INSIDE Research 2022, Volume 2

Faculty, staff and students at LSU Health Shreveport are actively engaged in research in a variety of biomedical areas, with concentrations in cancer, cardiovascular sciences, virology, neuroscience, addiction and immunology. A core part of the institution’s mission, research on campus ranges from basic science to translational research and testing the latest therapies in clinical trials. The School of Graduate Studies helps to train future scientists, and our six centers, four of which are Louisiana Board of Regents recognized Centers of Excellence, further elevate our research portfolio.

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research supports these endeavors and is comprised of the Office for Sponsored Programs and Technology Transfer, Research Development and Management, Human Research Protections Program (HRPP), the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the Research Core Facility.

Inside Research is a publication from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport.

LSU Health Shreveport is an equal opportunity institution and adopts a definition of diversity that embraces a broad spectrum of human expression and characteristics that include but are not limited to race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, social and cultural attributes, abilities, sexual orientation, religion, rural or metropolitan background, military or veteran status, and age. In addition, diversity also includes life experiences, record of service, and other talents and personal attributes that enhance the work and learning atmosphere. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse community through the recruitment, enrollment, hiring, and retention/graduation of students, faculty, staff, and leadership who meet this definition of diversity.

The Grants & Research Committee of the LSU Health Shreveport School of Allied Health Professions hosted a Research Night event that showcased 22 poster abstracts from all programs ranging from Health and Wellness Intervention for Head Start Teachers, Pre-Pandemic Evaluation of the State of Staffing Levels in Respiratory Care Professionals, Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Mechanical Hip Pain, and many more topics.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH

Chris Kevil, PhD

Vice Chancellor for Research Dean, School of Graduate Studies

Annella Nelson, MBA Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Development

John Maloy, JD Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Management

Jason Bodily, PhD

Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Kelly Tatchell, PhD Director, Research Core Facility

Valarie M. White, PhD Director, Office for Sponsored Programs and Technology Transfer

Michelle Cavanaugh, BS Executive Director of Research Finances

Debbie Crafts, BS Program Manager, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

Jarrod Sawyer, BS Project Manager, Research Data and Applications

Erin Yates, RN, BSN Director, Clinical Trials Office

John A. Vanchiere, MD, PhD Medical Director, Clinical Trials Office

Megan Strecker, MBA Research Communications Project Coordinator

Wayne Nix, MBA Chief Innovation Officer

V.Hugh Price, DVM Director, Animal Resources

From the Vice Chancellor for Research

It has been another busy and productive year for the Office of Research at LSU Health Shreveport. Research taking place across campus - from our research centers to faculty laboratories to clinical trials - continues to thrive and receive national and international recognition. Our team also continues to grow, and it has been a pleasure to welcome several new world-class researchers to our faculty and see their hard work already making an impact.

Chris

Kevil,

PhD

Vice Chancellor for Research Dean, School of Graduate Studies Director/Principal Investigator, Center for Redox Biology and Cardiovascular Disease COBRE

Over the summer more than 50 high school and undergraduate college students were welcomed to campus to participate in summer research pro grams offered by LSU Health Shreveport. These students were given the opportunity to work in a lab alongside a faculty mentor for eight weeks and develop their own project that was presented at the end of the summer at a poster session. Each student gained invaluable hands-on research ex perience and exposure to various science career paths. I am appreciative to the faculty members who volunteered to be mentors and shared their valuable time and knowledge, and I look forward to seeing many of these students back on our campus in the future in one of our professional schools.

Progress continues to be made on the Center for Medical Education building, which is now over 60% complete and set to open in the fall of 2023. This Center for Medical Education will be the new home of the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats and a Biosafety Level 3 lab, providing advanced research and training capabilities for students and scientists who aspire to better understand and treat viral diseases. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Senator Cassidy and the national Health Resources and Services Administration for a $7 million dollar award making the CEVT BSL3 laboratory a reality. To learn more about this grant project and how you can support the CEVT and the future of research at LSU Health Shreveport, visit www.lsuhsfoundation.org

Recently, LSU Health Shreveport was proud to sponsor the Louisiana Startup Prize and participate in the inaugural Startup Prize Innovation: Health Conference held in Shreveport. This conference highlighted the health innovation happening in North-west Louisiana and brought experts together to explore ways to foster and support innovation within our health sector. The innovative work happening in our region is inspiring and this event was a reminder that the future of healthcare and biomedical research is bright thanks to the discoveries of scientists and medical professionals in our region and across the state.

