Dr. Bastiaan Driehuys' lab focuses on developing advanced MRI technologies to improve the early detection and diagnosis of lung function issues, particularly related to dyspnea (shortness of breath). Their innovative approach uses hyperpolarized xenon MRI to visualize how well lungs exchange gases, providing detailed insights for better clinical decision-making. The lab aims to create a quick and comprehensive MRI exam that assesses multiple causes of breathlessness, particularly in patients affected by conditions like long COVID.

Dr. Jessilyn P Dunn's lab at Duke University focuses on innovative ways to detect prediabetes and type 2 diabetes early in adults using mobile technologies. The research aims to utilize data from everyday smart devices like smartphones and smartwatches to improve current screening methods. This lab develops wearable technologies that help monitor glucose levels and assess diabetes risk, benefiting the many people who are unaware of their diabetic conditions.

Dr. David McClay's lab at Duke University studies how cells transform during development, particularly focusing on a process called epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This process is key in forming the tissues of embryos and, when dysregulated, can contribute to cancer metastasis and birth defects. Using sea urchins as a model, the lab investigates the molecular mechanisms behind EMT to identify which factors drive these changes in cell behavior and how they can be manipulated to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Sina Farsiu's lab focuses on understanding glaucoma, a major cause of blindness, by investigating how the eye's drainage system functions. They aim to develop advanced imaging technologies to observe and analyze changes in the anatomy of this system over time and in response to different treatments. The ultimate goal is to improve early diagnosis and personalize therapies for patients with glaucoma.

Dr. Andrew S. Allen's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding how noncoding genetic variations affect gene regulation and contribute to diseases. The research aims to develop innovative tools and statistical methods for annotating these variations, which are often overlooked but play critical roles in health and disease. By integrating machine learning approaches with genomic data, the lab seeks to improve predictions about how genetic variations influence patient outcomes.

Dr. Charles A. Gersbach's lab at Duke University focuses on harnessing the immune system to enhance cancer treatments, particularly through adoptive T cell therapy. They use cutting-edge techniques to understand how to improve T cell function by manipulating specific genes and regulatory elements. The lab aims to make advancements in epigenetic engineering to create more effective cancer therapies and to systematically study gene regulatory elements that can impact diverse biological processes.

Dr. Jennifer Groh's lab at Duke University studies how the brain processes and preserves information from multiple sensory stimuli, focusing on auditory processing. The research aims to uncover the mechanisms that help our brain select and remember important information despite sensory overload. This work has implications for understanding communication difficulties in conditions like attention deficit disorder and age-related hearing loss.

Ophelia Venturelli's lab at Duke University focuses on how dietary fibers influence the gut microbiome and the colonization of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) in humans. Through innovative methods including human studies and computational modeling, the research aims to uncover the mechanisms by which diet affects microbial dynamics and health. Ultimately, the lab seeks to develop strategies that can reduce MDRO infections.

Dr. Nicholas Heaton's lab at Duke University studies how influenza viruses affect lung health and fetal development during pregnancy. The team focuses on the role of specific proteins in controlling inflammation caused by these viruses, particularly looking at how the immune response can go awry and has implications for health outcomes. Their research could lead to new treatments that limit disease severity in infected individuals and protect developing fetuses from maternal infections.

Dr. Jennifer K Hoffman's lab at Duke University focuses on how early-life exposure to certain environmental chemicals, especially semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), affects immune function in children. The research aims to understand the impact of these exposures on health outcomes such as infections and allergic conditions. By studying a cohort of women and children, the lab seeks to identify factors related to individual SVOC exposure to improve health interventions.

Dr. Jiyong Hong's lab focuses on developing innovative cancer therapies that target specific DNA repair mechanisms in prostate cancer cells. They are investigating how to inhibit the Rev1 protein, which plays a crucial role in DNA damage tolerance, to make cancer cells more sensitive to treatments and improve patient outcomes. The lab's research aims to provide new strategies for overcoming drug resistance in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Dr. Tony Jun Huang's lab at Duke University focuses on developing innovative diagnostic technologies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The lab is working on an automated system designed to rapidly isolate exosomes from blood samples, which can be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis of AD. This project aims to create a minimally invasive, efficient, and highly accurate method to improve AD detection and facilitate better patient treatment strategies.

Josh Huang's lab at Duke University focuses on developing innovative RNA-based technologies to analyze and manipulate brain cell types across different vertebrate species. Their research aims to improve our understanding of neural circuits and how they contribute to behaviors and cognitive functions. By creating scalable tools for targeted gene therapy and studying cell types in various animals, the lab hopes to advance neuroscience and address neuropsychiatric disorders, ultimately transforming our approach to brain research.

Dr. Jiaoti Huang's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding the complex mechanisms behind prostate cancer progression, particularly two aspects: the role of alternative polyadenylation in cancer development and the targeting of hard-to-reach transcription factors to hinder metastasis. The lab aims to uncover how specific genetic and molecular changes fuel prostate cancer's progression to more aggressive forms and develop innovative therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Herman F. Staats' lab at Duke University focuses on creating a safe and effective environment for research on infectious diseases. The lab is part of a specialized center that helps scientists study pathogens and develop strategies for pandemic preparedness. This includes maintaining advanced biocontainment facilities and providing essential training for researchers working with dangerous microbes.

Dr. Cliburn C Chan's lab at Duke University focuses on developing computational models to better understand how the immune system responds to influenza viruses. By analyzing various datasets, the lab aims to create predictive models of antibody responses, which could lead to more effective vaccines against seasonal and pandemic influenza. They combine techniques from biostatistics and immunology to simulate how antibodies protect against infection, ultimately helping to advance vaccine development.

Dr. Nicole Calakos's lab at Duke University studies how a specific biochemical pathway influences the brain's ability to adapt and learn. They focus on how the Integrated Stress Response (ISR) affects the functioning of certain neurons involved in behaviors and memory. By understanding these mechanisms, the lab aims to identify potential new therapies for conditions related to memory and neurological disorders.

Dr. Sharon Gerecht's lab at Duke University focuses on creating advanced 3D models of the inner blood-retina barrier, which is crucial for understanding retinal diseases like diabetic retinopathy. By engineering these models with human retinal cells, the lab aims to mimic the environment of healthy retinal tissue and investigate how vascular dysfunction occurs. This innovative research provides insights into the mechanisms of retinal health and disease, which could lead to better treatments.

Dr. Junjie Yao's research focuses on improving treatments for urinary stone disease using advanced imaging techniques. His work aims to develop a new technology that can visualize cavitation bubbles during laser treatments in real-time, which could lead to more effective and safer procedures. By enhancing our understanding of how these bubbles contribute to stone fragmentation, the lab hopes to optimize laser lithotripsy techniques, ultimately benefiting patients suffering from this common condition.

Dr. Seok-Yong Lee's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding how our bodies perceive different types of sensory information, like temperature and pain, through specialized proteins called sensory receptors. The goal is to uncover the molecular mechanisms that allow these receptors to function and to explore how genetic mutations can lead to sensory disorders. By doing this, the lab aims to develop new, non-opioid drugs to effectively treat chronic pain and itching without the side effects associated with current pain medications.