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New Drills Donated by Stryker Offer Realistic Training for Medical Students

Shreveport, La. August 19, 2020 – Today, LSU Health Shreveport accepted a donation from Stryker of new drilling equipment for the temporal bone lab, a modern training facility within the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. In the lab, students will work at four operative stations to learn the complex anatomy of the temporal bone and the ear at the base of the skull.

“Otologic and skull base neuro-otologic surgery requires repetitive drilling of temporal bones to understand and gain expertise in operating in one of the most difficult areas in the body,” said Cherie-Ann Nathan, MD, FACS, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department Chair. “Developing a state-of-the-art temporal bone lab positions LSU Health Shreveport to invigorate residency training for our residents and fellows to hone their skills prior to operating on patients. I am grateful to Stryker for their commitment to resident education.”

Gale Gardner, MD, Professor and Clinical Specialist of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Director of Neurotology at LSU Health Shreveport, is one of the premier otologic surgeons in the country and can be credited for his tireless efforts to upgrade the training environment for residents. Dr. Gardner leads the residency program at LSUHS that will utilize the new lab. Each surgical station will feature operating room-grade equipment to make training exercises as realistic as possible. Dr. Gardner has trained nearly 40 residents over the past few years alone, and many current residents have shown interest in going into otology/neuro-otology fellowships.

This new equipment was received through a donation by Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies. Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the company offers innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. 

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

Contacts: 
Lisa S. Babin
Executive Director of Communications, Public Affairs & Development
318-675-8769;  Lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu         

Jesse Gilmore
Vice President of Development at LSU Health Sciences Foundation
318-861-0855; jgilmore@lsuhsfoundation.org

The Shreveport Bossier Committee of One Hundred, Inc. presented LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor, G. E. Ghali MD with $7,500 in support of the community testing being provided by Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at LSU Health Shreveport.  The designated use of this financial support is to assist in expanding and enhancing LSU Health Shreveport’s COVID-19 response efforts.

“The Committee of One Hundred recognizes the enormous impact LSU Health Shreveport is making on community testing and by conducting life-saving research on the coronavirus.  We are honored to support their work, which in turn supports our community and beyond” stated Mark Evans, Chair of the Committee of 100 Healthcare subcommittee.

Dr. G. E. Ghali shared, “Financial support by our community is incredibly meaningful to our outstanding faculty who have been working tirelessly to address numerous aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The funding provided by the Committee of One Hundred is essential for the Emerging Viral Threat Lab to be able to continue the costly endeavor of conducting antibody/serology testing, making testing kits, and processing of COVID-19 tests.”

The Emerging Viral Threat Lab at LSU Health Shreveport has processed more than 11,000 tests, of which over 6,000 have been from Caddo Parish.

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About the Shreveport & Bossier Committee of One Hundred, Inc.

The Committee of One Hundred Inc. is a nonpolitical, nonprofit membership group organized as an educational, civic and charitable organization whose members are the highest-ranking local executives of businesses and professional enterprises in Northwest Louisiana. The Committee works to mobilize the business community to improve Shreveport, Bossier City and the surrounding areas maintaining active interests in regional economic development, education and community relations.

About LSU Health Shreveport

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSUHS is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs along with over 500 residents and fellows. The primary mission of the LSU Health Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

District 8L Lions Club, comprised of 21 clubs located throughout north Louisiana, recently received a grant from the Lions Club International Foundation to assist with emergency services for medical supplies needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Lions Club learned about the COVID-19 research and community testing efforts being led by the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at LSU Health Shreveport, they did not hesitate to offer their support.

In addition to donating 300 medical grade masks, the Lions Club facilitated acquiring three pieces of equipment needed by the EVT Lab at LSUHS: an INTEGRA 12 Channel VIAFLO (a pipette that will be used for serology testing), a Thermo Scientific™ Heratherm™ General Protocol Microbiological Incubator (incubators provides optimal conditions for the growth of microbiology cultures), and a LulzBOT TAZ Workhorse 3D Printer (used for 3D printing needed items like nasal swabs). The masks and two pieces of the lab equipment were delivered to LSUHS on Friday, May 15. 

Video can be found here. Photos can be found here.

“The Lions Club is honored to be able to provide the Emerging Viral Threat Lab with critical protective gear and equipment needed to continue their COVID-19 testing endeavors. We are proud to support the work that LSU Health Shreveport is doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is so important in our community and beyond, and synonymous with important values of the Lions Club International,” said Terry Harkey, District Governor District of Lions Clubs International District 8L.

“The Lions Club support of the EVT Lab at LSU Health Shreveport could not have come at a better time as we are ramping up our testing in the community. As noted by the CDC and WHO, expanded testing is a critical aspect of combating COVID-19 as it provides researchers with critical information about the virus so that it can be traced and better treated,” said Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport.

More information about the Emerging Viral Threat Lab at LSU Health Shreveport can be found at www.lsuhs.edu/research/evt-lab.

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May 7, 2020 - LSU Health Shreveport is now one of five sites in the world and the first in Louisiana involved in a clinical trial that assesses inhaled nitric oxide as a treatment for patients with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

To date, there are no targeted therapeutic treatments for COVID-19 and there are no proven interventions to prevent progression of the disease. This clinical trial in particular will monitor patients with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 to see how they respond to inhaled nitric oxide as a treatment. Preventing disease progression in spontaneously breathing patients with mild to moderate disease could help to reduce the number of severe cases and deaths, which in turn lessens demand on healthcare resources such a critical care physicians and nurses.

“We are excited to be approved for this early intervention treatment aimed at stopping the progression of the virus which gives patients an improved chance of recovering quickly by preventing the virus from worsening. This treatment will be especially important should we see an increase in the number of COVID-19 positive patients,” said Keith Scott, MD, MSc, FCCM, Professor and the clinical trial’s Principal Investigator at LSU Health Shreveport.

Massachusetts General Hospital reports that preliminary data suggests that inhaled nitric oxide could have a virus-killing effect on COVID-19, due to the genomic similarities between this virus and those that caused the SARS and MERS outbreaks. Studies during the SARS outbreak in 2004-05 demonstrated that nitric oxide was effective in killing that virus.

