Duke University School of Medicine

08/07/2026

The annual Medical Student Research Symposium showcases one of the defining features of Duke's medical education program: a dedicated third year for research, where students pursue and present projects spanning biomedical discovery, clinical innovation, population health, medical education, and more.

At this year's symposium, students were recognized for excellence in peer education, research achievement, and leadership:

Peer Educator Excellence Awards:
• Michael Aiduk
• Natasha Andreasen
• Olivia Fehrmann
• Andrea Gorodezky

GlaxoSmithKline Awards:
• Alexa LaVergne
• Kerry Gao
• Lindsey Reynolds

Vice Dean Awards:
• Gene Moon
• Alexandra Damron

🔗 Read more about this year's symposium: https://medschool.duke.edu/news/duke-medical-students-showcase-research-annual-symposium?utm_campaign=SoMnews&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

08/07/2026

From improving mental health care tools to advancing personalized cancer treatment, Duke University School of Medicine faculty and students are tackling real-world challenges through Bass Connections.

Bass Connections brings together students, faculty and community partners from across disciplines to collaborate on research and address complex societal problems. This year, School of Medicine participants contributed to projects spanning patient care, health outcomes, cancer research and more, gaining hands-on experience while helping generate new knowledge.

🔗 Explore more 2025-2026 Bass Connections team stories: https://bassconnections.duke.edu/their-own-words-profiles-2025-2026-bass-connections-teams/

08/06/2026

How can we keep the unique pain-relieving benefits of opioids while reducing their addictive potential?

New research from Duke University School of Medicine researchers Mike Tadross, MD, PhD, and Aryana Yousefzadeh, PhD, identifies a small group of brain cells that appear to play a key role in opioid reward learning, a process linked to addiction.

Using a tool developed in the Tadross lab, the team showed that by blocking opioids in only those cells, pain relief could be preserved even when drug-related preferences failed to form.

🔗 Read more at the link in our comments.

08/04/2026

Ride for cancer research! Details below. ⤵

Every rider makes a difference. Join us at Duke Rides for an indoor cycling relay. Funds raised go directly toward cancer research, clinical trials, and patient care, helping DCI continue delivering hope and healing to patients and families across our community. Grab your team (4+ riders) and register today: https://duke.is/DukeRides

Together we ride. Together we fight.

📆 Saturday, Oct. 3
⏰ 12-5 p.m.
📍 Wilson Recreation Center, Durham, NC

07/30/2026

📽️ Duke Health is entering an exciting new chapter.

In a candid conversation, Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs at Duke University, dean of Duke University School of Medicine, and chief academic officer of Duke Health, sits down with David W. Zaas, MD, chief executive officer of Duke University Health System, to discuss what's ahead.

They share their perspectives on research, education, clinical care, community partnerships, and the investments that will help shape Duke Health's future.

07/29/2026

Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have developed a new artificial intelligence tool that can redesign proteins while preserving their structure and function.

Published in Nature, the framework, called Raygun, builds on AI systems trained on millions of natural protein sequences. The tool can create shorter, longer, and highly modified versions of proteins, giving scientists a powerful new way to explore protein design.

Led by Rohit Singh, PhD, and colleagues, the research could help accelerate the development of new tools for gene therapy, biotechnology, and biomedical research, while also providing new insight into how proteins evolve in nature.

🔗 Read more at the link in our comments.

07/28/2026

What if a credit score could reveal a hidden health risk?

As Americans grapple with rising housing costs, record credit card debt, and growing financial uncertainty, researchers at Duke University School of Medicine are uncovering a troubling connection between money troubles and mental health.

Veterans who experienced major financial hardship such as sharp credit score drops, missed mortgage payments, or repossessions were significantly more likely to die by su***de within the following year.

“The financial warning signs we identified are not unique to veterans,” said Eric B. Elbogen, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Duke (Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences). “They reflect challenges many Americans are facing right now.”

The findings suggest that conversations about debt, housing struggles, and financial insecurity could play a bigger role in su***de prevention.

07/24/2026

07/23/2026

Duke Health's Artist in Residence Program will continue expanding access to live music across the hospital campus thanks to an additional $60,000 grant.

The program has become an important part of the patient experience, bringing live music not only to patients at the bedside, but also to families and caregivers in hallways, support groups, clinics, and other shared spaces. The funding will also support music lessons for pediatric patients.

By integrating the arts into health care environments, the program helps reduce stress, foster connection, and create moments of joy for patients and families navigating difficult circumstances.

07/23/2026