News Archive

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an increasingly recognized yet frequently underdiagnosed cause of heart failure, particularly among older adults. The AHA’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update reports that up to 13% of older adults hospitalized with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction may have ATTR‑CM, underscoring substantial opportunities to improve diagnosis in routine clinical care.

In October 2024, multi-industry stakeholders gathered for the DCRI Think Tank Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy: Need for Guidance, Access, and Equity, which focused on aligning and advancing the field of obesity medications (OMs). Their insights and collaboration resulted in the article Obesity Pharmacotherapy: An Urgent Need for Progressing Science, Access, and Equity published in the journal JACC: Advances.

The city of Durham formally recognized the importance of clinical research on May 18, when Mayor Leonardo Williams proclaimed May 20, 2026, as Clinical Trials Day during a Durham City Council meeting. The proclamation emphasized the role that clinical trials play in public health by advancing understanding of health and supporting the development of safe and effective treatments.

Duke University has been awarded $12.9 million from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) for a new clinical trial aimed at improving the standard of care for autistic children with chronic digestive discomfort.

The Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG), based at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, was prominently featured at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global Congress 2026, with two of its multicenter studies selected for a special late-breaking session.   Of the four studies chosen for the high-profile session, two were conducted through ARLG, highlighting the group’s growing global influence in advancing evidence to address the escalating crisis of antibiotic-resistant infections.  

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.