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.
Gonzalez is an associate professor of medicine in the Duke University School of Medicine Division of Clinical Pharmacology and a member of the DCRI. A former DCRI fellow, he completed training through the UNC-Duke Collaborative Clinical Pharmacology T32 Program in 2014 and now serves as Duke's principal investigator for that program, as well as contact principal investigator for multiple NIH-funded training and career development programs.
Rymer is an associate professor of medicine and cardiologist in the Duke University School of Medicine’s Cardiology Department, a DCRI faculty member, and a 2019 graduate of the DCRI Fellowship Program. She brings a strong record of clinical research leadership and mentorship, including extensive experience leading multicenter studies and a demonstrated excellence in training early‑career investigators. Upon graduating the DCRI fellowship program, Rymer received the Robert A. Harrington Excellence in Fellowship Award — recognizing exceptional contributions to the program, academic excellence, and peer‑to‑peer mentorship. She was a recipient of the Department of Medicine’s Research Mentorship Award for the Internal Medicine Residency, and this year received the School of Medicine Early Career Research Mentoring Award in Clinical/Translational Science.
As they begin their new roles, Gonzalez and Rymer will build on a program known for excellence while emphasizing mentorship, collaboration, and professional development. Gonzalez said one of his priorities is helping fellows develop the connections and support systems needed for long-term success.
"What excites me most is the opportunity to support our fellows and help them build the connections that will advance their careers," Gonzalez said. "Relationships are often as important as skills in academic medicine, and I am eager to help our fellows cultivate a strong professional network from the very start of their training."
As a former fellow himself, Gonzalez has spoken about the lasting influence of strong mentorship and the close-knit community he experienced during his training. He also plans to work with fellows and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to continue strengthening the program, building connections, and complementary experiences between the DCRI and Duke.
The transition also provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions of the program's outgoing leadership team.
Under Al-Khatib's direction, with support from Goode and Pagidipati, the fellowship program successfully navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the transition to virtual and hybrid learning models while maintaining the rigor and continuity of the fellowship experience. Their leadership has had a lasting impact on both the program and its fellows.
With Gonzalez and Rymer at the helm, the program is poised to accelerate its commitment to preparing the next generation of clinical research leaders through rigorous training, meaningful mentorship, and a strong community of scholars.
About the DCRI Fellowship Program
Established in 1996, the DCRI Fellowship Program has trained more than 300 postdoctoral fellows and medical students from Duke University and international academic institutions. The program offers access to DCRI and Duke School of Medicine faculty investigators and operational leaders, within a supportive and collaborative environment that fosters a unique and successful clinical research training experience.
DCRI Fellowships support training across a wide range of therapeutic and research areas, including: anesthesiology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, health services research, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, nephrology, neurosciences, pediatric sub-specialties, pulmonology, rheumatology, and surgery.