News

N.C. Residents Living Near Large Hog Farms Have Elevated Disease, Death Risks

While the cause is not definitive, the health risks serve as a call for research and action

North Carolinians who live near large hog farms -- known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs -- have higher death rates from a variety of causes than comparable state residents who live further away from such facilities.

Duke Surgery Welcomes New Director of Gene Therapy

We are pleased to announce that Aravind Asokan, PhD, will join the Department of Surgery as the new Director of Gene Therapy in the Division of Surgical Sciences with a secondary appointment in Molecular Genetics & Microbiology. Dr. Asokan comes to Duke from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, where he served as Associate Professor in the Departments of Genetics and Biochemistry & Biophysics.

Harnessing the Immune System to Improve Patient Outcomes

Duke Health introduces new research initiative to overcome hurdles of immunity

Our immune system works around the clock to keep us safe from disease, kicking out invading pathogens that mean to do us harm, while partnering harmoniously with the healthy viruses, fungi, and bacteria that live within us. But what happens when this beautiful symphony starts playing out of tune and our immune system is unable to recognize friend from foe?

Duke Predoctoral Student Receives Environmental Health Scholars Award

Risa Gearhart-Serna, a predoctoral student in the lab of Gayathri Devi, PhD, Associate Professor in Surgical Sciences, has been selected to receive the Duke Environmental Health Scholars (EHS) award for her project "Identifying Aggressive Breast Cancer Outcome Correlations with Environmental Contaminant Exposure: A Geospatial Analysis Project Using North Carolina as a Model."

Gayathri Devi, PhD, Presents at the Annual Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities Symposium

Gayathri Devi, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, was an invited speaker at the Annual Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (GMaP) symposium this morning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Public Health. Dr. Devi presented in the panel on peer support and community resources related to Transdisciplinary Science to Advance the Elimination of Cancer Health Disparities.

Dr. Georgia Tomaras Elected Fellow in American Academy of Microbiology

Georgia Tomaras, PhD, Professor in Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, has been elected to Fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology. Dr. Tomaras was one of 96 new fellows chosen worldwide through a highly selective peer-review process. Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology represent all subspecialties of the microbial sciences, and are elected based on their record of originality, leadership, and contributions to the field of microbiology.