Patients in the clinical trial will be assigned to a treatment group or a control group. Patients in the treatment group will receive nitric oxide gas along with the standard of care for 30 minutes two times per day for 14 consecutive days. Patients in the control group will not receive the nitric oxide gas. Researchers will be monitoring patients to see if those receiving the nitric oxide gas had a reduced incidence of needing intubation and mechanical ventilation, which is common in patients with severe cases of COVID-19.

Nitric oxide has already been a miracle drug for newborns starved of oxygen by a heart defect due to the gas’s ability to relax blood vessels and the journal Science named nitric oxide the "molecule of the year" in 1992. UCLA pharmacologist Dr. Louis J. Ignarro shared a Nobel Prize in medicine in 1998 for uncovering nitric oxide's role as a "signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.”

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to see that inhaled Nitric Oxide is being tested for its effectiveness in patients with COVID-19. Having spent twelve years as a Professor in Louisiana, I am very proud that LSU Health Shreveport is conducting yet another clinical trial involving nitric oxide. I applaud these novel efforts to address this viral pandemic,” said Dr. Louis Ignarro, Nobel Prize Winning Scientist, Discoverer of Nitric Oxide, UCLA Emeritus, Ph.D. in Pharmacology.

In humans, nitric oxide is naturally generated by blood vessels and by some brain cells as well. It helps to regulate blood pressure, engulfs invading toxins, and prevents platelets in the blood from forming clots that may be significantly compromised during times of stress including infection thus warranting the need for a supplemental supply. When inflammation, emphysema or a disease like cystic fibrosis attacks the lungs, the large blood vessels and tiny capillaries that deliver oxygen constrict. Inhaled nitric oxide also relaxes those vessels, increasing the transfer of oxygen to the blood and easing the heart's workload.

The Nitric Oxide Gas Inhalation Therapy for Mild/Moderate COVID-19 Infection clinical trial was conceived and sponsored by the Department of Anesthesia and the Respiratory Care Services at the Massachusetts General Hospital, which serves as the coordinating center for this international multicenter trial. In addition to LSU Health Shreveport, other collaborators are the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and academic medical centers in Austria and Sweden. For more information about this clinical trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04305457.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (May 1, 2020) – The LSU Health Shreveport Foundation has received a $10,000 gift from the U.L. Coleman Companies to support the effort to provide COVID-19 testing to first responders in north Louisiana.  

As U.L. Coleman Companies leadership evaluated options to meet needs in the community related to COVID-19, it determined that support of testing would not only impact the health of our community, but its ability to return to work based on testing data. 

“I am so grateful we have an institution like LSU Health Shreveport which is able to address this pandemic in numerous ways. As a property owner dealing with thousands of tenants, supporting testing for our first responders is an honor because of the services and sacrifices they make each day, but particularly during this pandemic,” stated Linc Coleman, President & CEO of U.L. Coleman Properties.

Researchers at LSU Health Shreveport established their own indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a lab-based test that can determine the amount of COVID-19 antibodies in a patient sample. Antibodies will be detected against the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. 

The LSUHS test is different from those that may become commercially available because it allows for the measuring of antibody titers, which shows the amount of antibodies in a person’s blood, and if linked to neutralization assays, could possibly determine whether somebody is immune.

“I deeply appreciate the support of U.L. Coleman Companies, as well as all who have contributed to this testing.  Every dollar contributed is critical to our expansion of COVID-19 testing, which is an expensive endeavor when delivered at the accuracy level provided by our Emerging Viral Threat and Serology lab,” shared LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G. E. Ghali, DDS, MD, FACS, FRCS(Ed).   

Photograph details – featured L to R
Cole Guthrie, SVP of Development, U.L. Coleman Companies 
Linc Coleman, President/CEO, U.L. Coleman Companies
David Lester, CFO, U.L. Coleman Companies
Dr. G. E. Ghali, Chancellor LSU Health Shreveport
Dan Charchian, VP of Property Management/Operations, U.L. Coleman Companies

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSUHS is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs along with over 500 residents and fellows. The primary mission of the LSU Health Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu. 

ABOUT U.L. COLEMAN COMPANIES
U. L. Coleman Companies, founded by Linc Coleman in 1973 has grown to become a leading full service real estate company providing diverse product expertise for commercial and multifamily residential products. In providing these services, we utilize a fully integrated approach; one that respects the environment and social and economic needs of inhabitants. The growth of the companies has created employment opportunities for more than 150 associates in various departments and locations.

CONTACTS: 
Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Cell: 318-458-0166
Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, PR Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052 
Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

Jay Bowen
U. L. Coleman Companies
Cell: 318-470-3553
Email: jbowen@ulcoleman.com

SHREVEPORT, La. (April 24, 2020) – LSU Health Shreveport has received a $125,000 gift from Inferno Mfg. Corp. to support its efforts to bring COVID-19 testing to medically underserved areas of northwest Louisiana. The gift will be used in combination with a Caddo Parish Commission grant to deploy mobile testing units to virus hot spot areas, as well as rural areas within Caddo Parish. With Inferno’s gift, LSU Health Shreveport will also expand its mobile testing to six other parishes in north Louisiana.  

Inferno Mfg. Corp. is a Shreveport-based manufacturing company employing 27 people. Inferno produces sight glass gages for the oil and gas industry. Mr. Allen Organick, Inferno’s owner, read a recent story about the Caddo Commission’s emergency mobile testing grant. He called Commissioner Stephen Jackson to praise the action taken by the Commission and asked him how he could personally support these efforts. Mr. Organick was immediately connected with LSU Health Shreveport’s Chancellor, Dr. G. E. Ghali, and Vice Chancellor of Research, Dr. Chris Kevil, who explained the need for increased COVID-19 testing in Caddo Parish and beyond.

“The health sciences center is very appreciative of this generous gift from Mr. Organick and Inferno Manufacturing Corp.  It will be put to invaluable use in expanding the access to both viral and antibody testing, particularly in underserved areas of north Louisiana,” stated LSU Health Chancellor G. E. Ghali, MD, DDS, FACS, FRCS, (Ed.)

In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, LSU Health Shreveport created the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab to address the need for faster detection and processing of COVID-19 tests. The EVT Lab has the capability to process up to 1,500 tests per day with results available in 24 to 48 hours. It can also track mutations in the virus, which will inform vaccine and research efforts. To expand the EVT Lab’s reach and conduct mobile testing, LSU Health Shreveport has temporarily repurposed its Partners in Wellness van that usually performs mobile cancer screening through its Feist-Weiller Cancer Center. The PIW van will now transport testing materials and staff to designated areas in north Louisiana. Inferno’s gift will ensure that the mobile testing program will quickly reach areas most affected by COVID-19.

