News

Abbie Suttle, MSc, wants to improve our understanding of pain. In the lab of Yong Chen, PhD, she is currently working on two projects, the first to better understand the  trigeminal ganglion to potentially treat a painful jaw disorder known as TMD, and another to better understand and prevent the sensitization process that makes medications for migraine and headache less effective over the long term. In this week’s Spotlight interview, Suttle talks to us about her involvement in both of these projects.

Members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 21 new studies in peer-reviewed journals this March, advancing our ability to understand, treat, and prevent diseases and conditions from across the field of neurology. Brian Mac Grory, MB BCh, MRCP, and other members of our stroke and vascular neurology helped answer questions about the best way to treat patients who have a stroke in their sleep.

Research from members of the Duke Neurology Department advanced the fields of clinical, translational, and basic neurology in February. Over the past 28 days, our faculty, staff, and trainees contributed to journal articles answering questions about the use of mobile phones for stroke care, modifiable risk factors associated with cognitive decline in Parkinson’s, the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

Members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 13 new peer-reviewed journal articles in January 2021. Daniel Laskowitz, MD, MHS, co-authored two studies examining the complications of traumatic brain injury. A team including Andrew Spector, MD, wrote a “road map” for how neurology departments can create effective diversity officers. Our faculty, trainees, and research staff also examined possible treatment candidates for ALS, identified new risk factors for stroke, and genetically engineered cartilage to produce its own anti-inflammatory drug.

This week’s “spotlight” interview shines on Gene Moon, an undergraduate student working in the lab of Carlene Moore, PhD, who recently received a fellowship to continue his research throughout the summer of 2021. Moon talks to us about his work culturing trigeminal nerve cells and performing Western blots and how it may help us understand more about potential therapies for migraines.

Carlene Moore, PhD, assistant professor of neurology, was one of 13 Duke scientists and eight members of the Duke University School of Medicine, appearing in a new list of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in the United States. Cell Mentor, a blog and online resource for researchers, composed the list to showcase the contributions Black scientists make to the scientific community.

The final month of 2020 saw fifteen new publications written or co-written by members of the Duke Department of Neurology. Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, was a lead author of a new study examining factors contributing to burnout and moral injury among health-care workers at Duke. Our Neuromuscular Disease faculty wrote multiple studies advancing our understanding of myasthenia gravis, including how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people with this condition. Other articles answered questions about stroke, Parkinson’s, and other diseases.

This November, research from members of the Duke Department of Neurology examined how different types of seizures feel to the person experiencing them, discovered genes associated with longevity and health cognition, analyzed how the COVID-19 outbreak impacted stroke care, and more. Our faculty, trainees, and staff contributed to 15 studies published in the past 30 days. Read about each of them, and find links to the original articles below. 

Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology

Members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 14 new peer-reviewed studies this October, advancing our understanding of or ability to treat Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and other conditions. Laurie Sanders, PhD, and Claudia Gonzalez Hunt, PhD, advanced our understanding of the links between mitochondrial DNA damage and Parkinson’s disease, providing a potential avenue for future therapies.

Duke neurologists and electrical engineers are teaming up in an ambitious effort to develop a better way to monitor brain health for all patients in the ICU. Dubbed “Neurologic Injury Monitoring and Real-time Output Display,” the method will use machine learning and continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) data along with other clinical information to assist providers with assessment of brain injury and brain health.