HONORS & APPOINTMENTS

Sports Medicine physicians were recognized by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser at the annual hospitality awards hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. Representing LSUHS at the awards ceremony were Dr. Peter Seidenberg, Chair of Family Medicine, and Dr. Charles Webb, Director of Sports Medicine Division. LSU Health Shreveport was recognized as Healthcare Provider of the Year.

LSUHS School of Allied Health Professions was recognized by the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research with the Marquette Challenge Award of Merit for raising over $8,000 which will go toward physical therapy research.

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care awarded the LSUHS Respiratory Therapy/Cardiopulmonary Science Program with the 2021 Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award CoARC Award that denotes the measure of a program’s success through rigorous criteria which include a credentialing success of 90% and to have met or exceeded CoARC thresholds for TMC high cut score and retention.

The following Family Practice residents in Alexandria were recognized by the Regional Medical Director for the Region 6 Louisiana Office of Public Health for their extraordinary efforts during Hurricane Ida. These residents treated 899 patients at the Alexandria Megashelter over a 32-day period, with 100 of those patients being seen in a 24-hour period. These individuals were praised for their steady, personable, and competent efforts which resulted in outstanding patient care. Dr. Ashley Billings Dr. Kayelinda Heiner Dr. Ronak Shah Dr. Brianna Shaffer Dr. Cade Burns Dr. Stephen Finney Dr. James Shute Dr. Lois Buller Dr. Bethany Citerella

Erin Yates, RN, BSN has been selected as the Director of the Clinical Trials Office. She is responsible for reviewing federal and state laws, regulations, institutional polices, and guidelines used to provide guidance to faculty, Principal Investigators, and research staff to ensure institutional compliance of human subject laws.

John Vanchiere, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Division of Infectious Disease, Director of COVID-19 Community Testing and Vaccinations, and Principal Investigator of Pfizer COVID-19 Clinical Trial, was appointed to serve as the Medical Director for the Clinical Trials Office. In his new role, Dr. Vanchiere will provide medical support for all clinical trials conducted by LSU Health Shreveport. He will be instrumental in the design and implementation of investigator-initiated clinical trials, determining feasibility of proposed clinical trials and ensuring that clinical trials are in accordance with federal, state, or local laws, and provide input in all federal and state audits of clinical research.

Amber N. Edinoff, MD, PGY-3 Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Medical Education Resident Research Award by Provost Dr. Alan Kaye. Dr. Edinoff was selected for her outstanding research contributions, having worked on over 40 papers in the past year on topics including, psychiatry, pain, and pharmacology and contributed as a Guest Editor for a special issue on Schizophrenia in Neurology International. Dr. Edinoff was also awarded First Pplace in the Case Report Category at the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association Meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Feb.27, 2021.

Cynthia Peterson, PhD, alumna and current LSU College of Science Dean, was named Special Advisor on Science by LSU President William F. Tate. Dr. Peterson received her PhD in biochemistry from LSU Health Shreveport School of Graduate Studies.

Nicholas Goeders, PhD, Chairman of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Executive Director of Louisiana Addiction Research Center, was appointed to the JanOne Scientific Advisory Board.

Vijayakumar Javalkar, MD, MCh, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Associate Program Director of Neurology Residency Program, was named the Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor 2021. The elite designation is based on superior ability to achieve the best possible health outcomes.

R. Keith White, MD, FACS was announced as Chief Medical Officer of Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-Academic Medical Center (hospital). Dr. White joined the Ochsner LSU Health team in 2018 and was previously Chief Medical Director for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. He is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery for LSU Health Shreveport and holds the John C. McDonald MD Endowed Chair of Surgery.

Dr. White was appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN) Board. Dr. White was also elected Secretary of the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.

Navdeep Samra, MD, FICS, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery and General Surgery Residency Program Director, was appointed to serve as a member of the Louisiana, District 2, Committee on Applicants of the American College of Surgeons for a three-year term. Dr. Samra was also elected as the October 2020 Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Provider of the Month.