Mr. Organick commented, “People who serve essential roles in our community such as grocery and retail service, nursing homes, and other healthcare services deserve our respect and gratitude. When I read that the Parish had committed to expanding testing, I knew it was going to help a lot of people. But I wanted to make sure we could help even more. My hope is that other business owners will support the research and outreach activities of LSU Health Shreveport. Local businesses have the power to act with speed for the public good.”  

For more information on how to support LSU Health Shreveport’s COVID-19 response efforts, contact Jesse Gilmore with the LSU Health Sciences Foundation at 861-0855 or visit www.lsuhsfoundation.org/covid19/.

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Cell: 318-458-0166
Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, PR Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052
Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

The following Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs at LSU Health Shreveport recently received their continued accreditation notices from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME):

• Allergy & Immunology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 9, 2020
• Pathology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 14, 2020
• Cytopathology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 14, 2020
• Radiology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 23, 2020
• Neurology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 30, 2020
• Sleep Medicine – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 30, 2020
• Pediatrics – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 27. 2020
• Medicine/Pediatrics – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 27. 2020
• Anesthesiology – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 27, 2020
• Pain Medicine – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 27, 2020
• Family Medicine (Monroe) – Continued Accreditation effective Jan. 29, 2020
• Obstetrics & Gynecology – Continued Accreditation effective Feb. 12, 2020
• Colon & Rectal Surgery – Continued Accreditation effective April 23, 2020

The ACGME reviews residency and fellowship programs, and their sponsoring institutions, annually to ensure a rigorous set of requirements are being met. The ACGME is responsible for ensuring the quality of more than 9,600 accredited residency and fellowship programs that are collectively responsible for the education of more than 120,000 residents and fellows. The Office of Graduate Medical Education oversees all training programs at LSU Health Shreveport, which currently offers 43 fully accredited residency and fellowship programs.

Caddo Parish, La. (April 24, 2020) - A mobile COVID-19 testing lab for medically underserved citizens began visiting sites across Caddo Parish this week, thanks in part to a partnership with LSU Health Shreveport and the Caddo Parish Commission.

LSU Health Shreveport continued a longtime alliance with David Raines Community Health Center to bring Fast Track COVID-19 Screenings to the Martin Luther King neighborhood. People wishing to be *screened should call (318) 227-3354 as soon as possible. Individuals will be prescreened by phone for COVID-19 related symptoms and registered for on-site drive thru testing if they meet testing criteria. There is no out of pocket costs for testing (insurance will be billed if applicable). Individuals wishing to be screened will need a physician order either from their personal physician or from a physician assigned at David Raines which requires registration and a signed consent and testing waiver. Test processing will be provided by the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at LSU Health Shreveport. Results will be sent to each individuals’ physician who will then relay results. 

The screenings will take place Saturday, April 25, and Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot outside of the David Raines Community Health Center located at 1625 David Raines Road. Those being tested will stay in their vehicles to receive nasal swab testing conducted by LSU Health Shreveport staff. 

*This is a screening only and not a medical evaluation. People with chronic health conditions or moderate to severe symptoms should be evaluated by a provider as soon as possible.  

Realizing the need for more testing in rural and other underserved locations in Caddo, the Caddo Parish Commission voted to provide up to $175,000 to LSU Health Shreveport for the Clinic’s mobile unit. The allocation will assist with operations and testing. Expanded testing is north Louisiana will occur thanks to a $125,000 gift by Inferno Manufacturing Corporation led by Allen Organick, President. 

“This opportunity allows the LSU Health Shreveport a great way to improve access to COVID-19 testing in our communities. More testing is needed to give us a better idea of where we stand and how quickly we can reopen," stated LSUHS Chancellor G. E. Ghali, MD, DDS, FACS, FRCS(Ed).

“The Caddo Parish Commission is proud to support the efforts of LSU Health Shreveport and to provide more testing for COVID-19 in our communities. Through this partnership, we hope to see greater access to medical resources, and ultimately, data that will move us closer to a vaccine and treatment of this disease,” said Caddo Commission President Mario Chavez.

Saturday’s testing site will be the first of multiple mobile locations across the Parish and northwest Louisiana.

The testing schedule is as follows, with more dates to be added in the future:

• MLK (1625 David Raines Rd.): Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Mooretown (Oak Park Elementary - 4331 Henry St.): RESCHEDULED FOR LATER DATE DUE TO WEATHER
• North Caddo (12763 Lay Street, Gilliam, LA): Friday, May 1, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
• Cedar Grove/Sunset Acres (Woodlawn High School - 7340 Wyngate Blvd.): Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• MLK (1625 David Raines Rd.) - Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

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ABOUT CADDO PARISH COMMISSION
The Caddo Parish Commission is the governing authority for the Parish of Caddo and is a political subdivision of the State of Louisiana. The Commission consists of twelve members called commissioners who are elected to four-year terms from single member districts.

ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) is one of only 154 Health Sciences Centers in the nation. LSUHS is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

ABOUT THE EMERGING VIRAL THREAT (EVT) LAB AT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
The Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at LSU Health Shreveport opened on March 25 with support of Governor John Bel Edwards and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). The EVT Lab is different from any other laboratory in the state because it will not only be testing to determine if a patient is COVID-19 positive, but will also be screening samples for other mutations of the virus. The lab provides the same offerings as the CDC testing locations and is working collaboratively with the World Health Organization and CDC testing labs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the Univ. of Washington in Seattle and Yale University.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (April 17, 2020) – The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has produced many medical challenges, which LSU Health Shreveport has risen to meet. Among the most important goals for clinicians and scientists has been to determine whether a patient is infected with COVID-19. While the LSUHS COVID-19 Response Team very rapidly created the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Lab at the health sciences center, there have been national shortages for testing supplies, which have threatened the ability of such testing labs to perform tests. A crucial part of COVID-19 test kits are the nasal swabs, which have been in short supply as the demand for COVID-19 testing has increased around the United States and internationally. These swabs need to be prepared from specific materials and must have particular shapes to ensure accuracy of for specimen collection.

