Our Mission

The Center of Academic Excellence for Patient Centered Rehabilitation (CAE-PaCeR) will establish the necessary infrastructure to deliver patient-centered rehabilitation in an academic culture of excellence for clinical learning, innovation, and collaboration. 

The rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming a national health crisis, identifying and treating its underlying causes is a critical health challenge. A team of scientists and clinicians at LSUHS had their groundbreaking findings published in the prestigious “Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association”. 

Los Angeles Times - Scientists have found that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is capable of infecting two types of brain cells — neurons and astrocytes. Scientists have been trying to understand why and how it causes these issues in the brain, said study leader Diana Cruz-Topete, a molecular endocrinologist at LSU Health Shreveport.

Many research advancements have occurred at LSU Health Shreveport during the past year that set us on a strong trajectory for future growth. Read our latest edition of INSIDE Research to learn more about how LSU Health Shreveport is leading the way in research in Louisiana and around the country.

LSU Health Shreveport leadership, faculty, staff, students and community supporters gathered to honor researchers, scientists and community members at the third annual Research Celebration held on Thursday, April 29.

Sarahbeth Howes is a third year medical student, a childhood cancer survivor, a fitness enthusiast, and a tissue donor to the St. Jude Biorepository. Because of her ongoing contribution to the research conducted by the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP), scientists are creating breakthroughs in our understanding of the genetic factors that directly influence rare childhood cancers.

Associate Professor, Dr. Changwon Park is a new addition to the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology. The major effort of his lab is to decipher the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms as to the successful generation of the cardiovascular constituents, namely endothelial, endocardium, cardiomyocytes, and hematopoietic cells that share the multipotent cardiovascular progenitors, FLK1 (also known as VEGFR2) expressing cells.

LSUHS Scientists and Researchers Develop Tidal Volume Monitor. The new device works to breathe life into emergency situations.

The rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming a national health crisis, identifying and treating its underlying causes is a critical health challenge. A team of scientists and clinicians at LSUHS had their groundbreaking findings published in the prestigious “Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association”. 

Los Angeles Times - Scientists have found that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is capable of infecting two types of brain cells — neurons and astrocytes. Scientists have been trying to understand why and how it causes these issues in the brain, said study leader Diana Cruz-Topete, a molecular endocrinologist at LSU Health Shreveport.

Many research advancements have occurred at LSU Health Shreveport during the past year that set us on a strong trajectory for future growth. Read our latest edition of INSIDE Research to learn more about how LSU Health Shreveport is leading the way in research in Louisiana and around the country.

LSU Health Shreveport leadership, faculty, staff, students and community supporters gathered to honor researchers, scientists and community members at the third annual Research Celebration held on Thursday, April 29.

Associate Professor, Dr. Changwon Park is a new addition to the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology. The major effort of his lab is to decipher the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms as to the successful generation of the cardiovascular constituents, namely endothelial, endocardium, cardiomyocytes, and hematopoietic cells that share the multipotent cardiovascular progenitors, FLK1 (also known as VEGFR2) expressing cells.

LSUHS Scientists and Researchers Develop Tidal Volume Monitor. The new device works to breathe life into emergency situations.

NBC CT - LSU Health Shreveport Virologist Jeremy Kamil told NBC Connecticut Investigates that halting their spread will require other measures. Kamil was among a team of researchers that discovered seven new COVID-19 strains, known as "variants," aside from the variants first identified in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil. 

NBC News - "There are certain variants that are more transmissible, and we have strong data on that, but the thing people should take away from the variant story is just: Don't let your guard down," said Dr. Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport.

KTBS3 -  A researcher at LSU Health Shreveport has co-authored a study about seven new variants of the COVID-19 virus that appear to have originated in the U.S. The variants appear to have originated in the U.S. But Jeremy Kamil, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at LSUHS, said it is not a cause for panic.

People who start using substances at a younger age have worse health outcomes over the long term, which requires “a nationwide education campaign on the potential long-term damage being done to the cardiovascular system in patients with substance use disorders,” writes Dr. Anthony Orr, Director of Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences at LSUHS.

The Center of Academic Excellence for Patient Centered Rehabilitation (CAE-PaCeR) will establish the necessary infrastructure to deliver patient-centered rehabilitation in an academic culture of excellence for clinical learning, innovation, and collaboration. 

KTBS 3 - Dr. G.E. Ghali, LSUHS chancellor, said Ochsner LSU Health alone is short between 150 to 200 nurses. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia program on the New Orleans campus is expanding to train additional students on the Shreveport campus. Dr. Ghali said he hopes this program is the start of something bigger.

The Memorandum of Understanding represents the desire of both parties to increase the number of African American and Hispanic students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Louisiana who apply to the LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine.

KTBS3 - A big day for second year medical students at LSU Health Shreveport... It's called the 'White Coat Ceremony' and it symbolizes the transition from classroom to clinical learning for these students where they will start helping with patient care at the hospital. Photo Gallery Link

112 LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine students learned where they will go for their residency training. Students matched with prestigious programs around the country including George Washington University, Emory, University of Indiana, UCLA, Baylor Scott and White, and University of Alabama, while 24.2% of the graduating class of 2021 will be staying at LSU Health Shreveport.