I hope you enjoy this latest issue of Inside Research. You can find more stories about the research happening at LSU Health Shreveport throughout the year on ourwebsiteat lsuhs edu/researchandonTwitter at @LSUHSResearch.

Sincerely, Chris Kevil, PhD Vice Chancellor for Research

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SUMMER FOR THE

STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS!

More than 50 students participated in programs hosted by the Office of Diversity Affairs, the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, & Neuroscience. These programs are designed to provide students interested in science and healthcare with real-world experience to help advance their future academic and career goals. LSU Health Shreveport has provided summer research programs for more than 20 years, and these programs continue to grow each year. Many students who have participated in summer programs at LSU Health Shreveport have gone on to obtain a science-based bachelor’s degree, and numerous students have returned to campus as graduate, allied health or medical students.

Cardiovascular Undergraduate Research Initiative fOr Underrepresented Students

Cardiovascular Undergraduate Research Initiative fOr Underrepresented Students (CURIOUS) is a National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded summer research program for underrepresented minority undergraduate students interested in pursuing research as part of their scientific or clinical career goals. The highly competitive NIH R25 Research Education Program grant that supports the CURIOUS program was received by LSU Health Shreveport for the first time in 2019. 2022 marked the third year for CURIOUS at LSUHS with the 2020 program being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten outstanding students were selected from across the United States to spend the summer in Shreveport and participate in this 8-week intensive cardiovascular research program. Each student was assigned a mentor and conducted research in their lab alongside their team. Students also participated in weekly enrichment activities. Top students are invited back for a second year to continue their research and participate in more advanced clinical and research enrichment activities.

Jumpstart Summer Enrichment Program and Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program

The Jumpstart Summer Enrichment Program (JSEP) and the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (UGRAP) are summer enrichment programs led by the Office of Diversity Affairs at LSU Health Shreveport. JSEP is a program for Caddo and Bossier Parish high school students. During this 8-week summer program, students are assigned a LSUHS faculty mentor and spend 40 hours a week in laboratories and clinics performing hands-on research projects designed to support their interest in science and prepare them to pursue a healthcare career. UGRAP is an 8-week research apprenticeship program designed for undergraduate college students who have an interest in pursuing a career in biomedical research, medicine or allied health professions. Students have a LSUHS faculty member as a mentor for the summer and work alongside scientists, doctors and laboratory personnel in research labs. At the end of their 8-week programs, JSEP and UGRAP students present the findings of their summer research projects at a poster session demonstrating the skills learned in scientific writing and data analysis.

STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Summer Undergraduate Pharmacology Experience in Research

The Summer Undergraduate Pharmacology Experience in Research (SUPER) is a summer internship program in the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, & Neuroscience that provides career opportunities pharmacology, toxicology, carcinogenesis, chemoprevention, neuropharmacology, and neuroscience graduate research. Four students were selected from colleges across the country to participate in SUPER this summer and spent eight weeks interning in a research laboratory at LSU Health Shreveport. Each student works on their own research project and is mentored by participating LSUHS faculty members. In addition, students attend a weekly career development seminar and receive laboratory safety training. At the end of the summer internship, students present their research findings in a departmental poster session.

The Undergraduate Biomedical Research Fellowship

The Undergraduate Biomedical Research Fellowship Program was established at LSU Health Shreveport in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology to help meet the urgent need for talented new scientists to face challenges of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and other microbial organisms that cause widespread suffering throughout the world and in our own communities. At the same time, microbiologists are making breathtaking progress in understanding and combatting infectious pathogens through innovative molecular, biochemical, and computational technologies. Through this competitive summer fellowship program, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experiences in cutting-edge biomedical research laboratories at LSU Health Shreveport under the mentorship of nationally recognized leaders in microbiology and immunology research. Fellows work with their mentors to create a scientific question to serve as the focus of their project and then spend their time in the Fellowship program to find experimental answers to their question. In addition to laboratory research, Fellows participate alongside graduate students in seminars, journal clubs, and other scientific experiences to deepen their understanding of microbiology and immunology. The program concludes with a Summer Biomedical Research Symposium where Fellows present their research findings.

