Off the Top...

From Idea to Reality: Exciting Duke Inventions of 2025

This year’s Invented at Duke event spotlighted nine teams developing technologies with the power to transform health and safety, from AI tools that protect patient data to therapies that could offer new hope for chronic disease. Duke researchers showcased breakthroughs such as AI software capable of de-identifying millions of clinical images in days, a regenerative approach that may one day eliminate the need for liver transplants, and next-generation nerve-stimulation treatments designed to reduce pain without drugs. The event also highlighted the strength of Duke’s innovation ecosystem, bringing together faculty, students and startup founders whose collaborations are accelerating ideas into real-world solutions.

Invented @ Duke

Federally Funded Research at Duke...

How to Heal a Broken Heart

Heart disease remains the world’s leading cause of death, and repairing damaged heart tissue typically requires invasive surgery. Duke biomedical engineer Nenad Bursac is working to change that by growing beating human heart tissue in the lab to test new therapies, including a gene therapy that has already shown promising results in nonhuman primates. These engineered heart patches give scientists a safer, more precise way to evaluate treatments that could one day help patients recover without surgery.

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Heart Healing

More from Duke...

Duke Recognized Among Top Universities in the World for Interdisciplinary Science

Duke University has been ranked sixth globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, placing it among the world’s leading institutions for cross-disciplinary research and innovation. The ranking--drawn from more than 900 universities across 94 countries--reflects Duke’s long-standing commitment to connecting people, ideas and fields to tackle complex challenges. Duke also ranked first worldwide in the “process” category, recognizing the university’s robust infrastructure for interdisciplinary work, including seed grants, research hubs, collaborative institutes and supportive tenure policies.

Duke Recognition

Duke Receives Historic Gift to Support First-Gen, Low-Income Students in Perpetuity
A new challenge fund gift will allow DukeLIFE, which stands for Lower-Income, First-Generation Engagement, to expand the academic, financial and personal support it provides to first-generation and low-income undergraduates. The investment will help students cover essential needs often not met by traditional financial aid--from emergencies and course materials to research, internships and mentoring. Strengthening DukeLIFE means more students can fully participate in campus life and stay on track academically. The fund is expected to ensure long-term, sustainable support for future generations of Duke students.

Historic Gift

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