Current Appointments & Affiliations
Brenda E. Armstrong, M. D. Distinguished Professor
·
2024 - Present
Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care,
Medicine
Professor of Medicine
·
2020 - Present
Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care,
Medicine
Senior Fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development
·
2002 - Present
Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development,
Institutes and Centers
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2017 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Publications
The ASCENT Consortium: A New Resource to Support Palliative Care Science Across the Lifespan.
Journal Article J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2026 The ASCENT Consortium was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in August 2025 with the goal of advancing palliative care (PC) research, evidence, implementation and practice to improve care of persons with serious illness and those who care fo ... Full text Link to item CitePredictors of Readiness to Engage in Advance Care Planning Among Older Adults With Serious Illness: Baseline Findings From the EQUAL ACP Study.
Journal Article J Am Geriatr Soc · April 2026 BACKGROUND: Advance care planning (ACP) supports seriously ill individuals in identifying and communicating their values and preferences for future care. However, disparities in ACP engagement persist, particularly among African American older adults. This ... Full text Link to item CitePilot Testing an Equity and Trauma-Informed Communication Intervention for Family-Centered Rounds.
Journal Article Acad Pediatr · February 11, 2026 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an equity-focused communication coaching intervention. METHODS: We conducted a 2-arm randomized waitlist-control trial. Attending hospitalists received the coaching interven ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
1/3 CTSA UM1 at Duke University
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 20322/3 CTSA K12 Program at Duke University
ResearchAssociate Director · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030ASCENT: Advancing the Science of palliative Care rEsearch across the lifespaN
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus · 2025 - 2030View All Grants
Education
Johns Hopkins University ·
1997
M.D.