Faculty and teams from the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) contributed to a broad range of scientific and educational sessions at the 2026 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, held Aug. 28-31 in Munich. Their work was featured across presentations, guideline discussions, chair and discussant roles, and several of the congress's highly anticipated Hot Line studies.

The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) recently welcomed 33 students to the 2026 Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program — the largest cohort since the program’s launched in 2012. STAR is a research training program for high school, undergraduate, and medical students that combines virtual and in-person instruction in research methodology and scientific writing.

The American Heart Association announced the reappointment of Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, to its Southeast Board of Directors for the 2026–2027 fiscal year, recognizing his continued leadership and commitment to advancing the organization’s mission.

The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) Fellowship Program recently entered a new chapter as Daniel Gonzalez, PharmD, PhD, assumed the role of director and Jennifer Rymer, MD, MBA, MHS, became associate director on July 1. The appointments follow six years of leadership from Sana Al-Khatib, MD, MHS, Adam Goode, PhD, DPT, and Neha Pagidipati, MD, MPH, who guided the DCRI’s flagship postdoctoral training program through a period of significant growth and transformation.