Fortunately, scientists at LSU Health Shreveport were able to utilize existing research and design facilities at the institution to 3D print resin polymer nasal swabs which can be used by the EVT Lab. As part of a national cooperative with the University of South Florida (USF) Health, Northwell Health, New York’s largest healthcare provider, and Formlabs, LSU Health Shreveport has obtained the printing files for a patented swab design, becoming the first in Louisiana to produce these patented 3D-printed swabs. Steven Alexander, PhD, Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, is leading the effort and started to produce these 3D-printed nasal swabs in large numbers using a technique called photopolymer laser printing. This light activated printing technique can produce medical devices which are chemically inert, sterile and compatible with accurate testing procedures. Dr. Alexander’s lab has started swab production with photoprinting occurring throughout the day and night. His lab has the capability to produce 324 of the swabs in one day and is planning to ramp up production significantly over the next couple of weeks. The printing of additional batches of swabs is already underway, and Dr. Alexander is working with LSU Health Shreveport’s EVT Lab to get the swabs into their COVID-19 test kits.

“This type of printing enables us to make even the most sophisticated testing tools available anywhere and the workflow is increasing so that hopefully soon we may not only meet our own needs, but perhaps other hospitals in the area,” said Dr. Alexander. “The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally challenged how we work, but 3D printing can really help overcome problems with the availability of medical supplies, shipping and delivery which help to ensure continuity of medical testing and care.”

“I want to commend Dr. Steven Alexander, an extremely bright and humble physiologist, for thinking outside the box and finding a solution to address the local and national rate-limiting factor for COVID-19 testing, which is lack of nasal swabs. This newest 3D printing development will revolutionize access to swabs, and our intent is to help increase testing capabilities, not only regionally, but throughout the United States,” stated LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G. E. Ghali, DDS, MD, FACS, FRCS(Ed).

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Photos and video courtesy of Dr. Steven Alexander, LSU Health Shreveport

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

CONTACTS:

Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Cell: 318-458-0166
Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, PR Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052
Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

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DATE: April 15, 2020 

Scientists at LSU Health Shreveport continue to have a significant impact on the fight against COVID-19 in Louisiana with their latest achievement being able to offer serology testing. Serology testing is in high demand to be able to better determine the number of COVID-19 cases that include those of people who have already recovered and were asymptomatic. LSUHS will be using serology testing to support the Convalescent Plasma Therapy clinical trial and help identify ideal plasma donors.

Researchers have established their own Indirect Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a lab-based test that can determine the amount of COVID-19 antibodies in a patient sample. Antibodies will be detected against the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This domain of the major glycoprotein mediates attachment to the host cell, is most diverse among different coronavirus strains and induces virus-neutralizing antibodies. Florian Krammer, Professor of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, was instrumental in providing the necessary reagents to the lab at LSUHS and allowing researchers to get their own tests up and running quickly. These reagents are necessary to produce the protein used as antigen (receptor binding domain) for the ELISA.

The team is also aiming to validate the ELISA by a neutralization assay, which measures the neutralization of ‘pseudotyped’ VSV virions. These are viruses that mimic SARS-CoV-2 on the outside by expressing the SARS-CoV-2 Spike receptor protein in the viral envelope but harbor harmless (not disease causing) genetic information that allow easy measurement of infection in the lab.

The LSUHS test is different from those that may become commercially available because it allows for the measuring of antibody titers, which shows the amount of antibodies in a person’s blood, and if linked to neutralization assays, could possibly determine whether somebody is immune.

"The serology lab will aid the Convalescent Plasma Therapy that is ongoing at LSU Health Shreveport. By identifying the amount of antibody in donated plasma, we can select of the most effective plasma to be used in patients," said Matthew Woolard, PhD, O'Callaghan Family Endowed Professor in Microbiology and Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. "In the future, we hope to use this serology assay to better determine who has been infected and understand the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in Northwest Louisiana."

The Emerging Viral Threat Lab at LSU Health Shreveport is already working with LifeShare Blood Center to identify blood plasma for suitability for Convalescent Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 patients. This investigative therapy uses convalescent plasma from individuals who have recovered from the virus, which could possibly contain COVID-19 antibodies and might be effective in treating those who are currently fighting the infection.  

Serology testing is one of several important components that can help better determine who would be an ideal plasma donor for the potentially life-saving convalescent plasma therapy. Convalescent plasma donors must meet several criteria: they must have tested positive for COVID-19 on the RT-PCR test, they must be symptom free for a minimum of 14 days, and then they must receive a negative RT-PCR test result. After re-testing negative for COVID-19, they can donate plasma for the therapy. The serology lab, which is part of the Emerging Viral Threat Lab, tests the plasma and determines effective antibody titers to see if the plasma has the potential to be effectively neutralizing and improve disease outcome.  

At this time, the serology testing is only available to be performed on possible Convalescent Plasma Therapy donor samples.

PHOTOS & B-ROLL

WATCH RESEARCH UPDATE

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

CONTACTS:

Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Cell: 318-458-0166
Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, PR Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052
Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

DATE: April 5, 2020

Critical care and emergency medicine faculty at the LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine join the Department of Anesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at University of Alabama- Birmingham (UAB) as being among the first centers in the US to enroll patients in an international study testing using inhaled nitric oxide to improve outcomes for COVID-19 patients with severely damaged lungs; using gas to effectively “kill” corona virus in the lungs and improve delivery of oxygen to injured tissues. “Inhaled nitric oxide had previously been suggested to decrease original SARS-CoV infectivity over a decade ago but its effect on SARS-CoV2 remains unknown.  Moreover, research from LSU Health Shreveport has shown that nitric oxide is a strong protector against tissue hypoxia, which occurs during severe Covid-1 infection”, said Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport.

“This is a wonderful collaboration with two highly regarded institutions in the US as well as the sites in Europe.  We have tremendous confidence this therapy will alter the devastating effects of CoVID-19 but we must test it. If results show promise, and since this gas is already FDA approved, wide spread use could begin immediately,” shared Keith Scott MD, MSc, FCCM, Principal Investigator for the nitric oxide clinical trial.  “I am fortunate to have my esteemed colleague Steven Conrad MD, PhD, MS, ME, MBA, MSST, MSC working alongside me on this trial as he brings immense research experience and knowledge in working with critically ill patients.”   

