News and Events

For the first time at Duke, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is awarding a Center of Excellence in Genome Science (CEGS) grant, to a group of Duke researchers, providing $14 million of research support over five years.

Catherine M. Wilfert, MD, died on Sunday, September 13, 2020. Dr. Wilfert graduated with distinction from Stanford University and summa cum laude from Harvard Medical School as one of five women in her class in 1958. She was a professor of pediatrics and microbiology and division chief of pediatric infectious diseases in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine for many years until the mid-1990s.

New and competing renewal awards made to faculty in the Department of Pediatrics through the month of August 2020 are announced.

Jonathan Routh, MD, Paul H. Sherman, MD Distinguished Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Urology, associate professor of surgery, pediatrics and population health sciences, will assume the role of Medical Director of Children's Surgery.

This week's Faculty Spotlight shines on Patsy Park, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Cardiology. Park talks to us about her responsibilities as a pediatric cardiologist who also specializes in fetal cardiology and the wide range of patients she sees in the course of a typical day. She also talks about how she became interested in congenital heart disease and what inspired her to go to medical school.

Michael Deel, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Hematology-Oncology, recently received a 2020 Hyundai Scholar Hope Award from Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW). The official grant presentation was conducted via a virtual handshake ceremony on September 9 to coincide with National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

To help students and teachers, the Pediatrics Resident Diversity and Inclusion Committee conducted its annual school supply drive, encouraging faculty, staff and trainees to donate.

Malcolm Henderson Rourk, Jr, MD, died on Friday, September 4. Dr. Rourk was an assistant professor of pediatrics from 1971 - 2002 and an assistant professor of family medicine and community health from 1994 – 1995 at Duke University Medical Center.

Duke Children’s Healthy Lifestyles Clinic, a comprehensive weight management program, partnered with the Eastern and Central NC Food Bank to address food insecurity among children.

Duke medical doctors write an article in the USA Today about how blaming young people for covid outbreaks is unfair and undermines opportunities to engage young people’s intrinsic strengths to push back against the pandemic on their campuses and in our communities.