Providers
Dr. Lucas was born in Columbia, S.C., but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina as a child and considers the Tar Heel state home. She completed her undergraduate education at Duke University and attended medical school at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She did her internal medicine residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. and her internship at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C. Her endocrinology fellowship with medical faculty appointment was completed at Duke University Medical Center.
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She is board certified in internal medicine and the subspecialty of endocrinology. She practiced endocrinology in Little Rock, Arkansas, for two years prior to moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1988. From 1988 through June 2000 she was in an internal medicine and endocrinology practice on the north side of Atlanta. She earned her medical radioactive license in 1993 and is experienced in radioactive iodine treatments for hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer.
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Jeannie moved to Carteret County in 2000. After group practice for 4 years, she decided to branch out on her own and co-founded Diabetes & Endocrinology Consultants, now Lucas Research with her husband, Seth. She loves involving her patients in clinical research. She lives in Morehead City with Seth and 3 gray cats, Kona, Puna and KoKo. She enjoys travelling to beautiful places all over the world.
As doctors go, Jeannie is one of the very best. We are so lucky to have such a talented, fun, and humble one to work with on a daily basis. We wouldn’t trade her for the world!!
Justin moved to Morehead City in 2009 from Wilmington. Before going into the medical field, he worked in the construction industry and then decided to go back to school to pursue medicine. He graduated in 2014 from Wingate University with a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies. He earned his undergraduate degree from Pfeiffer University where he also played baseball. Justin came to Lucas Research after working in the Onslow Memorial Hospital Emergency Room. Wanting to be closer to home, Justin applied for a clinical research position at Lucas Research and here he is! He’s married to Paige Strickland and they have a son named Chatham and a chocolate lab named Allie. Justin enjoys getting to know patients and building strong relationships to better understand their needs. Oh, and he also loves to fish and play sports, including golf!
Justin is up for any challenge and has quickly proved to be a rock steady member of our team. Nothing phases him and we love that about him!
Carlie grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to North Carolina upon graduating. She moved to Wilmington in 2010, where she attended UNC Wilmington, got a degree in Exercise Science and worked as an EMT and Physical Therapy Tech. She then attended Physician Assistant School at the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, VA. She has worked in several settings since graduating and joined our team in January 2025. During her time off, she enjoys spending time on the water, sporting events, and traveling with her husband and her young children.
Originally from Greenville SC, Claire attended medical school at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia. She trained in internal medicine at Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte, NC., and remained in Charlotte working in private practice after residency. It was during this time that her passion for supporting patients who were struggling with weight issues and the related health impacts was born.
"I knew focusing on an additional certification in obesity medicine would help me have an even greater impact on their lives!" says Claire.
She joined the team at Lucas Research in 2022 to combine her passion for treating metabolic issues with advancing medicine through research. She thrives in helping patients meet their weight and health goals through tailored plans measured "one day at a time."
When she's not in the office she enjoys the beach, hiking, and traveling with her husband (her high school prom date!) and her dog children - a rescue mutt and a bichon frise.
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COMING SOON!
Dr. Joseph Maides Jr, DO is a preventive medicine specialist in Morehead City, NC and has over 20 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2003.