BIRCWH Mentors

Name/Degree(s)Rank / TitleAppointment(s)Research Interest
Bennett

Bennett, Gary, PhD

ProfessorPsychology and Neuroscience; Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), DukeObesity treatment; design, test and disseminate digital health interventions
berchuck

Berchuck, Andrew, MD

Professor & ChiefObstetrics and Gynecology- Gynecologic Oncology; DukeOvarian, endometrial and lower genital tract cancers
capel

Capel, Blanche, PhD

ProfessorCell Biology; Cell and Molecular Biology Program (CMB), DukeSex determination; testis/ovary development/germ cell development
Clowse

Clowse, Megan, MD, MPH

Associate ProfessorMedicine, Rheumatology and ImmunologyReproductive rheumatology
Amy Corneli, PhD

Corneli, Amy, PhD

Associate ProfessorPopulation Health SciencesQualitative methodology; HIV prevention
Diehl

Diehl, Anna Mae, MD

ProfessorMedicine-Gastroenterology; Molecular Genetics and Microbiology; Director of the Duke Liver CenterBasic mechanisms of liver injury and regeneration. Genomic and developmental biological approaches
Dzirasa

Dzirasa, Kafui, MD, PhD

ProfessorPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, DukePsychiatric neuroengineering; how neuropsychiatric risk genes interact with environmental stress to modify neural circuits that underlie normal emotional and cognitive function
Groh

Groh, Jennifer, PhD

ProfessorPsychology & Neuroscience; Neurobiology; Computer Science; Member of Center for Cognitive NeuroscienceHow sensory and motor systems work together; sensorimotor and cognitive processing
Hwang

Hwang, Shelley, MD, MPH

ProfessorMary and Deryl Hart Distinguished Professor of SurgeryCancer biology, clinical trials, breast cancer prevention, identifying less invasive treatments for early stage breast cancers; genomics of cancer progression
Katz

Katz, David, PhD

ProfessorBiomedical Engineering; Pratt School of EngineeringDevelopment of topical microbicide products for prevention of HIV transmission and infection
Kuhn

Kuhn, Cynthia, PhD

ProfessorPharmacology and Cancer Biology; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences; Affiliate of the Center for Child and Family PolicyBiologic factors that increase vulnerability to drug abuse and depression in vulnerable populations; sex differences in health
Lefkowitz

Lefkowitz, Robert, MD

ProfessorMedicine-Cardiology; Biochemistry; Chemistry; Pathology; Investigator Howard Hughes Medical Institute, DukeHormones, medical biology, membrane biochemistry, signal transduction
McDonnell

McDonnell, Donald, PhD

Professor & ChairPharmacology and Cancer Biology; Medicine, Duke

Defining the role of estrogen and progesterone in the pathology of hormone dependent breast cancers.

Molecular pharmacology of nuclear receptors.

Evan Myers, MD, MPH

Myers, Evan, MD, MPH

ProfessorObstetrics and Gynecology- Clinical and Epidemiological Research, DukeEpidemiological methods; mathematical modeling and decision analysis, applied to problems in women’s health
Ostbye

Ostbye, Truls, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD

ProfessorCommunity and Family Medicine; Research Professor, Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), DukePublic health; epidemiology of obesity, aging and health services
Bettger

Prvu-Bettger, Janet, DSc

 ProfessorDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple UniversityHealth services; scaling effective programs; integrating health & social care
Ramanujam

Ramanujam, Nimmi, PhD

ProfessorBiomedical Engineering; Pharmacology & Cancer Biology; Research Professor of Global Health; Director, Global Women’s Health Technologies Center, DukeBiophotonica, tissue optical spectroscopy; Cancer screening, intra-operative margin assessment, visualizing tumor hypoxia and metabolism in the context of cancer therapy and drug discovery; multi-disciplinary effort to translate these technologies to clinical applications in the breast, and cervix
Rockman

Rockman, Howard, MD

ProfessorMedicine-Cardiology; Cell Biology; Molecular Genetics, DukeMolecular mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure; G protein-coupled receptors
Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, MHSc

Secord, Angeles, MD, MHSc

ProfessorObstetrics and Gynecology, DukeTranslational focus; angiogenesis, molecular signatures, clinical trial development, and ovarian cancer
D Taylor

Taylor, Darlene, PhD

ProfessorChemistry and Biochemistry, NCCUStructure-property relationships in oligomers and polymers
Valdivia

Valdivia, Raphael, PhD

ProfessorMolecular Genetics & Microbiology; Duke; Vice Dean for Basic Science, DukeMicrobiology and host pathogen interactions, chlamydia infections
Visco

Visco, Anthony, MD

Professor & ChiefObstetrics and Gynecology- Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, DukeOutcomes for surgical and non-surgical treatments of urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse
Weinhold

Weinhold, Kent J, PhD

Professor & ChiefSurgery-Surgical Sciences; Immunology; Pathology; Director, Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), DukePredictive immune signatures; host cellular immune responses role in prevention and control of infectious and neoplastic diseases; immunologic biomarkers
K Williams

Williams, Kevin, PhD

ProfessorPharmaceutical Sciences, NCCUDrug discovery for cancer; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorder
Wood

Wood, Kris, PhD

Associate ProfessorPharmacology and Cancer Biology, DukePharmacology, genomic, cell signaling to study how oncogenic signals later metabolic states