Summer Undergraduate Program with the Fundación Barrié

This year marked the second year of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology’s collaboration with the Fundación Barrié in La Coruna, Spain. The collaboration offers Fellowships to Spanish national students to participate in the departmental summer undergraduate research program, establishing an international outreach of this highly competitive summer program. These students are fully integrated into the Undergraduate Biomedical Research Fellowship and participate in all activities but present their summer research projects during a departmental seminar series instead of a poster session. The Barrie Foundation was founded in 1966 and has worked for the economic, social, and cultural development of Galicia in northwest Spain by implementing innovative initiatives and programs in education, science and research, heritage and culture, and social welfare. Over the last 54 years, the Barrie Foundation has awarded more than 15,000 scholarships to students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievements and who show excellent promise as future leaders in their fields.

A JEOL 1400 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) was recently installed in Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy Morphology Core Facility. The TEM is equipped with an AMT mid-mount Digital Camera for digital image acquisition.

The JEOL 1400 is capable of 0.38nm point image resolution and a 0.2nm lattice image resolution. The instrument can be run at 10, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120kEV (kiloelectron volts) and has a magnification range of 200 to 1,200,000x. The microscope is equipped with a fourplace specimen rod for rapid scanning between specimens and a high tilting +/- specimen holder for goniometer-controlled tilt-series specimens for 3D reconstruction methods.

The Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy Morphology Core Facility has all of the equipment necessary for the preparation, sectioning (Leica UC-7 Ultramicrotome), and staining of TEM specimens. The past six months have been spent training staff on specimen preparation protocols and microscope operation. Research Associates are available for the training of new users, operation of the TEM, and tissue preparation. The TEM and tissue preparation activities of the Morphology Core Facility are operated on a fee-for-service basis, the services provided by the facility available to all investigators on the campus.

$7M Federal Appropriation Secured

for

LSU Health Shreveport

Center for Medical Education and Emerging Viral Threats

LSU Health Shreveport received a notice of award from Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this year for a $7 million grant in support of the Center for Medical Education and Emerging Viral Threats. Senator Bill Cassidy was instrumental in the receipt of this funding for LSUHS, which will enhance the impact of the Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT) as it is able to expand significantly in the new Center for Medical Education building. Additional medical education and research opportunities coupled with the expected increase in the number of clinical trials testing new anti-virals and other anti-pathogen agents to combat infections with viruses, bacteria, fungi or other pathogens will yield enhanced economic impact to the region and the state.

“This investment supports a strategy by whichLSUHealthShreveportcanbetter track the spread of coronavirus now and other infections in the future. This keeps us healthier and lowers health care costs. It also expands research possibilities to create more and better-paying jobs,” said Dr. Cassidy. The appropriation will supplement $50 million in state, local and philanthropic giving.

The CEVT, which will transition from a BSL2 to a BSL3 lab, will continue and then expand its mission as a robust surveillance site for new and returning pathogens, as well as serve as an incubator to attract new faculty.

LSU Health Shreveport’s Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT) has established an unprecedented track record in saving lives from COVID-19 among a population facing historical health disparities. The appropriation fosters enhanced services to rural and underserved populations of Northwest Louisiana which often suffer disproportionately. Furthermore, the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats has been a state and national leader in genomic sequencing which identified novel variants of the virus in Louisiana. Viral genomic sequencing is necessary for national and global health security and is an important aspect in effective and timely response against current andfuturepandemicsandoutbreaks.

“This funding for LSU Health Shreveport’s new Center for Medical Education and our Center for Emerging Viral Threats is substantial. It provides essential support to expand and strengthen the capabilities to address present and future viral threats and improve public health outcomes, all while continuing to pave the way for our institution as a national leader in this area of research,” said Chris Kevil, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport. “I greatly appreciate the work and support of Senator Cassidy, who was instrumental in establishing this funding for LSUHS that will allow us to further succeed in our mission to teach, heal and discover in order to advance the well-being of the State, region, and beyond.”

This grant will complete the Center for Medical Education, which will incorporate the Center for Emerging Viral Threats and additional lab space, allowing the CEVT to reach its’ fullest potential as a regional and national center of specialization in the field of virology research and viral genomic surveillance. An increased number of novel pharmaceutical trials are anticipated to occur with expansion of the CEVT further increasing its’ impact to the economy and health of our citizenry. Expanded career opportunities and targeted workforce development will occur with the expansion of the CEVT.

