William Kraus, MD, professor of medicine (cardiology), was one of four faculty in the School of Medicine to be awarded a distinguished professorship.
Distinguished professorships recognize both exceptional achievement and the potential for future achievement. They are awarded to our most distinguished faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary scholarship in advancing science and improving human health. Dr. Kraus was awarded the Richard & Pat Johnson Professorship.
An internationally-recognized pioneer in preventative cardiology and lifestyle medicine, Kraus is a member of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Duke Cancer Institute. He is also a professor in the School of Nursing and Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Pratt School of Engineering.
A clinician-scientist, his research interests focus on the use of exercise for favorable mediation of cardiometabolic risk. The author of over 300 peer reviewed publications and 250 abstracts, Kraus’ research has been instrumental in broadening the understanding of the biological mechanisms whereby exercise training results in health benefits, and then translating that knowledge into clinical practice.
Kraus has been the primary author and principal investigator of a series of three continuously NIH-funded clinical trials designed to investigate the molecular and physiologic mechanism of different doses and intensities of exercise on cardiovascular health. These studies have already given birth to over 25 published manuscripts which have illustrated that exercise recommendations must be individualized for patient characteristics as well as disease of interest.
This work has been the basis for much of the dose-response exercise information on cardiovascular health in the world's literature. Through his work, Dr. Kraus has had a major influence on U.S. public policy on exercise recommendations. He received his medical degree and completed his residency training fellowships at Duke University. He joined the faculty at Duke in 1988.