Nitric oxide has already been a miracle drug for newborns starved of oxygen by a heart defect due to the gas’s ability to relax blood vessels, which ultimately led to the resolution of erectile dysfunction as targeted by the drug Viagra. In 1992, the journal Science named nitric oxide "molecule of the year." In addition, in 1998, UCLA pharmacologist Louis J. Ignarro shared a Nobel Prize in medicine for uncovering nitric oxide's role as a "signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.”

Unlike nitrous oxide (known as laughing gas), nitric oxide has an even brighter future as the colorless, odorless gas, inhaled through a mask or potentially through a small "flute," is now being tested as an experimental treatment for COVID-19. It may also prove helpful in protecting healthcare workers on the front line of the pandemic from getting sick.

In Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak the gas was used under less controlled study conditions; however the treatment appeared to dramatically boost oxygen levels in the blood of COVID-19 patients, said Dr. Lorenzo Berra, the critical-care specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital who is leading the new trial. However, it will take more rigorous testing to clarify how much nitric oxide helps, he said.

A proposed second trial, still under review by a research panel at Massachusetts General Hospital, would enroll healthcare workers who are routinely exposed to patients with COVID-19 and are themselves at high risk of infection. For 10 to 15 minutes at the start and end of every shift, doctors and nurses would tug on a handheld device and inhale a high dose of nitric oxide.

In humans, nitric oxide is naturally generated by blood vessels and by some brain cells as well. It helps to regulate blood pressure, engulfs invading toxins, and prevents platelets in the blood from forming clots that may be significantly compromised during times of stress including infection thus warranting the need for a supplemental supply.

When inflammation, emphysema or a disease like cystic fibrosis attacks the lungs, the large blood vessels and tiny capillaries that deliver oxygen constrict. Inhaled nitric oxide also relaxes those vessels, increasing the transfer of oxygen to the blood and easing the heart's workload.

Physicians who are interested in a patient accessing this clinical trial should send an email to ino_trial@lsuhsc.edu with pertinent patient details. 

Additional COVID-19 clinical trials will be announced soon.

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

DATE: April 4, 2020

Health care professionals with LSU Health Shreveport, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and LifeShare Blood Center provide first COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy in Louisiana

At approximately 2:30 p.m., the first convalescent plasma therapy in Louisiana was provided to a critically ill COVID-19 patient at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Academic Medical Center. The transfused plasma was donated hours earlier by two people at LifeShare Blood Center in Shreveport. Both individuals who donated plasma at LifeShare are fully recovered from COVID-19.

“LifeShare is among the first centers in the country to partner with regional hospitals to provide this type of therapy for COVID-19 patients”, says LifeShare Medical Director Dr. Tim Peterson.

“The FDA just released new guidelines allowing us to investigationally use convalescent plasma for patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infections. The only source of this convalescent plasma is donations from people that have recovered for at least two weeks from COVID-19 and have produced antibodies. As cases are expected to peak in the coming week, LifeShare needs additional convalescent donors who are fully recovered from COVID-19. This is an important step in bridging a gap until a suitable vaccine is developed,” stated Dr. G. E. Ghali, Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport.

This investigative therapy uses convalescent plasma from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. It is possible convalescent plasma contains antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and might be effective against the infection. Use of convalescent plasma has been studied in outbreaks of other respiratory infections, including the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, 2004 SRS-CoV-1 epidemic, and the 2012 MERS-CoV epidemic.

“With the new LSU Health Shreveport Emerging Viral Threat Lab and its upcoming serology testing platform, we are uniquely able to identify potential convalescent plasma donors in collaboration with LifeShare to produce this potentially life saving therapy,” said Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chancellor for Research of LSU Health Shreveport.

Although promising, convalescent plasma has yet to be definitively shown to be effective in COVID-19. In addition to the establishment of clinical trials for convalescent plasma therapy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with multiple federal partners and academia to open an expanded access protocol to facilitate access to COVID-19 convalescent plasma. For those not eligible to participate in a randomized clinical trial, access is being made available through participation of acute care facilities in an investigational expanded access protocol.

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

ABOUT LIFESHARE BLOOD CENTER

LifeShare Blood Center regularly supplies blood components to approximately 100 medical facilities throughout Louisiana, East Texas and South Arkansas. Founded in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1942, it is a nonprofit community service provider governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. With collection sites in nine cities, LifeShare operates daily blood mobiles to collect lifesaving blood products for use in our communities. LifeShare is a member of America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and the American Rare Donor Program (ARDP), is licensed by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and accredited by AABB.

CONTACTS:

Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs & Communication – LSU Health Shreveport Office: 318-675-8769, Cell: 318-458-0166, lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, Public Relations Coordinator – LSU Health Shreveport Office: 318-675-8789, Cell: 770-595-3052, mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

Benjamin Prijatel, Senior Director of Blood Operations – LifeShare Cell: 865-405-1938, benjamin.prijatel@lifeshare.org

PRESS RELEASE

You can find photos and b-roll of the EVT Lab as it was being set up this week and an audio and video recording of today’s press briefing here.

LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT ESTABLISHES COVID-19 TESTING LABORATORY

Shreveport, LA (March 25, 2020) – With the support of Governor John Bel Edwards and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), scientists at LSU Health Shreveport have established the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) Laboratory to address the need for faster detection and processing of COVID-19 tests. The EVT Lab at LSUHS is the first in North Louisiana approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to conduct and analyze tests to determine if an individual has COVID-19. The EVT Lab is currently in operation and fully staffed as of today, March 25.

The EVT Lab is different from any other laboratory in the state because it will not only be testing to determine if a patient is COVID-19 positive, but it will also be screening samples for other mutations of the virus. LSU Health Shreveport is also the only academic center in Louisiana with this capability. The lab provides the same offerings as CDC testing locations and is working collaboratively with the World Health Organization and CDC-sanctioned testing labs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the University of Washington in Seattle, and Yale University.

LSU Health Shreveport faculty and staff will be processing the tests and will be adhering to all personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines. Data obtained from testing samples will be used for further COVID-19 research to better determine how to combat the virus.

“LSU Health Shreveport is proud to have nationally and internationally renowned NIH funded virologists on our faculty. Creation of the Emerging Viral Threat (EVT) laboratory brings together numerous regional experts to provide urgently needed COVID-19 testing solutions while allowing our community and state to be prepared for future viral threats when they occur,” said Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chancellor for Research.