LSU Health Shreveport is committed to health equity by understanding and appropriately addressing the needs of all populations thus ensuring our community will become stronger, safer, healthier, and better prepared to address future pandemics.

LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT RESEARCH CENTERS

The Louisiana Board of Regents has supported full five-year approval for the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC) and Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT), with the CEVT being designated a Center of Research Excellence. The Board of Regents approval follows unanimous approval of both centers by the LSU Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Both centers were previously granted provisional approval and applied for full center approval earlier this year.

The mission of Louisiana Addiction Research Center is to provide addiction research and education in an integrated environment pursuing the latest in innovative approaches and learning. Nicholas Goeders, PhD, serves as the Executive Director of LARC.

The mission of the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats is to engage in multidisciplinary, basic, and translational research on infectious agents, provide surveillance and detection for current and future viral threats, provide cutting edge diagnostics and access to national clinical trials, and educate physicians, scientists and the community about prevention, treatment and the science of viral diseases. Andrew Yurochko, PhD, serves as the Executive Director of the CEVT.

“We are humbled by this vote of confidence by the Louisiana Board of Regents and the LSU Board of Supervisors in the work being done the Louisiana

Addiction Research Center and the Center for Emerging Viral Threats. I commend Dr. Goeders and Dr. Yurochko and the faculty and staff of both centers who have worked incredibly hard to achieve these designations,” said Chris Kevil, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport. “Both the LARC and CEVT are dedicated to fulfilling their missions and working to improve health outcomes for Louisiana citizens. This recognition also strengthens our position to compete for grant funding and further advance research in our region and state.”

“This is a great honor for our institution for the Louisiana Addiction Research Center to be recognized as a fully authorized center and for the Center for Emerging Viral Threats to continue to be recognized as a designated Center of Research Excellence. I am thankful for the support and recognition by the Louisiana Board of Regents and LSU Board of Supervisors of the meaningful work performed by these centers. Their efforts deliver multidisciplinary, basic, and translational research, as well as community outreach and engagement. Their role in in the response to the COVID-19 and addiction pandemics have been stellar,” shared David Lewis, MD, MBA, Interim Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport. “The faculty and staff of the LARC and CEVT are and will continue to be invaluable resources for our community, state and beyond.”

A SELECT NUMBER OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS earn the designation as a Center of Excellence by the Louisiana Board of Regents and must demonstrate statewide leadership in their area of focus and a commitment to building on their respective strengths by advancing knowledge and skills to create better opportunities for improving the quality of life of Louisiana residents. The designation as a Center of Excellence is rigorous process and requires proof of the center’s qualifications for the distinction. Qualifications include being a statewide leader in the area of designation, provision of a range of academic, training of research opportunities, a focus on current issues and the ability to advance the strategic goals of the institution and the State of Louisiana.

LSU Health Shreveport is home to FOUR designated Centers of Research Excellence: Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, the Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences, the Center of Excellence for Arthritis and Rheumatology, and the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats.

To learn more about all of the research centers at LSU Health Shreveport, visit www.lsuhs.edu/centers

LSUHS WELCOMES

2022-2023 SMART Program Students

Eleven students from Caddo Parish schools are part of this year’s BRF Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program. These students will work alongside investigators at LSU Health Shreveport on various research studies throughout the school year. BRF launched the SMART program in 1997 to provide a yearlong research experience for 10 to 12 academically advanced high school seniors from Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parishes. SMART students must have a career interest in medicine, biomedical research or biomedical engineering. SMART is a partnership among BRF, LSU Health Shreveport, and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto Parish School Boards. Funding for the program comes from the generosity of donors, including the late Bobbie Cates Hicks, The Bruce J. Heim Foundation, The Community Foundation of North Louisiana’s Give for Good donors, The Community Foundation of North Louisiana’s William C. Woolf Fund, and The Magale Foundation.

