Division News

The Mystery of Long COVID: Brain Fog, Fatigue, Even Sexual Dysfunction

By Steve Hartsoe

Thousands of COVID-19 survivors continue to grapple with symptoms many months after they were first infected. Brain fog, fatigue, even sexual dysfunction are among the symptoms people endure weeks and months after their acute COVID symptoms fade.

On some occasions, the virus reveals a pre-existing disease or causes another to inflict the patient.

But there is still much unknown about so-called long COVID, which ongoing research at Duke University and elsewhere aims to clarify.

Robert M. Califf Confirmed as Commissioner for the US Food and Drug Administration

Robert M. Califf, MD, Duke University adjunct professor of medicine (cardiology) and former director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), has been confirmed as commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration following a vote by the Senate today. Califf’s appointment to the position will mark his second time heading the agency, which he also led during the final year of former President Barack Obama’s administration.

School of Medicine is Third in Nation for Federal Medical Research Funding

Duke University School of Medicine was awarded more than $608 million in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2021, ranking third nationally among academic medical centers, up from 10th last year, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

The Department of Medicine's award of that total was $174,530,472. 

New Funding Awards - November 2021

Sponsored Research

Andrew Armstrong of Medical Oncology has received an award from the Movember Foundation for a project entitled "International Retrospective Collaborative Analysis of the Impact of Ablative Therapy Directed to the Local Tumor and/or Metastases for Patients with Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer¿." TBD

Vance Fowler of Infectious Diseases has received an award from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled "HLA Fine Mapping to Elucidate S. aureus Susceptibility - R01." Total funding will be $3,757,863.

Inaugural Vice Chiefs for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VCDEI) announced

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Committee (DEIAR) announced the individuals selected to become the inaugural Vice Chiefs for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VCDEI) for each division within the department of medicine. These individuals are all wonderful thoughtful leaders who have shown a commitment to improving DEI within the department.

New Funding Awards - August 2021

Sponsored Research 

Jatin Roper of Gastroenterology has received an award from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled "Ultra-bright fluorescent nanoparticles for colorectal adenoma detection." Total funding will be $461,090.