News

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 Office of Faculty Development has announced its recipients of the 2019 Excellence in Professionalism Award, including Cynthia Shortell, MD, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, and Lisa Pickett, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery.

Congratulations to Kevin W. Southerland, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, who has been selected to receive up to 3 years of support from the Duke Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) KL2.

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.

A vascular surgeon at Duke, Dr. Kevin Southerland uses his close proximity to patients and disease to inform his research, an opportunity that offers him a unique perspective.

Congratulations to Leila Mureebe, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, who received a grant from Duke MEDx for her pilot project, “Novel Implantable Oxygen Sensors to Predict Healing of Amputations for Rapid Rehabilitation and Mobility.”

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.

Congratulations to Cynthia Shortell, MD, Professor and Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, for being named Chair-Elect of the Guidelines Committee for the American Venous Forum (AVF).

Founded in 1987, the AVF is dedicated to improving care for patients with venous and lymphatic disease. As a forum, the AVF provides interactive education for physicians and fellows, provides an online venous registry, and works to increase patient outreach through improved screening.

Photo: Dr. Kevin Southerland, General Surgery Chief Resident, inserts a stent graft using CYDAR imaging

In April, Duke vascular surgeons introduced novel 3D imaging that harnesses the power of the cloud to facilitate endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).