2022-2023 SMART Students

Nhi Dao

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Caroline Hannigan

C.E. Byrd High School

Elizabeth Klotzbach

C.E. Byrd High School

Raj Letchuman

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Katherine Michael

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Chloe Miller

C.E. Byrd High School

Gabrielle Miller

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Ben Muslow

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Sonya Patel

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

Jaylen Pruiett

Captain Shreve High School

Eshika Tandon

Caddo Parish Magnet High School

LSU Health Shreveport Mentors

J.Steven Alexander, PhD Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology

Diana Cruz-Topete, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology

Elizabeth Disbrow, PhD Associate Professor and Director, Center for Brain Health, Department of Neurology

Lynn Harrison, PhD Professor, Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy

Monica Cartelle Gestal, PhD Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Jason Bodily, PhD Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Christopher B. Pattillo, PhD Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular,Physiology

Giovanni Solitro, PhD Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery

Sumitra Miriyala, PhD Assistant Professor of Cellular Biology and Anatomy

Andrew D. Yurochko, PhD Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Carroll Feist Chair of Viral Oncology; Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats; and PI of the NIH COBRE Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes

COMING SOON

STONEWALL RESEARCH FACILITY

LSU Health Shreveport’s Stonewall Research Facility (SRF) is currently developing a 10,000 square foot expansion of its current 3,500 square foot facility set to open in late fall 2023. The SRF medical research complex replicates hospital settings with four operating rooms that contain advanced imaging for interventional cardiology, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiac bypass procedures, and robotic surgery, and will accommodate up to five concurrent procedures. The Stonewall Research Facility is dedicated to translational research, biomedical discovery, and medical/surgical training and addresses the growing demand for infrastructure and expertise necessary for using large animals as biomedical models. This facility will function as a “proving ground” for testing novel concepts and technologies and will support translational and military medical research.

DR. DEDRICK JORDAN named Department of Neurology

Chair

Joseph “Dedrick” Jordan, MD, PhD, assumed his new role as Chair of the Department of Neurology at LSU Health Shreveport in May. Dr. Jordan comes to LSU Health Shreveport from Duke University, where he served as Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Vice Chair of Strategy and Analytics, and Medical Director of the Neuroscience Clinical Service Unit. In addition to extensive clinical experience and expertise, Dr. Jordan has many research interests including optimization of medication dosing in patients with acute neurological illness through study of the effect of critical illness on pharmacokinetics of commonly use medications, and in identifying key opportunities and subsequent development tools to use health analytics and artificial intelligence to predict algorithms to assist clinical decision making. His funding sources have included the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Department of Defense (DOD), numerous pharma companies, UNC Cancer Research Fund, and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats’ (CEVT)

Viral Genomics and Surveillance Lab surpassed uploading its 17,000th sequence to GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Influenza Data) and continues to be the top submitter of SARS-CoV-2 data from Louisiana to online repositories like GISAID.

The Center for Redox Biology and Cardiovascular Disease CoBRE at LSU Health Shreveport, led by Principal Investigator Chris Kevil, PhD, was awarded a $730,000 supplement award from the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) for “SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance in North Louisiana.” Viral genomic surveillance is critical for identification of SARS-CoV-2 variants that exhibit biological characteristics of concern for public health, such as escape from humoral immunity, enhanced transmissibility, and/or increased pathogenic potential. The Center for Redox Biology and Cardiovascular Disease will collaborate with the Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes CoBRE at LSUHS and leverage established institutional programs including the Center for Emerging Viral Threats’ (CEVT) CLIA/CAP certified reference laboratory, ongoing COVID-19 clinical research, community mass vaccination and testing services, and LSU Health Shreveport’s highly productive viral genome sequencing program, all of which have served North and Central Louisiana throughout the pandemic. LSUHS is also an active partner with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) in these efforts and has a strong foundation for translation of viral genomic surveillance data into favorable public health outcomes, such as protection of vulnerable communities and targeted mitigation steps against variants of concern. There are two specific aims of this project: establish rapid SARS-CoV-2 viral genome sequencing and data sharing prioritized by re-infections and infections of vaccine recipients; and perform SARS-CoV-2 viral genome sequencing and data sharing of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients with predisposing risk factors and/or cardiopulmonary complications. Genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 for unique variants is essential to help mitigate massive negative impacts and aid in facilitating vaccination efforts to control the virus. This grant award will enhance genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Louisiana, East Texas, and Southern Arkansas to benefit U.S. public health and advance research regarding SARS-CoV-2 and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

School of Graduate Studies student Brenna Pearson-Gallion was awarded a F31 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship from the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for her project “EphA2 in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” which will study the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, characterized by abnormal hepatic lipid accumulation, hepatocyte ballooning, inflammation, and fibrosis, is the leading cause of liver failure in the world, affecting 25% of the global population. Previous research has uncovered a novel role for the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 in NAFLD, with potential implications in late-stage NASH. this project may identify a new therapeutic target for the treatment of NAFLD. Brenna is a student in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and her mentor is Dr. A. Wayne Orr.