“I am grateful to all those involved in securing and granting the approvals required to stand up this needed lab so quickly. Our research leadership, faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to reach the milestone of processing COVID-19 tests starting today. Their efforts will play a key role in addressing the impact of this virus on the citizens of Louisiana,” stated G. E. Ghali, MD, DDS, FACS, FRCS (Ed), LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor.

Details on submitting COVID-19 tests to the LSUHS EVT Lab will be forthcoming and will reflect CDC protocol.

Additional updates on the EVT Lab will be shared as they become available.

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ABOUT LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

LSU Health Shreveport is one of two Health Sciences Centers of the Louisiana State University System and one of only 154 in the nation. LSU Health Shreveport is home to the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies and School of Allied Health Professions, and a robust research enterprise. Almost 900 students are enrolled in the degree programs at any one time. Additionally, over 500 residents and fellows are trained each year. The primary mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport is to teach, heal, and discover, in order to advance the well-being of the region and beyond. At the heart of the LSU Health Shreveport is a strong faculty that includes a number of nationally and internationally acclaimed physicians and scientists. More than 600 strong, they lead our research efforts, educate our students and provide primary and specialty care to patients throughout the region. LSU Health Shreveport has strong community support, fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that promotes mutual respect for all. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu.

CONTACTS:

Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications
Cell: 318-458-0166 Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, PR Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052 Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

PRESS RELEASE
DATE: March 20, 2020

CONTACTS:
Lisa Babin, Executive Director of Public Affairs, Communication and Development
Cell: 318-458-0166 | Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Megan Strecker, Public Relations Coordinator
Cell: 770-595-3052 | Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

MATCH DAY 2020: LSU Health Shreveport Medical Students Learn Residency Training Placements

The National Resident Matching Program® released 2020 Main Residency Match® results via email to students 

SHREVEPORT, La. (March 20, 2020) – Today, all 124 LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine fourth-year students learned where they will be going for their residency training. On Monday, students received a notification from the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®), confirming if they matched with a residency program. Due to the COVID-19 disruptions of regularly scheduled Match Day events, the NRMP released the highly anticipated news to the students via email at 11 a.m. CST. LSU Health Shreveport will be virtually celebrating the students and their accomplishments via social media channels. The NRMP reported that the 2020 Main Residency Match is the largest on record.

Many students will be staying in the state of the Louisiana for their residencies. Twenty-seven percent of students will be pursuing residencies in Shreveport, an increase of five percent from 2019, and 46 percent of students will be staying in the state of Louisiana. Of the students pursuing a residency in Louisiana, 89.5 percent are entering a LSU Health residency program. Students matched to prestigious residencies around the country such as Columbia, University of Virginia, Mt. Sinai, Wake Forest, University of California - Davis, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Baylor Medical College, among others.

Match Day is also a strongly anticipated day for Graduate Medical Education at the LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, which learned it successfully filled all 134 residency positions available across 43 programs. The new group of LSUHS residents will be welcomed to Shreveport in July, where they will train at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe and other partner hospitals.

"Today is an extraordinary day for our institution, the state of Louisiana and most importantly for our students. It is my honor to share this year’s positive results. These results are a direct reflection on the caliber and commitment of our faculty who work tirelessly in delivering the best possible education and training to our students and residents.  I wish the very best to our students staying in Shreveport, as well as to those who matched in programs around the country.  I am confident each one of them will represent LSU Health Shreveport well and strengthen our legacy of successful medical education,” said LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor Dr. G.E. Ghali.

The announcement of Match Day results takes places same time on the third Friday in March at medical schools around the country. Throughout their final year of medical school, students apply and travel to residency programs around the country to complete interviews. Students then rank their preferred residency programs through National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®), or the Match®. A computer algorithm then simultaneously takes the list of programs ranked by the student and the list of students ranked by the residency programs to fill available program positions.

LSUHS will share the Match Day celebrations of our students virtually with photos and videos that can be found on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LSUHealthShreveport. Photos and video will be posted throughout the day on Friday, March 20.

2020 Main Residency Match Press Release from the NRMP®: Thousands of Medical Students and Graduates Celebrate NRMP Match Results

American Society for Radiation Oncology Press Release: Drug used for breast, kidney cancers may also extend survival for patients with advanced head and neck cancer

SCOTTSDALE, Az., February 27, 2020

A targeted therapy drug used for breast and kidney cancers may also extend progression-free survival for patients with advanced head and neck cancer who are at high risk for recurrence after standard treatment. Patients enrolled in a randomized phase II trial who received the mTOR inhibitor everolimus were more likely to be cancer-free a year after therapy than those who took a placebo drug, and the benefit persisted for those with mutations in their TP53 gene. The findings may present a new treatment option for a group of patients whose survival rates have not improved in more than 30 years.

The study will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium, taking place February 27-29 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"While cure rates tend to be upwards of 85% for patients with head and neck cancers associated with HPV, they tend to be less than 40% for patients with disease related to smoking," said lead author Cherie-Ann O. Nathan, MD, professor and chair of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport and director of head and neck surgery at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center. "These patients are recurring most often, and their survival rates have not changed in decades, despite advances in surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy."

To address this disparity, the researchers focused on patients with advanced, HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), or HPV-positive disease and smoking history of more than 10 pack-years, and enrolled 52 patients to receive up to one year of either everolimus or a placebo drug. Eligible patients had to be free of disease after either definitive treatment with chemoradiation therapy or surgery followed by chemoradiation. Researchers then tracked how long they remained cancer-free with additional therapy.

After a year, 81% of patients on everolimus remained progression-free, compared to 57% of those in the placebo group (p=0.039). Dr. Nathan clarified that this timepoint was not stipulated a priori and is a post-hoc analysis. Two-year progression-free survival, which was the primary endpoint, continued to favor everolimus but was no longer significant. Subset analysis determined that for patients with TP53 mutations, the survival difference remained significant for an additional year after they stopped immunotherapy (two-year PFS of 70% vs 22.5%, p=0.036). The difference was not significant at two years for patients without the mutation.

While TP53 mutations occur in almost 80% of HPV-negative, smoking related cases of HNSCC, the potential link between TP53, the mTOR pathway and survival was a surprise to the researchers. "There's really no drug that targets TP53, and so we've never had a targeted therapy for it or considered it an actionable mutation," she said.