Bossier Press Tribune - Dr. Sarah Thayer, MD, PhD, FACS has been selected as the next Director of LSU Health Shreveport's Feist Weiller Cancer Center effective February 1, 2021. Dr. Thayer’s role as Director of the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center includes both a clinical leadership role with Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and a research and medical education leadership role with LSU Health Shreveport.

The School of Allied Health Professionals at LSU Health Shreveport has been awarded an $11,500 grant from the Noel Foundation, Inc.  The grant was presented at a check presentation in front of the Noel Memorial Library this week, and was attended by members of the Noel Foundation Board of Directors.

KTBS3 - A state-of-the-art temporal bone lab is where LSUHS residents learn how to help people with hearing loss. They use several different procedures that repair the ear drum or bones within the ear. They also train to implant hearing devices, including the Cochlear Implant.

The $25,000 AT&T Aspire Grant will be used to support students attending historically black colleges and universities in Louisiana who are exploring career paths in medicine, research and allied health professions in attending the HBCU Educational Conference at LSUHS.

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – COVID-19 has exposed racial disparities in healthcare throughout our country, but LSU Health Shreveport is working to get more minorities to enter careers in the healthcare field.

Sarahbeth Howes is a third year medical student, a childhood cancer survivor, a fitness enthusiast, and a tissue donor to the St. Jude Biorepository. Because of her ongoing contribution to the research conducted by the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP), scientists are creating breakthroughs in our understanding of the genetic factors that directly influence rare childhood cancers.

KPVI - Parkinson's symptoms develop when nerve cell damage in the brain causes dopamine levels to drop. Dr. Richard Zweig, a neurologist at LSU Health Shreveport, said Parkinson’s appears to be caused by a combination of genetics and environmental factors. 

Bossier Press - Bossier Chamber of Commerce presented the Chairman’s Award for Regional Impact to LSU Health Shreveport for their tireless work during the pandemic at their 73rd Annual Gala.

KEEL 101.7FM - The local medical community has stepped up on several fronts to battle COVID-19 on the front lines and in the lab. The Commission has approved the donation of as much as $1 million dollars for the Center for Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT). This money will be used for a new building to expand the local medical school and for continued research.

Many children with ASD also require other therapies like speech, occupational, or physical therapy. The LSU Health Shreveport School of Allied Health Professions offers all of these services, relieving a heavy burden on families who typically receive these services from multiple providers.

Dr. Kevin Murnane with LSUHS is leading the charge in getting help to our medical workers battling mental health issues and suicide. Register for the LARC Mental Health Summit, a free virtual event on April 22, registration is required.

Louisiana Radio Network - Dr. G-E Ghali, LSUHS Chancellor, said rural areas lack specialists and many physicians are attracted to larger cities that offer higher salaries to help offset their student loan debt.

“There are still folks who are still a little nervous that the vaccine was produced in a relatively short length of time think the important thing to note here is the technology is not new while the vaccine is the technology is something, we’ve been working on for decades,” Dr. John Vanchiere shares.

ArkLaTex Homepage - “Why the second shot is so important, is the first one gives you a good response, the second one is better, and the third one gets even better and better and better. And so it just primes your immune response,” Dr. Andrew Yurochko, professor of microbiology and immunology at LSUHS said.

Blue Mountain Eagle - Dr. Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of Microbiology and Immunology at LSU Health Shreveport, said it is crucial to be mindful of “over-interpreting” the emergence of a variant. Virus variants are a significant public health concern, but viruses continually change.

Los Angeles Times - Scientists have found that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is capable of infecting two types of brain cells — neurons and astrocytes. Scientists have been trying to understand why and how it causes these issues in the brain, said study leader Diana Cruz-Topete, a molecular endocrinologist at LSU Health Shreveport.

China Daily - "Despite a few mutations here and there, the virus is still SARS-CoV-2 and the disease is still COVID-19. Risk will be highest to the elderly, and to those in high-risk groups, such as people who are diabetic, overweight, (have) high blood pressure, or who have inborn errors of immunity," warned Dr. Jeremy Kamil, LSUHS associate professor.

The74Million - “Until you get upwards of 80 percent of children vaccinated, you’re going to have a hard time going back to pre-pandemic practices without some risk of illness and death,” Jeremy Kamil, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, told The 74.

KTBS - Dr. John Vanchiere, lead investigator on the Pfizer vaccine study at LSUHS said, “The vaccine is effective at several things. Number one, reducing people from getting sick from COVID and spreading it to other people. Big time important is that vaccination reduces hospitalization and death.”

CNN News 18 - India recorded on Monday 3,52,991 new Covid-19 cases and 2,812 deaths in the last 24 hours. The country saw 22.5 lakh new infections in the last one week, the highest ever the world has seen, pushing India’s health infrastructure to a brim.

BoomNews India - Number of COVID-19 cases in India is now at the highest per day in any country in the world. Dr. Jeremy Kamil, LSUHS virologist, discusses status of variants, vaccines, and transmissability.

KPVI 6 News - "A bit of low-grade fever, or muscle aches, fatigue for a couple of days, even headaches after getting your vaccine are not uncommon,” states Dr. John Vanchiere, the lead investigator on the Pfizer vaccine study at LSU Health Shreveport. “That’s an indicator that your immune response is kicking in."

BBC News - A coronavirus variant identified in India is being investigated by scientists across the world. However, it is not yet known how far it has spread or whether it is driving the deadly second wave of Covid in India itself. Dr Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at LSUHS, says, "I doubt whether the Indian variant is more infectious than the UK variant - and we must not panic."