Kevin Lin, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology and Assistant Director of the Center for Brain Health, was awarded a 3-year, $300,000 Transformational Project Award from the American Heart Association for his project, “Neuroinflammation and Mitochondria Respiration in Alzheimer's Disease”. The purpose of AHA Transformational Project Awards is to support highly innovative, high-impact projects that build on work in progress that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research.

Nirav Dhanesha, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, received a 5-year $2.24 million R01 grant from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for his project “Mechanisms for Deep Vein Thrombosis following Stroke.” Patients with stroke are at a significant risk for developing life-threatening venous thromboembolic (VTE) events including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Compelling evidence has emerged that implicates neutrophils in the initiation and pathogenesis of DVT. Using experimental models, Dr. Dhanesha’s project will investigate the mechanistic role of neutrophil integrin α9 in modulation of poststroke DVT and test whether targeting integrin α9 reduces DVT incidence following stroke.

Oren Rom, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, has been awarded a 5-year, $1.6 million R01 grant from the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for his project, “Lipidated Amino Acids in Cardiometabolic Diseases.” This research will study the role of N-acyl amino acids and underlying metabolic mechanisms and will evaluate an intervention based on N-acyl amino acids with the ultimate objective of accelerating development of a novel therapy for the simultaneous treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis, prominent diseases that often manifest together.

Sarah Thayer, MD, PhD, Director of the Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, was appointed to the Louisiana Cancer and Lung Trust Fund Board by Governor John Bel Edwards. The Louisiana Cancer and Lung Trust Fund Board serves to determine policy for the Louisiana Tumor Registry and distribute state funds for cancer research. Dr. Thayer will serve as the representative for LSU Health Shreveport on the Board. Dr. Thayer was also elected as a new board member of the Association of American Cancer Institutes and will begin in this role during the AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting in October.

Oren Rom, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology at LSU Health Shreveport, is the recipient of the 2022 Irvine H. Page Junior Faculty Research Award. This prestigious award, sponsored by the American Heart Association’s Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB Council), recognizes investigators in the formative years of their faculty careers who have the potential to become future leaders in cardiovascular research. Dr. Rom was selected as one of three finalists for the Page Award in April and presented his research during a special session on May 13 at the ATVB Council’s Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine Scientific Sessions in Seattle, Washington. Finalists of the award were assessed on the quality and originality of the submitted manuscript, the quality of the oral presentation and response to questions, publication and funding record, and service to the scientific community and the American Heart Association.

Jason Bodily, PhD, was selected as Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Dr. Bodily joined the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at LSU Health Shreveport as an Assistant Professor in 2011 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2019. Since joining the LSUHS faculty Dr. Bodily has been a mentor to many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and has been a mentor for high school, undergraduate and medical students through the SMART, Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and Medical Student Research Programs over the years. The focus of Dr. Bodily’s research is human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which are the causative agents of cervical and other cancers.

Elizabeth Disbrow, PhD, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Center for Brain Health, has been named the Noel Foundation, Inc. Endowed Professorship Honoring Dr. Robert C. Leitz, III in Parkinson’s Disease Research. The Center for Brain Health (CBH) at LSU Health Shreveport received a $100,000 gift from the Noel Foundation, which represents the first endowed funding in support of the CBH. The CBH was established to increase neurosciencerelated education, improve and expand care for patients with brain disorders, and attract young specialists and pioneering clinical trials to North Louisiana. Through the endowment, the CBH will expand its team of researchers and clinician scientists with expertise in Parkinson’s disorder and increase competitiveness for federal research grants. The Noel Foundation has long supported LSU Health Shreveport, giving to many initiatives, including medical student scholarships, the Center for Medical Education, and educational opportunities at the School of Allied Health Professions.

The LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 Strike Team was the recipient of the 2021 Dr. Donald G. Mack Award from the Northwest Louisiana Pediatric Society in recognition of the countless pediatric lives saved by their administration of COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 and up.

