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The Duke Mouse Brain Atlas Promises to Accelerate Studies of Neurological Disorders

1 month ago | medschool.duke.edu | Angela Spivey

A new “atlas” developed by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and the University of Pittsburgh 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 disease.
Honey, I Shrunk the Proteins

1 month ago | medschool.duke.edu | Angela Spivey

In August 2024, Duke University School of Medicine computational biologist Rohit Singh, PhD, posted on the social media platform X, “Introducing Raygun, a new approach to protein design.”He was talking about an artificial intelligence tool his team created to help biologists “shrink” or “expand” existing proteins. The X post got nearly 200,000 views and nearly 1,000 likes.
Neuroscientists Develop An AI Tool to Reveal the Brain's Secrets

1 month ago | medschool.duke.edu | Angela Spivey

Understanding and treating brain disorders such as tremor, imbalance, and speech impairments requires deep knowledge of the cerebellum, a part of the brain that’s crucial for making accurate movements. Scientists have long been able to eavesdrop on and record the electrical signals transmitted by neurons (brain cells) in the cerebellum, allowing them to observe the signals entering and exiting this region.
Two Types of Bariatric Surgery Lower Health Care Costs for Patients with Diabetes

Jan 28, 2025 | medschool.duke.edu | Angela Spivey

In patients with type 2 diabetes, two types of bariatric surgery for weight loss may be effective for reducing long-term health care costs, a study from Duke University School of Medicine and Kaiser Permanente has found. The study, published January 27 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found that patients who underwent either Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy experienced significant decreases in overall health care costs afterward.
What Comes Next: Neuroscience

Jan 27, 2025 | medschool.duke.edu | Mary-Russell Roberson

Using New Technologies to Understand the BrainNicole Calakos, MD, PhD, is the Lincoln Financial Group Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology. She specializes in synaptic physiology research and Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. She said the proximity and collegiality of so many talented researchers and physicians at Duke creates a fertile field for research.
Reaching New Heights in Cancer Care

Jan 8, 2025 | medschool.duke.edu | Sarah Avery

The only way to ascend a mountain is by putting one foot ahead of the other, one step and then another, over and again. That tenacity took Shelley Hwang, MD, to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2021, the highest mountain in Africa. It’s also led her to the pinnacle of a research quest that began decades ago as a daunting challenge.
Heart Patients Miss Key Cholesterol Goal, Study Finds

Jan 6, 2025 | medschool.duke.edu | Shantell Kirkendoll

More than half of patients with heart disease are not hitting cholesterol targets, leaving them at greater risk for heart attack and strokes, according to a new study by Duke University School of Medicine. About 25% of the U.S. population has high cholesterol, which contributes to 3.2 million deaths a year.
The Science of Smell:  Scientists Explore the Invisible World of Odors

Oct 30, 2024 | medschool.duke.edu | Shantell Kirkendoll |Levi Gadye

Our noses can effortlessly distinguish the aroma of coffee from the tang of gasoline, yet how they do it has long been a mystery. In a study that appears Oct. 30 in Nature, scientists at Duke University School of Medicine, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and City of Hope provide a glimpse into the complex mechanics that enable the nose to decode an astonishing range of odors with precision.
A Rising Tide of Kidney Disease in Rural Communities

Oct 23, 2024 | medschool.duke.edu | Shantell Kirkendoll

Kidney disease is typically linked to conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which gradually wear down the kidneys’ delicate systems that keep the body in balance. But the communities that Duke University researchers Nishad Jayasundara , PhD, and nephrologist Anna Strasma , MD, study are facing a different problem.
On the Swamp: Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice | Duke University School of Medicine

Oct 18, 2024 | medschool.duke.edu

Scientists sometimes think about their research as supporting efforts to promote justice, including environmental justice, which the US Environmental Protection Agency defines as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decision-making. This framing is often true and can yield impactful science, but scientists can also benefit from flipping their perspective to consider how concepts and principles of environmental justice might sharpen our work as researchers.