Associate Professor Karra Jones, MD, PhD, has been appointed as medical director for Outreach and Business Development. In this role, Jones will lead a coordinated effort between the Department of Pathology and the Health System to develop a comprehensive reference laboratory service leveraging Duke's expertise and infrastructure, supporting patients and providers beyond the Duke system.
“My goal is to make the excellent care that we provide to our Duke patients available for patients around the state, around the country, and even around the world. Through this process, I look forward to learning more about areas of expertise and distinction for each director, pathologist, division, and laboratory and in collaboration on active outreach in these and other areas,” said Jones.
Jones brings experience and a proven record of success in developing outreach relationships to this role. Prior to joining Duke in 2022, she practiced neuropathology at the University of Iowa, where she enhanced her expertise in neuromuscular disease through Iowa’s nationally recognized consultative muscle pathology service within the University of Iowa Diagnostic Laboratories.
She now seeks to build a similar foundation at Duke and has already made significant progress. Under her leadership, the Clinical Electron Microscopy and Immunochemistry Laboratory has secured multiple new contracts in diagnostic muscle pathology, renal pathology, and cardiac pathology. These achievements have been made possible through close collaboration with Duke’s world-renowned experts, including Professor Laura Barisoni, MD, Senior Vice Chair David Howell, MD, PhD, and Duke Division Chief of Cardiovascular Pathology Carolyn Glass, MD, PhD, with strong support from Chief Administrator, Amy Orange, and Revenue Manager Ryan Adkins.
In addition to her clinical and outreach work, Dr. Jones is the director of the Neuropathology Fellowship Program. She also serves as the section head for Muscle & Nerve Pathology.
Outside of Duke, Jones works as a consultant for genetic muscular dystrophy and myopathy clinical trials and has leadership roles in the American Association of Neuropathologists as the current assistant-secretary treasurer and chair of the Education Committee.
Jones received her MD and PhD degrees from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She completed her anatomic pathology residency and neuropathology fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, where she subsequently practiced diagnostic neuropathology, led the neuromuscular pathology service, and had a leadership role in UCSD's Biorepository and Tissue Technology Shared Resource Laboratory.