The LSUHS COVID-19 Strike Team was also honored by The Red Mass Society of Shreveport at the annual Red Mass held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on May 6. “This year’s honoree adds to the strong legacy of the Shreveport Red Mass. To honor a group such as the LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 Strike Team, locally based with national and international significance, which has done so much to help so many during a very difficult time, is indeed one of the highlights of our 25-year history. To have Dr. Vanchiere and his group celebrating with us will make this year’s Red Mass particularly meaningful,” said Larry Pettiette, Red Mass Chairman. Since 1993, the Red Mass has been celebrated annually at Holy Trinity Catholic Church the first week of May in recognition of National Law Week. The Mass is attended by judges, lawyers, government officials and persons of faith for the purpose of invoking God’s blessing and guidance in the administration of justice and is sponsored locally by the Red Mass Society of Shreveport, which is dedicated to works of charity and other community projects.

LSUHS Medical Student Selected for Prestigious NIH Research Program

Aaron Sheppard, a second-year School of Medicine student, has been selected to participate in the 2022-2023 class of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP). The Medical Research Scholars Program is a research immersion program for future clinician-scientists that advances health by inspiring careers in biomedical research. By engaging students in basic, clinical, or translational research investigations, offering a curriculum rich in didactics and professional development, and featuring a robust mentorship and advising program, MRSP prepares its Scholars to become tomorrow’s leaders in medicine and biomedical research. Aaron is one of 50 medical students from across the country and the first medical student from LSUHS chosen to participate in this prestigious program.

The MRSP received 129 eligible applications from across the nation for the 2022-2023 class. Upon review by a panel of NIH investigators known as the MRSP Board of Advisors, 90 applicants were interviewed virtually over the course of two days by three NIH investigators. After final review and evaluation, the 2022-2023 class was finalized and consists of a total of 51 participants -50 medical students and one dental student – who represent 39 U.S. accredited universities.

The selected participants receive robust mentored training and will conduct research in areas that match their personal interests and research and career goals. The training experience forms the core of the program and allows these future clinician-scientists to carry out research across the full spectrum of science in the interest of improving public health. The scholars work with an advisor who provides guidance on creating a career development plan and on selecting an NIH research mentor. Mentors are fulltime NIH investigators with basic, clinical, or translational research programs. Over the course of the academic year, MRSP scholars participate in journal club seminars, a seminar series with invited speakers that includes both distinguished senior investigators and early to mid-career clinician-scientists, and clinical teaching rounds. They also present their research to the NIH community and at national professional conferences.

The MRSP is supported by the NIH and other partners via contributions to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Including the incoming class, 520 students have participated in the MRSP program since its inception in 2012.

FOURTH ANNUAL RESEARCH CELEBRATION HONORS EXCELLENCE in RESEARCH

LSU Health Shreveport leadership, faculty, staff, students and community supporters gathered to honor researchers, scientists and community members at the fourth annual Research Celebration on Thursday, April 28. Individuals were honored with Office of Research Excellence Awards in recognition of their research and academic achievements, as well as supporting the advancement of research at LSUHS. Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chancellor for Research, also highlighted new research faculty members and exciting developments on the horizon that will continue to facilitate research growth on our campus and beyond.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH Excellence Award Winners

EXCELLENCE IN EXTRAMURAL FUNDING AWARD

Karen Stokes, PhD, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Assistant Director of Scientific Excellence for the Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Sciences

A. Wayne Orr, PhD, Professor and Director of the Research Division for Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences

Lynn Harrison, PhD, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology

EXCELLENCE IN TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AWARD

Sushil Jain, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION AWARD

Ricardo Costa, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow and CEO of Arganum Transplant Solutions and Postdoctoral Fellow

Giovanni Solitro, PhD, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY

Shile Huang, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Sushil Jain, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics

Alan Kaye, MD, PhD, Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs; Chief Academic Officer; Provost; Professor of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neurosciences

Chris Kevil, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research; School of Graduate Studies Dean; Director/P.I. Center for Redox Biology and Cardiovascular Disease COBRE; Professor of Pathology, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and Cell Biology and Anatomy

Yuping Wang, MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology

Andrew Yurochko, PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology; Carroll Feist Endowed Chair of Viral Oncology; Director/P.I. of Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes COBRE; Executive Director of Center for Emerging Viral Threats

RESEARCH RISING STAR

Art Yurdagul, Jr., PhD, Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology

Oren Rom, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology

COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD

Roy O. Martin III & Kathy Kilpatrick Martin Dewey Corley

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To learn more about research at LSU Health Shreveport and how you can support important research initiatives, visit www.lsuhs.edu/research