Sixteen of the 28 patients on everolimus and seven of the 24 patients on the placebo drug experienced Grade 3 or higher toxicities, including three and five serious adverse events, respectively. Dr. Nathan said the drug's tolerability indicates that it may have potential as longer-term maintenance therapy to delay recurrence for high-risk patients.

"Although the sample size is small, as it closed due to lack of accrual, these finding indicate that patients at high risk for tumor relapse could be given mTOR inhibitors to stall progression and keep any residual cancer cells from growing. Our hope is that head and neck cancer can be treated as chronic disease, similar to some breast cancers," she explained. "Everolimus is used for patients with breast cancer or renal cell cancer for extended periods without major side effects, and there is potential for patients with TP53-mutated head and neck disease to see a survival benefit, as well."

Additional trials are needed to confirm the link between TP53 and survival, as well as to determine the safety of keeping patients with HNSCC on the drug for multiple years.

Dr. Nathan, who is also the current President of the American Head and Neck Society, will present "Multi-Institutional Randomized Double-Blind Phase II Trial of Everolimus vs. Placebo as Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck" (Abstract 5) today during the symposium's Plenary Session. The investigator-initiated trial was sponsored by the University of Chicago and funded by Novartis. Email press@astro.org for a copy of the abstract or presentation slides from the meeting.

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Attribution to the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium requested in all coverage. This release includes updated information not available in the abstract.

2020 Head and Neck Cancers Symposium News Planning Team
Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD; Maie St. John, MD, PhD; Francis P. Worden, MD; Charu Aggarwal, MD, MPH; Sue Yom, MD, PhD; Brian O'Sullivan, MD, FASTRO; disclosures available online.

ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM
The 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium is a two-and-a-half-day meeting that convenes radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, surgeons and all members of the treatment team for a practical and comprehensive examination of treatment advances for patients with head and neck cancers. Scientific, interactive and case-based educational sessions will cover the latest research on multidisciplinary therapies, clinical applications and new treatment strategies, supportive care and toxicity mitigation. The meeting is cosponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).

ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest radiation oncology society, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Practical Radiation Oncology and Advances in Radiation Oncology; developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers; and created the nonprofit foundation Radiation Oncology Institute. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website and follow us on our blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT ASCO
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is committed to making a world of difference in cancer care. As the world's leading organization of its kind, ASCO represents more than 40,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of the highest-quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, explore patient education resources at www.Cancer.Net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

ABOUT AHNS
The American Head & Neck Society (AHNS) is the single largest organization in North America for the advancement of research and education in head and neck oncology. The mission of the American Head and Neck Society is: to promote and advance the knowledge of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of neoplasms and other diseases of the head and neck; to promote and advance research in diseases of the head and neck, and; to promote and advance the highest professional and ethical standards. For more information, visit www.ahns.info.

ABOUT SITC
Established in 1984, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is a nonprofit organization of medical professionals dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the development, science and application of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology. SITC is comprised of influential basic and translational scientists, practitioners, health care professionals, government leaders and industry professionals around the globe. Through educational initiatives that foster scientific exchange and collaboration among leaders in the field, SITC aims to one day make the word “cure” a reality for cancer patients everywhere. Learn more about SITC, our educational offerings and other resources at sitcancer.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Kevil brings global scientific expertise to advance JanOne’s drug development portfolio and advise on upcoming Phase 2b clinical trials for PAD               

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — JanOne Inc. (NASDAQ:JAN) appoints Christopher Kevil, Ph.D., a pioneer in nitrite based PAD treatment, to lead its scientific advisory board. In this role, Dr. Kevil will chair the Company’s scientific advisory board to advise on drug development and technology strategy, assist with clinical research, and help to advance its lead candidate TV1001SR, for the treatment of PAD. Dr. Kevil is considered a foremost expert in the development and analysis of various small molecules, biologics, disease indications, pharmaceutical, medical device, and drug delivery systems.

Most notable, is Dr. Kevil’s research that led to the development and formulation of TV1001SR, a nitrite based treatment for PAD which has shown positive results in phase 2a trials. Internationally recognized for his research on inflammatory vascular pathology, specifically on and the relationship between inflammation and vascular growth and function, he discovered detailed mechanistic relationships between angiogenesis and inflammation.

“We are thrilled to have Chris lead our Scientific Advisory board, and look forward to his contributions,” said Tony Isaac, CEO of JanOne. “Dr. Kevil’s passion, accomplishments and expertise in vascular inflammation, treatment for PAD, and translational and clinical research provides an unparalleled level of leadership that is necessary as we advance TV1001SR into phase 2b trials.”

Dr. Kevil earned his Ph.D. degree from LSU Health Shreveport in Molecular and Cellular Physiology followed by a fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with an emphasis on redox pathophysiology. Returning to LSU Health Shreveport in the Department of Pathology, he established cutting edge research programs regarding redox biology regulation of peripheral vascular diseases. This led to groundbreaking insights on how glutathione, nitrite/nitric oxide, and hydrogen sulfide regulate vascular health during ischemia.

“The team at JanOne is committed to bringing potential treatments for PAD and associated pain into the clinic and I look forward to contributing my expertise to advance its clinical candidates,” said Dr. Kevil. “Their mission to treat diseases that cause severe pain and to reduce the need for pain-relieving prescription opioids is an important patient benefit and also critical outcome of my research on TV1001SR.”

Dr. Kevil is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Pathology and Editor in Chief of the Redox Biology journal, as well as a member of numerous editorial boards including Cardiovascular Research, American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulation Physiology, Free Radical Biology and Medicine, and Frontiers in Oxidant Physiology. He has received numerous research grant awards and honors and has led research initiatives for the National Institutes of Health, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association, and other professional societies.

About JanOne
JanOne is a unique NASDAQ-listed company offering innovative, actionable solutions that it believes can help create an end to the opioid crisis. JanOne is dedicated to funding resources toward innovation, technology, and education to find a key resolution to the national opioid epidemic, which is one of the deadliest and widespread in the country’s history. The company continues to operate its legacy businesses – ARCA Recycling and GeoTraq – under their current brand names. JanOne’s subsidiary ARCA Recycling recycles household appliances by providing turnkey recycling and replacement services for utilities and other sponsors of energy efficiency programs. JanOne’s subsidiary GeoTraq engages in the development, design and, ultimately, expected sale of Mobile IoT modules. Please visit www.janone.com for additional information.