Rohit Ranganath, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, received the 2020 Young Fellows Association Award at the Louisiana Chapter of American College of Surgeons meeting.

John R. Mercke, MD, PGY-3 Family Medicine Resident in Alexandria, received the 2021 Louisiana Academy of Family Physician’s Foundation Resident Award of Excellence. During residency training he served as Resident Wellness Coordinator and Resident Representative for Rapides Regional Medical Center’s Residency Advisory Council.

Wanda Thomas, MD, FAAP, Assistant Dean of School of Medicine Admissions and Associate Professor of Pediatrics was announced as one of the two new members of the seven-member Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of North Louisiana.

E.J. Mayeaux Jr., MD, DABFM, FAAFP, DABPM-

CI, Professor of Family Medicine, Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs and Senior Associate Dean for Population Health and Primary Care, was presented an Award of Merit by the ASCCP Board of Directors for being a Program Director, a faculty member, and an editor for the Online Comprehensive Colposcopy Course. Dr. Mayeaux, along with select other past presidents of the society, developed and implemented the online course.

A. Wayne Orr, PhD, Director, Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, Professor and Director, Division of Research, Department of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, was appointed as Associate Editor for the American Journal of Pathology beginning Jan.1, 2021.

Ryan Mackay, MD-PhD Student, was awarded a F30 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Health. Ryan is the first student at LSU Health Shreveport to receive this prestigious award. He is investigating induction of DNA damage and angiogenic processes as targets for anaplastic thyroid cancer treatment in Dr. Christopher Pattillo’s Laboratory in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology.

Racheal Peterson, PGY-5 Neurosurgery Resident, won the John Jackson Resident Award for her talk “Gadolinium retention in patients undergoing routine postoperative surveillance for pituitary adenomas.”

Christina Notarianni, MD, FAANS, Professor of Neurosurgery, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Residency Program Director, was selected as the Louisiana Neurosurgical Society delegate for the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS).

Dr. Anthony Sin, MD, FAANS, Professor and Vice Chairman of Neurosurgery and Director of Complex Spinal Disorders, was elected as the next Secretary and Treasurer of the Louisiana Neurosurgical Society (LANS). He will serve in this role for the next two years.

Dr. Sarah Thayer, MD, PhD, FACS was selected as the Director of Feist-Weiller Cancer Center effective Feb. 1, 2021. Dr. Thayer’s role as Director includes both a clinical leadership role with Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and a research and medical education leadership role with LSU Health Shreveport. She actively practices as a pancreatic and breast cancer surgeon and an NCI-funded investigator with research focused on the initiation, progression, and regulation of pancreatic cancer. Prior to joining the University of Nebraska Medical Center, she spent 13 years at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Most recently, she completed coursework at the Harvard Business School focusing on Managing Health Care Delivery.

ALPHA ETA SOCIETY

The Alpha Eta Society is a national scholastic honor society that serves to promote and recognize significant scholarship, leadership, and contributions to the Allied Health Professions. Students have been nominated by their respective program faculty based on scholastic and leadership abilities reflected in their chosen professions. Faculty nominees are chosen by the Alpha Eta Advisory Committee. STUDENT NOMINEES Allison DeLatin Jonathon Tyler Bloxom Ernesto Antonio Peña Tejeda Bayleigh Elizabeth Anders Mary Catherine Bergeron Naomi Hill Peters Haley McKenzie Hoffer Sarah Ann Jolly Grace Elizabeth Monger Anna Catherine Ortego Erin Elizabeth Picou Brooke Durr Brown Lauren Kay Potts Robyn Denise Bradley Emily Grace Burley, CKTP Hallie Dodge, CKTP Madison Edmonston Elena DiMattia Alyssa Jackson Dyer Dominic Michael Engolia Kellie Gotangco Lindsey Mouton Jacqueline DiLane Rushford Sadie Lane West

FACULTY NOMINEE 2020 Elizabeth Guice, PhD, LMFT

FACULTY NOMINEE 2021 Heather Anderson, EdD, CCC-SLP

ALPHA OMEGA ALPHA

Alpha Omega Alpha is a national medical honor society comprised of over 4,000 students, residents/fellows, faculty, and alumni. The criteria for nomination includes, but is not limited to, scholastic achievement which refers to excellence in physicianship, demonstrated professionalism, leadership capabilities, adherence to ethical standards, fairness in dealing with colleagues, achievement in medicine and/or research, and a record of service to school and community.

