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Duke Clinical Research Clinical research allows us to develop new health interventions to improve our lives and communities.

This page is maintained by the Duke Office of Clinical Research. We provide support and resources to Duke clinical research teams. Our research goal at the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke University Health System is to advance scientific discoveries so we can build healthy communities.

Tomorrow, Sarah Wilbur leads the next conversation in Duke's Humanizing Healthcare Through the Arts series.This discussi...
10/20/2026

Tomorrow, Sarah Wilbur leads the next conversation in Duke's Humanizing Healthcare Through the Arts series.

This discussion will feature leaders from the NeuroArts Blueprint: Research and Policy Roundup, exploring emerging research on connections between artistic engagement, brain health, and wellbeing.

Free and open to the public.

Learn more: https://calendar.duke.edu/show?fq=id%3ACAL-8a002cbd-9fb2e569-01a0-5d6cc0ea-000053c5demobedework%40mysite.edu

Duke Arts Duke University Dance Program

Big discoveries sometimes come from the smallest places.Duke researchers identified a sugar molecule produced by a natur...
10/19/2026

Big discoveries sometimes come from the smallest places.

Duke researchers identified a sugar molecule produced by a naturally occurring gut bacterium that helped obese mice burn more energy and reduce visceral fat, the type of fat most closely linked to diabetes and heart disease. The finding adds to growing evidence that the microbes living in our gut may play an important role in metabolism and future approaches to improving metabolic health.

Read more: https://medschool.duke.edu/news/sweet-discovery-fight-obesity

Duke OPAL R01: Chronic Pain Imaging StudyResearchers at the Duke University Medical Center are studying how the use of c...
10/08/2026

Duke OPAL R01: Chronic Pain Imaging Study

Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center are studying how the use of certain pain meds impacts brain activity in adult women with chronic pain conditions.

We will compare the brains of adult females over 18 years of age who use pain meds to manage chronic pain, with those of women who do not use them, through MRI scans and tests using games and mental tasks.

We hope to develop new, healthier, non-addictive treatments for adults with chronic pain.

Details:
https://sites.duke.edu/fibromyalgia/duke-fibromyalgia-recruitment-program/

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🌧️ Preparing for the next storm starts long before the forecast.As extreme weather events become more common, Duke exper...
10/07/2026

🌧️ Preparing for the next storm starts long before the forecast.

As extreme weather events become more common, Duke experts at Duke Engineering and Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke are exploring how local, state, and federal leaders can help communities build resilience before disasters strike. From flood planning and infrastructure to building codes and risk management, their message is clear: communities don't need perfect predictions to make smarter decisions today.

Research helps turn uncertainty into action, providing the evidence communities need to prepare for challenges like El Niño and build resilience to future extreme weather events.

Link: https://today.duke.edu/2026/09/news-you-can-use-preparing-el-nino-and-other-climate-challenges

Most healthcare happens in primary care clinics. That's why practice-based research networks are so important. They conn...
10/06/2026

Most healthcare happens in primary care clinics.

That's why practice-based research networks are so important. They connect researchers, clinicians, and community practices, making it possible to study real-world health questions where patients receive their everyday care.

Last week, Duke's Primary Care Research Consortium, led by Drs. Ranee Chatterjee and Will Yancy, and supported by Kiah Gaskin, hosted the annual North Carolina Network Consortium (NCNC) retreat, bringing together partners from Duke, UNC, ECU, MAHEC, and Atrium Health. For almost 20 years, these networks represent more than 2,100 providers across 350+ practices statewide creating opportunities to test and spread evidence-based approaches that can improve care for NC and beyond.

Discussions focused on topics including opioid research, cancer screening, future research, and new collaborations. Just as importantly, the gathering strengthened the partnerships that help move research beyond academic medical centers and into the communities where people receive care every day.

Learn more about the networks:
🩺 https://ncnc.unc.edu/
🩺 https://ctsi.duke.edu/research-support/primary-care-research-consortium

How do memories become memories?That's the question driving the work of Nanthia Suthana and her Duke Neurosurgery resear...
10/05/2026

How do memories become memories?

That's the question driving the work of Nanthia Suthana and her Duke Neurosurgery research team. Using wearable technology, they're studying memory during everyday life, helping scientists explore how the brain functions beyond the walls of a laboratory and uncovering insights that could one day improve care for people with neurological conditions.

It's a reminder that memories are more than snapshots of the past. They help shape who we are, connect us to the people we love, and guide us through the world. Understanding how they're formed could make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Watch the video here:
https://today.duke.edu/2026/09/duke-workday-how-nanthia-suthana-unlocking-mysteries-memory-and-brain

Not everyone benefits from medical advances in the same way. A Duke Bass Connections team spent the past year studying w...
10/01/2026

Not everyone benefits from medical advances in the same way.

A Duke Bass Connections team spent the past year studying why some patients with head and neck cancer may be less likely to receive or benefit from genetic testing and precision medicine approaches that can help guide treatment decisions. Their goal: help ensure that promising new cancer tools reach everyone who may need them.

When researchers talk about "disparities," they are talking about measurable differences in health outcomes, access to care, or use of medical services between groups of people. In this case, the team explored why some patients experience worse outcomes and what barriers may stand in the way of receiving the latest advances in cancer care. Understanding those gaps is an important step toward improving care for all patients, regardless of background, income, or where they live.

Through clinical research, literature reviews, and studies of patient and provider perspectives, the team examined ways to make personalized cancer care more equitable and accessible while training the next generation of researchers.

Read more: https://bassconnections.duke.edu/news/how-can-we-reduce-disparities-cancer-care/

Healthcare recommendations can look simple on paper.Real life is often more complicated.A Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral S...
09/30/2026

Healthcare recommendations can look simple on paper.

Real life is often more complicated.

A Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences-led workshop series challenged students to step into the shoes of patients navigating food insecurity, transportation challenges, housing instability, medication costs, and other barriers that can shape health outcomes. Through hands-on activities and real-world scenarios, participants learned that understanding a patient's circumstances is often just as important as understanding their diagnosis.

Research, education, and patient care all benefit when we take time to see healthcare through the patient's perspective.

🔗 https://psychiatry.duke.edu/news/learning-understand-health-through-eyes-patient

Living with Parkinson's? Help us explore how medical improv may improve communication, confidence, and connection. Join ...
09/29/2026

Living with Parkinson's?

Help us explore how medical improv may improve communication, confidence, and connection. Join our research study and help shape new approaches to Parkinson's care.

Learn more and sign up today! https://duke.is/PDImprov

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A New Era of Cancer DetectionTwenty years ago, cancer screening typically meant a different test for each type of cancer...
09/28/2026

A New Era of Cancer Detection

Twenty years ago, cancer screening typically meant a different test for each type of cancer. Today, researchers are studying multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests that look for signals from multiple cancers in a single blood sample.

These tests are still being evaluated and are not a replacement for recommended cancer screenings, but they represent how far cancer detection has advanced in a relatively short time. Duke researchers are helping study how these tests work, who may benefit, and what role they could play in the future of cancer care.

Learn more and watch the video: https://www.dukehealth.org/blog/can-simple-blood-test-detect-cancer

Duke Cancer Institute

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