Media Contact:
Mark Rosenberg
mark@trueparallel.com
919-412-7378

SHREVEPORT, La. – LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) has received a $10,000 gift from the Committee of 100 Shreveport-Bossier as a public statement of support for the construction of the new Center for Medical Education. This new building is a transformational project on the LSU Health Shreveport campus that will further enhance the health sciences center’s ability to address the growing healthcare shortages in our state and country.   

“The Committee of 100 is committed to supporting LSU Health Shreveport’s continued growth and success. We recognize that this institution is a driving force in our local economy. It is the foundation on which our healthcare industry is built,” said Mark Evans, Secretary and Treasurer of the Committee of 100 Board. “The Center for Medical Education is a welcomed $60 million project for our region. The Committee of 100 is proud to invest in opportunities like this that will have a positive economic impact on our community for many years to come.”   

“The Committee of 100 has been an important partner of LSU Health Shreveport since our founding over 50 years ago,” said Dr. G. E. Ghali, Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport. “I would like to personally thank the Committee members for this gift, as well as for their strong vocal support of this project and recognition of the Center for Medical Education’s importance for our institution and community.”

About the Center for Medical Education at LSU Health Shreveport: The Center for Medical Education will be 5-story, 187,000 square foot building. Included in its design will be a 500-person auditorium, lecture halls and teaching space, simulation centers, as well as a wellness center. A $60 million public-private partnership with the State of Louisiana, this new building will allow LSU Health Shreveport to accommodate growing class sizes of the medical school and select allied health professions programs, enhance education curriculum, faculty recruitment and wellness offerings, and support the develop new training programs. Construction is slated to begin in late 2020.

About the Committee of One Hundred, Inc.: The Committee of One Hundred, Inc., was founded on August 31, 1961. Its purpose is to study, confer, and act upon any matter, civic or economic in character, which may be deemed to affect the welfare of the Cities of Shreveport and Bossier, the Parishes of Caddo and Bossier, and the surrounding areas of Northwest Louisiana. The Committee supports any educational, charitable or civic enterprise deemed to promote the welfare of those entities. These activities must be absolutely nonpolitical in character and constitute a nonprofit corporation.    

Pictured L to R: Dr. G.E. Ghali, LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor; Mark Evans, Committee of 100 Secretary/ Treasurer and Market President – Regions Bank; Steve Roop, Market President – JPMorgan Chase; Kevin Flood, LSU Health Shreveport Foundation President & CEO

Media Inquiries:
Megan Strecker, Public Relations Coordinator
LSU Health Shreveport
Phone: 318-675-8789 (office), 770-595-3052 (cell)
Email: mstrec@lsuhsc.edu

Information on the Center for Medical Education giving opportunities: 
Kevin Flood, LSU Health Shreveport Foundation
Phone: 318-861-0855
Email: kflood@lsuhsfoundation.org

Lisa Babin, LSU Health Shreveport
Phone: 318-675-8769
Email: lbabi6@lsuhsc.edu

Three Fellows in the Department of Pathology and the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences at LSU Health Shreveport have been awarded Postdoctoral Fellowships from the American Heart Association (AHA), funding their ongoing research into cardiovascular diseases.

Chowdhury Abdullah, Ph.D., in Dr. Md. Shenuarin Bhuiyan’s laboratory, received an AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship award to fund his project, “Sigma-1 receptor protects diabetic cardiomyopathy by activating adaptive endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.” Diabetic patients suffer more heart failure-related deaths than patients without diabetes. Diabetes causes a defect in heart muscle structure and function known as ‘Diabetic Cardiomyopathy,’ which is an underlying cause of increased heart failure in diabetic patients. Currently, available therapies do not offer sufficient protection to diabetic patients’ hearts, which is why more research is required to understand the fundamental mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy development to lay the ground for effective drug discovery. In the present grant, Dr. Abdullah aims to discover the novel cardioprotective roles of Sigma-1 receptor (Sigmar1) protein to protect the heart under diabetes to pave future drug development targeting Sigmar1.

Mabruka Alfaidi, Ph.D., in Dr. Wayne Orr’s laboratory, received an AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship award to fund her project, “Nck1 Regulates Atherogenic Endothelial Activation.” Despite our revolution in terms of technology and improvement in day-to-day clinical care, heart disease and heart attacks are the number one killer of people in the United States. Lifestyle modifications and some other secondary prevention prescribed drugs are the only way to intervene, but a curative therapy has not yet been discovered. Dr. Alfaidi’s research is investigating the molecular mechanism of heart attacks, particularly focusing on the endothelium (a single monolayer of cells coating the blood vessels), which is thought to be involved in the healing process of a heart attack. Her research, funded by American Heart Association, is studying a protein named Nck1 that plays a critical role in endothelial cell function. Dr. Alfaidi and others in Dr. Orr’s lab have developed a therapeutic approach to target this protein in cell culture and animal models. By understanding how the Nck1 protein causes build-up and vessel thickening, there is potential for new drug development to target this protein and help prevent heart attacks.

Matthew Scott, Ph.D., also in Dr. A. Wayne Orr’s laboratory, received an AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship to fund his project, “EphA2 signaling mechanisms in smooth muscle performance proliferation and migration in atherosclerosis.” Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world, with more than 85 million Americans currently affected by this disease. Plaque build-up in blood vessels (atherosclerosis) accounts for 80 percent of all CVD-related deaths, which is why understanding this disease is so important. Dr. Scott’s project proposes a new and exciting idea: that the EphA2 protein plays an important role in atherosclerosis, and may become a potential target for cardiovascular disease medicine in the future. Despite widely available treatments to combat plaque build-up, like statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) and vessel stents, not all individuals respond favorably to these treatments, proving the need for alternatives to be available. By understanding how EphA2 causes plaque build-up and vessel thickening, there is the potential for new drug development to target this protein. This would benefit patients who cannot take statins, and potentially lower risk factors involved with stent placement.

“The American Heart Association is proud to be able to award grants to deserving recipients. More than 80% of the funds raised through our local events are returned back to our community to further research and studies. The research these doctors are performing holds the potential for global impact. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with all those at LSU Health Shreveport who are dedicated to impacting cardiovascular disease,” said Jill Lucero, Regional Director for Northwest Louisiana, American Heart Association.