CLASS of 2022 FALL INDUCTEES

Ben Becnel Kyle Boudreaux Blaine Bulloch Nicholas Callais Hannah Hansen Patrick Ingraffia Christian Karam Linh Nguyen Mackenzie Noonan Kelsey Rooney Bryce Rushing Caroline Sagrera Robert Spraggins Samantha St. Pierre Winston Suh Katie Trettin

Steven Conrad, MD, PhD, MS, MSE, MBA, MSST,

MSc, Professor of Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, and Anesthesiology, received the 2020 Outstanding Alumni of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. An Ike Muslow Endowed Chair, Dr. Conrad was honored by leadership, family, and colleagues in a reception on Sat. May 15.

Celeste Yin Chieh Wu, PhD, postgraduate fellow in Neurology, was awarded with the American Heart Career Development Award. Dr. Wu will be the principal investigator (PI) of a $231,000 award funding investigation on the role of enzyme catalysts in age-induced vascular dementia.

Cherie-Ann Nathan, MD, FACS, Jack Pou Endowed Prof. & Chairman of the Dept. of Otolaryngology, Director of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Feist-Weiller Cancer Center was elected to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Governors. The members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Governors (B/G) serve as an official, direct communications link between the Board of Regents (B/R) and the Fellows.

Dr. Nathan was elected to the Board of Governors of the American Surgical Society for an initial three-year term ending at the conclusion of the 2023 Clinical Congress.

Dr. Nathan was appointed the At-Large Academic Director for a four-year term with the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Nathan was recognized by the American Head and Neck Society as the 2020 Winner of the Margaret Butler Outstanding Mentor of Women in Head and Neck Surgery. This award recognizes individuals with significant impact and measurable outcomes in the mentorship of women in head and neck surgery. Dr. Nathan was honored at the AHNS International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in July.

Marie Vazquez Morgan, PT, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Therapy was appointed to lead the newly instituted LSUHS Wellness Program as the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Institutional Wellness. Dr. Morgan received $36,525 in grant funding from the LWCC Foundation for LSU Health Shreveport to support the Eat Right and Move program.

Susanne Tinsley, PT, PhD, Assistant Dean in the School of Allied Health Professions, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, and Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy was appointed Assistant Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement.

Lynn Harrison, PhD, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, was the recipient of the 2021 Allen A. Copping Excellence in Teaching Award for Basic Science. The Allen A. Copping Excellence in Teaching Award is given out each year to faculty who exemplify not only outstanding teaching, but also leadership and mentoring skills. Recipients are nominated and selected by students and peers.

James D. Morris, MD, FACG, FACP, AGAF,

Associate Professor of Gastroenterology and Program Director for the Gastroenterology Residency, was awarded the Allen A. Copping, DDS Excellence in Teaching Award for Clinical Medicine.

Mansoureh Barzegar, PhD, graduate assistant in the Alexander Laboratory in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, is the recipient of the 2021 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies. The Chancellor’s Award is presented annually to an outstanding graduating student as demonstrated by the quality of the dissertation and related research efforts. Dr. Barzegar will continue her training as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the Physiology Department.

Erin Ware, MLIS, Reference Librarian for the Health Sciences Library, was selected Chair-Elect of the Subject Specialists Section of the Louisiana Library Association and will serve in this role through June 2022.

Stephan N. Witt, PhD, FCSSI, Chairman of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was invited to be a reviewer for the June 24-25th NIH study section meeting: Cellular and Molecular Biology of Neurodegeneration (CMND).

