October 2026   Newsletter   Vol. 7 No. 10

Sudarshan Rajagopal, M.D., Ph.D., has been named the new Director for the Duke Physician-Scientist Strong Start Award Program. Dr. Rajagopal is an accomplished physician-scientist whose research focus is on G protein-coupled receptor signaling in inflammation and vascular disease, with a clinical focus on pulmonary vascular disease. He also serves as the Co-Director of the Duke Pulmonary Vascular Disease Center. His research portfolio includes clinical research in pulmonary vascular disease, translational research in cardiovascular disease, and the basic science of receptor signaling.

Dedicated to strengthening the physician-scientist pipeline, Dr. Rajagopal views the transition to an independent research career as one of the most vulnerable stages in physician-scientist development. As Director, he aims to recruit outstanding candidates into the program, support awardees' career development, and help streamline the pathway to research independence. He also serves as the Director of the Robert J. Lefkowitz Society and is eager to foster synergies in mentoring Duke physician-scientist trainees across multiple career stages.

We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Gowthami Arepally, M.D., in her former role as Director of the Duke Physician-Scientist Strong Start Award Program. Dr. Arepally was steadfast in her dedication to developing physician-scientists and advancing translational research. Her efforts, along with those of previous director Andrew Alspaugh, M.D., led to the recruitment of 51 Strong Start scholars, who have collectively received 16 NIH Career Development (K) Awards and 14 Research Project (R01) Awards. The program has also been highly successful in retaining physician-scientists in research careers, with 84% of awardees continuing to conduct laboratory-based research.

Applications to the Strong Start Physician-Scientist Strong Award Program will open in December, so please look out for future notices if you are interested in applying.

If you are interested in sharing your recent accomplishments to be featured on OPSD social media or potentially be featured in a future newsletter cover story, please submit your information. 

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Recent Journal Article:

Congratulations to Joshua Woo, who received the Eugene A. Stead, Jr. Student Research Scholarship for 2025–2026, and whose project was renewed for 2026–2027. The Stead Research Scholarship supports research during medical school while encouraging continued academic activity throughout a student’s professional career. In addition to financial support, the program fosters a community of Stead Scholars through faculty and peer mentorship, group lunches, individual meetings, and an annual graduation banquet.

Under the mentorship of C. Rory Goodwin, M.D., Ph.D., Joshua is investigating the relationship between metastatic spine disease and emotional distress, including how that relationship may be influenced by tumor progression and ambulatory deficits. His research seeks to better understand potential markers within the local spine tumor microenvironment and the broader brain-spine axis that could ultimately inform approaches to reducing emotional distress and improving quality of life and overall survival.

Joshua came to Duke in part because of the opportunity to devote his third year of medical school to research. Knowing he wanted to pursue a career as a physician-scientist, Joshua saw the Stead Scholarship as an opportunity not only to receive critical financial support for his research, but also to join a community of students and mentors who could help him grow as both a physician and a scientist.

Through the research experience, Joshua has learned new laboratory techniques, presented findings at local and national conferences, mentored individuals from broad disciplines and backgrounds, and strengthened his ability to consider research questions from both basic science and clinical perspectives. He credits the Stead Scholarship-coordinated lunches with helping him build connections with fellow scholars and faculty who can offer both scientific and clinical insight.

For Joshua, becoming a physician-scientist offers an opportunity to connect discovery with patient care. He is particularly drawn to multidisciplinary research because of its potential to improve health in many ways, from developing new therapeutics and surgical techniques to informing policy changes that can benefit broader patient populations.

Joshua strongly encourages Duke medical students to regularly explore OPSD funding and research opportunities and to reach out when they have questions. He is especially grateful for the Stead scholarship, which has allowed him to pursue basic science and clinical research, as well as the mentorship of Dr. Goodwin and Dr. Trivedi, and support of the Goodwin-Erickson-Johnson lab.

“I’m interested in being a physician-scientist because it provides a unique opportunity to test exciting research questions and novel interventions with the clinical context in mind. With the ever-changing nature of medicine, I think learning how to be a good researcher makes individuals a much better physician and, to a degree, vice versa.” – Joshua Woo

Students interested in sharing recent accomplishments to be featured on OPSD social media or potentially be featured in a future newsletter Student Corner, please submit your information.