Sharing exciting news from Duke

 Today, I am incredibly honored to take the helm at the Duke Clinical Research Institute as its new Executive Director. I believe the Institute, its mission, and our talented teams are essential for transforming how the world conducts clinical research.

The DCRI has been my research home since 2002, when I arrived as a cardiology fellow. This is where I learned the power of evidence and the importance of strong, multidisciplinary teams, and delved deep into the unmet needs of people with everyday health challenges. I shared experiences leading clinical trials and conducting health services research with intelligent, inspiring colleagues, some of whom continue to lead the DCRI forward today. Simply put, it’s great to be back home.

As I make this transition, I’d also like to take a moment to thank those who created and made what DCRI is today: Rob Califf, Bob Harrington, Eric Peterson, and Lesley Curtis, for their leadership and impact. With their continued support plus Dean Mary Klotman, the DCRI should continue to thrive as a crown jewel for Duke and as a leading light for what’s possible in clinical research.

It is clear we are entering a new era with COVID-19, changing how health care is delivered and how research will be done. This is the moment for the DCRI to lead in implementing a new model of clinical research, continuing to focus on creativity and quality to produce data that can be trusted using innovative methods. The future of our work will emphasize programs that are large, leveraged, and embedded within health systems or the daily lives of people, enabling research at home that is frictionless, flexible, and even fun. To accomplish this, we will continue to leverage the many strengths across Duke and the School of Medicine to innovate locally and scale globally.

Much work lies ahead of us, along with a bright future. I am excited to lead the DCRI and work alongside the people who make it special to innovate new, creative models of clinical research that enable high-quality solutions and answers.

#clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #engagement #outcomesmatter