News

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.

This September, members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 26 new studies, advancing our knowledge of neuroscience at the subcellular, national, and global levels. Ornit Chiba-Falek, PhD, and Laurie Sanders, PhD, lead studies that answered questions about the genetic origins of Parkinson’s disease and its connection to some forms of breast cancer.

With 18 new peer-reviewed articles from members of our faculty, August 2020 was a record-breaking month for the Duke Neurology Department. Clinical research highlights published in the past 31 days include an analysis of patients presenting with vertigo in Emergency Departments, an essay on the human cost of COVID-19 and how we can help people connect during difficult times, and a study finding new benefits for therapies for myasthenia gravis.

Contact: Simon Davis 

Phone: 919-599-1927 

Email: Simon.Davis@duke.edu

A holistic approach toward analyzing brain images improves the effectiveness of brain stimulation, with far-reaching benefits for neural therapeutics.