Arrigo DeBenedetti, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received the Spring 2021 Feist-Weiller Cancer Center (FWCC) Bridge Award in the amount of $100,000 on the grant titled: TLK1-MK5 Signaling Axis in Prostate Cancer Cell Motility and Invasion.

Pooja Jethani, OTD, LOTR , Clinical Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, was selected as the recipient of the 2021 Integrative Rehabilitation Research Mentoring & Career Development Fellowship from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Harish Siddaiah, MD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, was appointed to be an examiner for the APPLIED exams for the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Sudha Pandit, MD, Associate Program Director and Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology, was appointed to the American College of Gastroenterology Women in GI Committee.

Andrew Yurochko, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Director and PI of CAIPP, and Associate Director of Research for Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, was selected by LSU System President William Tate IV to serve on the LSU Health and Medical Advisory Committee. The Committee is a group of experts in medicine, epidemiology, virology, and environmental engineering tasked with ensuring the administration has the most current information needed to make decisions that keep members of our LSU family safe.

Richard Mansour, MD, Professor of Medicine and Program Director of Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, and Tamna Wangjam, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, were honored by the American Cancer Society at the 2021 White Out Cancer Gala. Honorees are professionals in the NWLA area that are recognized for their distinguished talents and achievements.

Samuel Igbinedion, MD, PGY-6, and Anush Vasikaran, MD, PGY-6, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellows, received an advanced endoscopy fellowship match. Dr. Igbinedion matched at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. Dr. Vasikaran matched at GI Associates, LLC in Milwaukee, WI.

Shelvia Grant, JD, Project Coordinator of Administration and Finance, and Jessica Latin, MA, LPC-S, NCC, PMH-C, Gratis Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, were honored by the Greater Shreveport Chamber’s Young Professionals Initiative as members of “40 Under Forty” 2021 Class.

Hugo Cuellar, MD, PhD, MBA, DABR, FAHA,

Chairman and Professor of Radiology, Neurosurgery and Neurology, was elected as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), which recognizes scientific and professional accomplishments, volunteer leadership, and service to AHA. Spring 2021 FAHAs were announced at the International Stroke Conference.

Terry C. Davis, PhD, Division Chief of Healthcare Disparities and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, was appointed to the National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) Strategic Planning Group to propose research agenda.

Krista Queen, PhD, was appointed to the position of Director of Viral Genomics and Surveillance. Dr. Queen, a 2012 alumna of the LSUHS School of Graduate Studies, returns to us having most recently served as a microbiologist on the Genomics and Discovery Team, Respiratory Viruses Branch, DVD/NCIRD at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Wayne Nix, MBA, was named Chief Innovation Officer of Research. Mr. Nix is an experienced entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, business development and management. He has also led many team innovation strategies while providing mentorship for new entrepreneurs. Most recently, Mr. Nix served as the Innovation Program Director for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, where he developed a program for the organization to coordinate and accelerate current and future innovation initiatives.

Will Olmstadt, MSLS, MPH, AHIP, Executive Director of the Library, was approved as a professional member of Beta Phi Mu, the international library and information studies honor society.

Martin Sapp, PhD, Chairman of Microbiology and Immunology and Willis-Knighton Chair of Molecular Biology, was invited to serve as Chair of the Virus Entry and Trafficking Session of the 34th International Papillomavirus Conference being held virtually Nov. 15-19.

Ashton Jorgensen, Graduate Studies student in the Lin Lab, was awarded the Malcom Feist Predoctoral Fellowship for her grant proposal titled “The Effects of Neurogranin on Endothelial Activation.”

Rob Schilke, Graduate Studies student in the Woolard Lab, was awarded an Ike Muslow Predoctoral Fellowship for his grant proposal titled “Macrophage-associated lipin-1 regulates B-oxidation to promote continuing efferocytosis.”

O’Callahan Last Lecture

On Tuesday, Jan 12, Dr. Dennis O’Callaghan gave his last micro lecture wrapping up 57 distinguished years of sharing his knowledge and love of teaching with thousands of students at LSU Health Shreveport. The class surprised him by presenting him with flowers with the Office of Communications capturing this historic occasion with photos.