News Archive

Advanced liver disease (ALD) occurs when significant scarring causes the liver to lose function. Patients with ALD often have serious health challenges but have limited access to palliative care that could improve their quality of life. A new multicenter trial demonstrates a new approach that could potentially transform access to palliative care for patients with ALD and address a major care gap.

A new publication authored by the Precision Health Alliance, a consortium sponsored and coordinated by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), stresses the need for an unprecedented degree of collaboration across the scientific community. According to the authors, this level of cooperation is essential to ensure that gene editing interventions are patient-centered, safe, and ethical. 

A major pragmatic clinical trial published this month in JAMA Network Open offers new insight into how the U.S. health system can support Veterans living with chronic low back pain—one of the most common and disabling conditions affecting former service members.

The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) faculty and operational experts presented or contributed to research across over 70 sessions at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions (ACC.26), held March 28–30 in New Orleans. Their thought leadership encompassed featured presentations, late-breaking clinical trials, moderated debates, digital poster forums, and expert panel discussions as they shared new data, debated emerging evidence, and offered practical guidance on clinical care.

Christopher Lindsell, PhD, has been appointed vice dean for data science and AI at the Duke University School of Medicine, while Laine Thomas, PhD, has been appointed director of data science and biostatistics at the DCRI. Both appointments are effective April 1, 2026.

The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) has been awarded a competitive renewal to lead the Pediatric Trials Network (PTN), extending a program that has reshaped how medicines and medical devices are studied and approved for use in children since its founding in 2010. The network, now entering its third iteration as PTN 3.0, spans more than 100 clinical research sites across the country and has enrolled more than 13,500 participants in 54 studies.

Kidney stones can cause some of the most intense pain people ever experience, affecting daily life and leading many to hospital emergency visits. It affects 1 in 11 people in the U.S., and almost half will experience a recurrence. A major new study from the USDRN, coordinated by the DCRI, tested whether a behavioral program could help people drink enough fluids to prevent stones from coming back.

Duke’s new interdisciplinary ORBIT Hub brings together researchers with complementary skills in AI, economics, statistics, data science, population health, and clinical medicine.

DCRI Accomplishments showcases the publications, awards, and other achievements of our faculty members. Each quarter, a new collection will highlight the most recent accomplishments.