Duke Clinical Research

Are you experiencing symptomatic blood pressure instability following a chronic spinal cord injury?

Empower BP is currently recruiting candidates aged 18–75 who are more than one year post-injury.

Following a spinal cord injury (SCI), blood pressure (BP) can fluctuate between inappropriately low and high values due to disruptions in the autonomic nervous system. The Empower BP global pivotal study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of the investigational implantable ARC System for treating symptomatic blood pressure instability in individuals with chronic SCI.

Visit our website: https://neurosurgery.duke.edu/research/clinical-trials

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(Image: Two individuals perform a hand-press exercise while seated across from each other in a clinical therapy room. The setting includes a wheeled exam table, exercise equipment, and large windows with natural light.)

💉Not a fan of needles? You’re not alone.

Researchers at Duke Engineering are developing a new way to turn GLP‑1 medications into a pill... no fasting required, and just as effective.

That could make treatments for diabetes, weight management, and more easier to follow.

Progress = making good science easier to use in real life.

🔬 Learn more: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/oral-glp-1/

(Image: Duke researcher in a lab coat holds up two test tubes in a lab)

Oral GLP-1s Without Fasting or Reduced Efficacy | New oral drug delivery approach protects peptide-based drugs like GLP-1s from destruction in the stomach.

Calling All Research Explorers!

We are recruiting children ages 3–5 for a study to help us learn more about brain activity and behaviors. Participants will get a space scientist badge to bring home and show their friends, family, and teachers!

Just 2 in-person visits needed, along with 1–2 caregiver interviews which can be done virtually or by phone. Caregivers are compensated.

Taking autism research to new heights at Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development:
https://autismcenter.duke.edu/ace-comet-study

(Image: Child holding toy rockets beside a hanging model of the solar system with colorful planets.)

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Curious about research—but not sure where to start? 🔍

There’s a free, secure tool called ResearchMatch that helps connect people with research studies happening across the country—including right here at Duke.

Think of it like a matchmaking service for research:
✔️You sign up once (takes just a few minutes)
✔️Share your general interests and health info
✔️And researchers reach out only if you might be a good fit

Your information stays private unless you choose to learn more about a study. No pressure, no commitment—just the option to get involved. Many studies are fully remote, so you can participate from home.

ResearchMatch is funded by the NIH and brings together volunteers and researchers from hundreds of institutions nationwide—including Duke, where it’s one of several ways we help connect people to studies that move science forward.

👉 Learn more or sign up: https://www.researchmatch.org

(Image description: A adult holding a child on their shoulders, both with arms stretched out and smiling.)

Could a simple eye scan help identify developmental delays sooner? 👁️

Duke researchers are exploring how a quick, noninvasive scan of a baby’s eyes could help identify early signs of motor or cognitive delays... potentially years before they’re typically diagnosed.

Because the retina is part of the central nervous system, these tiny measurements may offer a window into how the brain is developing, opening the door to earlier support when it matters most.

It’s still early research, but the goal is big: faster answers, earlier interventions, and better outcomes for children and families.

🎥 Watch the story WRAL TV:
https://www.wral.com/video/baby-eye-scan-predict-developmental-delays-june-2026/

(Video: A news segment showing a Duke provider using a handheld device to scan a premature infant’s eyes in a NICU setting.)

Baby eye scan could predict developmental delays Could a quick scan of a baby's eyes reveal future developmental delays? Researchers at Duke Health discovered it could.

Heart health, meet real life in Durham. ❤️🐂

A new two-part video series from the New England Journal of Medicine highlights work happening right here in Durham—featuring Duke experts and care at Lincoln Community Health Center, Inc.

If you’ve ever wondered:
-What really drives heart disease
-Why blood pressure matters so much
-What you can actually do (day-to-day) to lower your risk

…this is a great place to start.

Watch both parts:
Part1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-jNiDSPWr4
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYIEyRT9_HU

(Videos: NEJM educational videos featuring clinicians discussing cardiovascular risk factors and prevention, with scenes from Duke and Lincoln Community Health Center.)

Cardiovascular Risk Factors — Lifestyle Modifications | NEJM This second episode of a two-part Double Take miniseries on cardiov...

Best employer for new grads? Duke 🎓

We’re not saying it’s because of the clinical trials, the research shaping the future, and the whole “work that actually matters” thing…

…but we’re also not not saying that 😌

Totally normal first job experience.
🔗 https://today.duke.edu/2026/05/forbes-names-duke-among-best-employers-new-grads-2026
💼 https://hr.duke.edu/careers/

(Image: A large grid collage of many individual headshots arranged in rows and columns, representing a wide range of Duke employees.)

Hantavirus Starts with the Environment 🧫

Duke researchers at Duke Lemur Center are taking a closer look at how environmental changes may influence the spread of rare diseases like hantavirus.

Hantavirus is carried by rodents, which can spread the virus through their urine, droppings, or saliva... often without appearing sick. Their work suggests it’s not just about rodents, but where they live and how landscapes are changing.

Understanding those patterns could help reduce risk before it reaches people.

Learn more at WRAL TV:
https://www.wral.com/lifestyles/health/environmental-changes-hantavirus-risk-duke-researchers-june-2026/

(Image: A split-style image showing a wide natural landscape with forests and wetlands on the left, and a magnified circular inset on the right displaying grainy, microscope-like images of virus particles.)

Could environmental changes affect hantavirus risk? Duke researchers think so As officials monitor a rare hantavirus outbreak, Duke researchers are examining how environmental changes may influence where disease-carrying rodents thrive. The findings suggest more diverse landscapes could help reduce disease risk.

Good research starts with listening.

At Duke, community members aren’t just participants—they’re partners helping shape studies so they actually work in the real world.

Because better partnerships = better health. 🤝

Watch the video: https://today.duke.edu/2026/05/importance-community-partnerships-clinical-research

(Image: Two Duke leaders—Dr. Mary Klotman and Dr. Susanna Naggie—stand and talk beside a large bronze bull statue (Major the Bull) in downtown Durham.)

The Importance of Community Partnerships in Clinical Research | Duke Today The Importance of Community Partnerships in Clinical Research Published May 5, 2026 Tags Durham & the Region Schools School of Medicine Scholars Mary E Klotman R.J. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Medicine Professor of Medicine Executive Vice President of Health Affairs Dean, School of Medicine....