Division News

Barton F. Haynes, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke, and Nobel Laureate Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, professor of medicine (Cardiology), have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Christopher Kontos, MD, associate professor of medicine (Cardiology), is one of five Duke University School of Medicine faculty members to be elected as a fellow of the AAAS for 2015, in recognition of his contributions to innovation, education and scientific leadership. The new fellows will be recognized in a February Fellows Forum at the 2016 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Svati Shah, MD, associate professor of medicine (Cardiology), received the American Heart Association’s 2015 Functional Genomics and Epidemiology Mid-Career Research Award at the recent AHA Scientific Sessions meeting in Orlando. 

A number of obstacles prevent heart failure patients from getting enough exercise, a new study has found. Supervised aerobic workouts benefit people with heart failure. But a lack of social support and barriers -- such as child care -- means that many patients don't get the recommended amount of exercise, researchers found. They looked at more than 2,200 heart failure patients enrolled in a 36-session supervised exercise program for three months, followed by two years of home exercise.

Maria Rapoza, PhD, joined the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center earlier this month as the center's executive director. Dr. Rapoza will work with Howard Rockman, MD, professor of medicine (Cardiology) and the center's director. 

The Duke Medical Alumni Association last night honored eight highly accomplished alumni, faculty, and friends with the 2015 Distinguished Awards. Among the recipients were three members of the Department of Medicine:

Richard Alan Schatz, MD, has pledged a $1.5 million bequest to support cardiovascular research by faculty in the Division of Cardiology as well as research projects by Duke medical students, said Magnus Ohman, MD, vice chair for development and innovation.

Geoffrey Ginsburg, MD, PhD, founding director for the Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center, Elizabeth M. McNally, MD, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine and a professor in the departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Barrett J.

Kevin Thomas, MD, assistant professor of medicine (Cardiology), has received a $2 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).