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Duke Researchers Selected to National Academy of Inventors Two Duke innovators will become NAI Fellows: Aravind Asokan, for gene therapy delivery work, and Adam Wax, for medical imaging and optics advances Wax is an expert in medical imaging and optical technologies. His innovations are being used to improve medical imaging systems like endoscopy for esophageal cancer and optical coherence tomogr…

DUNE is a full-time, 8-week summer research internship exclusively for high school students from Durham public and charter schools. DUNE students are paired with a graduate student or postdoctoral mentor to conduct hands-on research in an on-campus laboratory at Duke University. Funded through the philanthropic efforts and sponsorship from the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS), the DUNE pr…

Campaign Launch Weekend Inspires Alumni, Students to Reflect on their Personal Duke Stories With that one act of kindness, Squires says, her trajectory changed. Squires graduated on time and launched a career in finance that continues today, where in Charlotte she is the head of Diverse Segments at Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking and also an active Duke volunteer. “Today, I'm motivated…

by Mimi Jenness This week's student spotlight features a dynamic Latina student whose fervor for science and dedication to community service are truly inspiring. Her energetic personality, combined with thoughtful communication and a drive for excellence, act like a force that pulls you in. Valentina Ramirez is a senior with a major in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Global Health. The B…

Bridging Gaps in Brain Health Research More than 210,000 people in North Carolina have Alzheimer's disease, and the number is growing. The true burden of dementia in the state is higher still, considering those who suffer from less common types of dementia and those who serve as unpaid family caregivers. The North Carolina Registry for Brain Health aims to help relieve the burden by educating Nor…

Duke Scholar Explores A Potent Brew of Religion, Ritual and Psychedelic Drugs Religious studies instructor Larissa Carneiro has followed her romantic and academic heart to Durham and then back to Brazil to study the ayahuasca-embracing Church of Santo Daime, “Saint Give Me” Carneiro was born in São Sebastião do Paraíso, Brazil, and started her first life (or two) after moving to Belo Horizonte wh…

A new mathematical model offers hope for better prediction and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Most mathematical models of Alzheimer’s are theoretical, focusing on short term molecular and cellular-level changes that cannot be measured in patients. However, researchers at Duke University School of Medicine and Pennsylvania State University have used real-world data from over 800 people with var…

The Power and Promise of RNA The word messenger RNA, or mRNA for short, went from scientific jargon to everyday conversation during the pandemic because of the molecule's starring role in COVID-19 vaccines. Messenger RNA contains blueprints for proteins that do all sorts of jobs in our bodies. In COVID-19 vaccines, it contains instructions to make proteins similar to the spikes on the coronavirus…