The DCRI brings together some of the world’s foremost authorities on the science, study, and application of clinical research. Our physician-investigators work closely with our expert managers and administrators, whose own experience runs the gamut of science, medicine, and business. All of our leaders, as well as every DCRI employee, share the same goal: To develop and share knowledge that improves the care of patients around the world through innovative clinical research.

Robert A. Harrington, MD, FACC, FSCAI
Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute

Dr. Harrington, a professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center, most recently served as the co-director of cardiovascular research and the leader of cardiovascular clinical trials at the DCRI.

Harrington received his undergraduate degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA . He attended Dartmouth Medical School and received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1986. He was an intern, resident, and the chief medical resident in internal medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.

As a fellow in cardiology at Duke University Medical Center, Harrington received training in interventional cardiology and research training in the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Diseases. He joined the Duke faculty in 1993.

Harrington's clinical and research interests are interventional cardiology, ischemic heart disease, acute coronary care, and cardiovascular clinical trial methods. He is currently leading the Clinical Trials Network Best Practices (CTN-BP) project which is one of the network initiatives for the NIH Roadmap.

The author of multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts, reviews, book chapters, and editorials on cardiovascular disease and related topics, Harrington's recent research interests include investigating antithrombotic therapies to treat acute and chronic ischemic heart disease, and methods to minimize the acute complications of percutaneous coronary procedures. His studies focus on the mechanism of disease of the acute coronary syndromes and trying to better understand the issues of risk stratification in the care of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Throughout his research, he has been interested in improving upon the methodology of the conduct of clinical trials.

Harrington co-edited the textbook Antiplatelet Therapy in Clinical Practice. He is an associate editor of the American Heart Journal and an editorial board member for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention. He currently chairs the American College of Cardiology Clinical Expert Consensus Document Task Force and the Task Force on Education Strategy. He is a member of the American Heart Association's Committee on Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiac Catheterization. He recently chaired the 2006 Annual Scientific Sessions for the American College of Cardiology.

Harrington currently serves as a member of the FDA Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee and as a member of the NHLBI Working Group on Clinical Trials Methodology.