Research Programs
Human-Centered Design
EDesigning Hope Through Human-Centered Technologymbrace: Designing Hope Through Human-Centered Technology
Embrace is a Duke Bass Connections research initiative that explores how short-form storytelling and digital platforms can support individuals and families facing serious life challenges - including healthcare diagnoses, surgery, grief, or end-of-life transitions. The goal of the project is to design, refine, and evaluate a video-based platform that helps users support and celebrate their friends and family, preserve legacy, foster connection, and receive emotional support during some of life’s most difficult moments.
More info at:
Digital Health
Translating Health Technology for Interventions/Surgeries
Higgs Boson Health (HBH) is a Duke University startup focused on the intersection of digital health and interventional/surgical procedures. The ManageMySurgery (MMS) platform helps guide patients and families through highly complex interventions, reduce healthcare resource utilization and positively impact clinical outcomes. More info at:
Neurapheresis
Developing Targeted CSF-based Therapeutics
Neurapheresis is a platform technology that Dr. Lad helped invent. It focuses on targeted removal of pathogens (cells, antibodies, cytokines, etc.) from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as well as the ability to circulate targeted therapeutics. It is currently in human clinical trials, with a number of pre-clinical studies for new indications underway at Duke, in collaboration with industry partners.
More info at:
Duke Neuro-Outcomes Program
Understanding Ways to Improve U.S. Healthcare Economics
The Duke Neuro-Outcomes Program leverages the best methods, approaches and datasets to help address key clinical research questions that impact patients with neurological disorders. More info at:
Duke Neurosurgical Innovation Program (DNIP)
Educating and Empowering Health Technology Innovators
The Duke Neurosurgical Innovation Program (NeuroInnovations) was developed to help medical technology innovators identify important clinical needs, invent new medical technologies and implement these advances in patient care. It has now scaled beyond Neurosurgery to other specialties across the Duke University Medical Center and integrated into a Duke program called Design Health. More info at:
Meet Our Team
We always strive for the best.
Nandan Lad
Principal Investigator
Dr. Lad did his MD and PhD at Chicago Medical School and his neurosurgical residency and fellowships in surgical innovation and functional neurosurgery at Stanford University. He joined the Duke faculty in 2011 and is a neurosurgeon with a focus in neuromodulation and neurorestoration.
Research Administration
Research Leads/Mentors
Charles Giamberardino, MS
Beth Parente, PA-C
Allison Spell, CCRP
Gap Year/Post-Bacc
Researchers
Ali Smith, CRC
Medical Students
Researchers
Tristen McGee, MD
Alex MacDonagh, MD
Andreas Seas, MD/PhD
Eric Shaker, MD
Alison Zeng, MD
Graduate Students/Post-Grad
Researchers
Lab Photos
Photos from the Lad Lab and our local and distant travels.
