The Chronicle
Subscribe Donate

News | Health & Science

A study led by Dorothy Sipkins provides insight into breast cancer relapses.  
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

New study provides insight into movement of breast cancer cells

By Vir Patel | June 3, 2016

Duke researchers are making strides in understanding the basis of breast cancer relapse through bone marrow dormancy. The study–which was published last Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine–was led by Dorothy Pipkins, associate professor in the division of hematological malignancies and cellular therapy, and employed high-resolution fluorescence microscopy in order to observe the migration of breast cancer cells in and out of bone marrow tissue.

A team of Duke researchers found that brain cancer patients who received a poliovirus treatment had a 20 percent three-year survival rate.
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Poliovirus cancer treatment by Duke researchers receives 'breakthrough' status from FDA

By Vir Patel | May 20, 2016

A poliovirus cancer treatment designed by Duke medical researchers has been awarded rare breakthrough therapy status by the Food and Drug Administration last week to speed up its approval process for market use. The FDA recognition comes off the heels of Phase 1 clinical trials held at Duke Health’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, where medical faculty found a 20% three-year survival rate in patients with glioblastoma–a particularly notorious form of brain cancer–compared to a historical 4% survival rate.

Dr. Daniel Wechsler noted that adolescents face unique difficulties in cancer treatment. A new Duke program to address such concerns will be launched by the end of the year.
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Duke University Health System to create program for teenage cancer patients

By Claire Ballentine | April 18, 2016

The Duke University Hospital will soon feature a program to address the unique needs of teenage cancer patients. Using donations from the Duke Cancer Institute and outside foundations, DUH is in the process of planning the program’s services and hopes to unveil it by the second half of this year, said Daniel Wechsler, a pediatric hematology-oncology specialist at DUH.

The lab of engineering professor Lingchong You (middle) has developed a method for producing "swarmbots," an engineered bacterial strain that dies outside of its colony.
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Duke researchers develop 'swarmbot' strain that lowers risk of contamination in bacteria research

By Nidhila Masha | April 8, 2016

Duke researchers have engineered bacteria that cannot survive outside their colony, lowering the risk of contamination that normally accompanies genetically engineered microorganisms.  One of the main risks of genetically manipulating organisms in a laboratory setting is the potential for the microorganism to escape from its regulated environment and multiply uncontrollably in the wild. Researchers at Duke have engineered a safeguard that would prevent microbes from surviving outside the confines of their enclosures. 

Friday's symposium on the Zika virus lasted all day and featured several scientists and vaccine developers. 
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Experts gather for Zika virus conference at Duke Friday

By Vir Patel | April 4, 2016

Professionals and students from across the country gathered at Duke Friday to discuss forming new alliances for promoting access to medicine. The conference - titled “Alliances and Incentives in the Era of Outbreaks” - brought in speakers from fields like policy, law and clinical research to discuss their opinions on global health and access as well as the Ebola vaccine.

Many Duke cancer experts attended last month’s roundtable with Vice President Joe Biden and said that the conversation was not just about publicity.
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Duke cancer experts reflect on last month’s Biden visit

By Abigail Xie | March 10, 2016

After Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Duke last month, researchers weigh in on the potential of the national cancer moonshot initiative to bring substantial progress and the challenges the field still faces. In February, Biden visited the Duke Cancer Institute and held a roundtable discussion with cancer experts, physicians and health leaders to help inform his new cancer moonshot initiative.

Dr. Lesley Curtis will direct the new center that will collaborate with other health-related programs to investigate research solutions.
NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Med School announces new Center for Population Health Sciences

By Vir Patel | March 8, 2016

Public health experts at Duke are taking steps to establish a new population health department in the School of Medicine with the recent launch of the Center for Population Health Sciences. The center will be directed by Dr. Lesley Curtis, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Pragmatic Health Services Research in the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Trending