News

The Duke Department of Surgery now ranks third among surgery departments nationwide in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding received in 2019 according to the newly released Blue Ridge rankings. Duke Surgery has continued to rank in the top five nationally over the past 30 years, demonstrating the department’s long-standing commitment to investigate the impact of disease on patient health. With a diverse portfolio, including 78.7% of funding from the NIH, Duke Surgery faculty and staff perform a wide variety of research to improve the human condition.

When George Kasotakis, MD, MPH, moved to Durham from Boston University Medical Center in September 2018, he brought with him a strong research background in pulmonary inflammatory disease, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery, Dr. Kasotakis’ clinical interests have the same focus: severe ARDS, which occurs when fluid fills the air sacs of the lungs due to inflammation. Dr.

The Department of Surgery held its 4th Annual Research Day April 17. The department holds this event annually to advance its mission of improving patient care through research and training the next generation of surgeon–scientists. The event recognizes the accomplishments of fellows, residents, and students engaged in clinical or basic and translational research through the department.

The U.S. News and World Report has ranked the Duke University School of Medicine 2nd in surgery among the best medical schools in the country. This 2nd place ranking is up considerably from the department’s 5th place ranking last year.

The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research has released its 2018 rankings of NIH funding for basic and clinical science departments, revealing that Duke Surgery ranks highest nationwide with more than $30 million in funding committed to research.

With a buzzing phone and dinging inbox repeatedly begging for her attention, Dr. Georgia Beasley momentarily tunes out the chaos to discuss the journey that led to her current position at Duke. Here, she splits her time between treating melanoma patients in the clinic and researching novel treatments for the disease in the laboratory.

The Department of Surgery and Duke University Hospital (DUH) teams welcomed home one of their own this week from a six-month deployment with the U.S. Army.

Amy Alger, MD, FACS, a surgeon at DUH, recently returned to Duke after her service overseas and was welcomed back with a celebration.

The Duke Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the appointment of Suresh K. Agarwal Jr., MD, as the new Chief of the Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery. Dr. Agarwal comes to Duke from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health where he has served as Chief of the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and Chief of Trauma Services. His other roles at the University of Wisconsin have included Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship, Medical Director of Trauma, and Staff Surgeon at William S.

Congratulations to Courtney Sommer, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery, on being recognized for her contributions to the Journal of Surgical Research with an invitation to join the journal’s Editorial Board.