shows for the first time that blocking an under-studied enzyme called PKN2 may be the key to stopping aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers.