Off the Top...

New Technique Could Increase Infant Heart Transplant by 20%

Duke Health has developed a groundbreaking technique called "on-table heart reanimation" that could expand the U.S. pediatric heart donor pool by up to 20 percent. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the approach allows surgeons to temporarily reanimate and assess infant donor hearts outside the body using a heart-lung machine, avoiding the challenges of existing methods. The first successful case saved a 3-month-old infant’s life, and the method may become a new standard of care.

Heart-to-Heart

Federally Funded Research at Duke...

Newly Discovered ‘Sixth Sense’ Links Gut Microbes to the Brain in Real Time

Groundbreaking research from Duke University professors reveals a newly identified “neurobiotic sense,” showing how the gut can directly influence brain activity, behavior and appetite in real time. By uncovering how microbial proteins like flagellin trigger gut cells to send appetite-suppressing signals to the brain, the study opens new doors for understanding and potentially treating conditions like obesity and mood disorders. The findings underscore the powerful role of gut microbes in shaping our daily choices and overall well-being. This research paves the way for more targeted, microbiome-informed strategies to improve health.

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

Gut Check

New Duke Study Finds Obesity Rises with Caloric Intake, Not Declining Physical Activity

A new study from Duke University’s Pontzer Lab challenges the idea that declining physical activity is the main cause of rising obesity in wealthier countries. Analyzing data from over 4,200 adults across 34 global populations, the researchers found that people in more developed countries expend similar or even greater amounts of daily energy compared to those in less industrialized societies. The findings highlight increased caloric intake—not inactivity—as the primary driver of obesity, reinforcing the need for public health strategies that emphasize dietary change. Researchers hope the study will sharpen obesity interventions by focusing on both diet and exercise as complementary, not interchangeable, health priorities.

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Calories vs. Activity

More from Duke...

Duke Views: Baby Lemurs!

Sophia, a 19-year-old endangered ring-tailed lemur, climbs a tree with her female twins in tow recently at the Duke Lemur Center. Born on March 27, the yet-to-be-named twins are the sixth and seventh offspring of Sophia and 19-year-old Randy. They join older sisters Nemesis and Nyx in this family of six. They love exploring their forest enclosure with their family, always making sure to stick close to mom and dad.

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