LSU Health Shreveport’s human research protection program (HRPP) recently earned reaccreditation from the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) for five years. The recent site visit and AAHRPP reaccreditation indicates that LSUHS adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards for human research protection and participation.

 The human research protection program (HRPP) is a comprehensive system to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of participants in research. The HRPP is a multifaceted program comprised of institutional leaders, committees, researchers, faculty, staff, employees, students, and community members. AAHRPP is an independent, non-profit accrediting body that uses a voluntary, peer-driven, educational model to ensure that HRPPs meet rigorous standards for quality and protection. To earn accreditation, organizations must provide tangible evidence - through policies, procedures, and practices - of their commitment to scientifically and ethically sound research and to continuous improvement.

As the "gold seal," AAHRPP accreditation offers assurances - to research participants, researchers, sponsors, government regulators, and the general public - that an organization's human research protection program is focused first and foremost on excellence. AAHRPP remains the only accrediting body for HRPPs in the United States.

“Discovery is a core element of LSU Health Shreveport’s mission, and our institution has strong values regarding high-quality and ethical research practices. Making the decision for the apply for AAHRPP accreditation over a decade ago and continuing to be reaccredited reinforces our commitment to upholding high standards and building confidence in research, and ensuring research participants are protected,” said John Maloy, JD, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Management and Research Integrity Officer at LSU Health Shreveport.

Accredited organizations renew accreditation three years after initial accreditation and then every five years thereafter. LSU Health Shreveport’s human research protection program has been AAHRPP accredited since 2009 and will be up for accreditation renewal again in 2028.

To learn more about AAHRPP, visit www.aahrpp.org. To learn more about research at LSU Health Shreveport, visit www.research.lsuhs.edu. Clinical trials currently open for enrollment at LSU Health Shreveport can be found here

Feist-Weiller Cancer Center (FWCC), a Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, Treatment and Education at LSU Health Shreveport and Loxo@Lilly, the oncology unit of Eli Lilly and Company, recently launched a new research collaboration that will provide next-generation sequencing (NGS) access to underserved cancer patients in the northern Louisiana region. Health disparities are present in North Louisiana, with a cancer mortality rate that is 11.3% higher than the national rate. African Americans make up 31.4% of the patient population in Louisiana, compared to national average of 12.4%. The mortality rate specifically in the African American population of Louisiana is 31% higher than the national rate for all races. Additionally, the patient population of northern Louisiana is traditionally poor, where the median family income in Louisiana ranks 47 out of 52 U.S. territories.

Next-generation sequencing can provide physicians with valuable information about the genetic makeup of a tumor and identify any mutations that could affect how a patient will respond to different cancer treatments. The insight gained from NGS helps physicians make more informed decisions about the treatment plan they recommend, which can be customized to target the specific type of cancer and any tumor mutations a patient has.

The primary objective of this descriptive study is to determine whether removing insurance barriers for patients and billing burdens for physicians will increase the use of NGS, alter physician treatment plan and ultimately patient outcomes, particularly for underserved people living in rural areas who have limited access to healthcare services and who are uninsured or underinsured.  

Glenn Mills, MD, Clinical Professor and Emeritus Director, Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, is the principal investigator on this study.  “Oncologists often look for specific mutations in a tumor because these mutations can indicate important targets for the cancer treatment recommended. Next-generation sequencing has the ability to detect a large number of mutations for multiple genes in a single test,” said Dr. Mills. “Despite the increasing value of next-generation sequencing to inform oncology care decision-making, many barriers exist that prevent utilizing this technology in clinical oncology care.”

One significant barrier preventing the broad use of NGS for clinical decision making in Louisiana is the challenge of reimbursement. The latest Louisiana Health Insurance data reports that 9.4% of the population is uninsured and 32% of the population relies on Medicaid, which currently does not cover this type of testing. This barrier still exists for people who have private insurance, which often does not cover or only partially covers NGS. Getting prior authorization from insurance is also a process that takes time – a critical factor of cancer treatment – and slows down turnaround time of NGS, delaying when physicians receive results that help them determine the most beneficial treatment plan for their patients.

With that in mind, Feist-Weiller's Center for Precision Medicine Genomics Lab and the Loxo@Lilly team worked together to design a project that could alleviate the burden of insurance approval or billing of NGS for both physicians and patients and determine whether increased use of NGS could lead to increased use of precision medicines and better patient outcomes. As an additional layer of responsibility and to further encourage the uptake of critical biomarker testing, pre-and post-surveys will be deployed to physicians to learn more about their experiences and attitudes toward NGS for their cancer patients.

“By partnering with academic collaborators like the team at LSU Health Shreveport, we are working to break down access barriers to comprehensive genomic profiling for both physicians and patients, which could provide information vital to a patient’s optimal course of treatment,” said Anthony Sireci, MD, senior vice president, clinical biomarkers and diagnostics development, Loxo@Lilly. ”Next generation sequencing is essential to precision oncology and key to realizing the full potential of many innovative therapies. This collaboration will help to improve access to testing and support keeping testing local, allowing for faster results and empowering physicians and patients with important knowledge to guide treatment options.”

This study will evaluate NGS test results of 700 patients enrolled over the next two years. The research team enrolled the first patient in June.

On Saturday, August 12, 2023, 75 LSU Health Shreveport School of Allied Health Professions students graduated from their respective programs with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

• Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science – 5 graduates
• Master of Communication Disorders – 1 graduate
• Master of Public Health – 12 graduates
• Master of Occupational Therapy – 22 graduates
• Master of Physician Assistant – 35 graduates

The School of Allied Health Professions is comprised of eight academic programs, three post-professional residency programs for physical therapists who hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and three specialized clinics. It is also an off-campus instructional site for three nursing programs offered in conjunction with LSU Health New Orleans. “It is an honor to lead the dedicated faculty, staff and students in the School of Allied Health Professions. This 2023 commencement is special for several reasons, most of which is the celebration of our graduates’ successes and their future contributions to the continuum of health care across Louisiana, but also because this is the last graduating class of Masters in Occupational Therapy as that program transitions to offering a doctoral degree, and the youngest graduate in the history of LSU Health Shreveport walked across the stage as Isak Schmidley received his degree in Medical Laboratory Science!”, stated Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions.

LSU Board of Supervisors member, Wayne Brown, conferred the degrees for the 75 students, who bring the total School of Allied Health alumni to 4,086 graduates since the school opened in 1977.

Allied health professions are involved with the delivery of health services pertaining to the identification and prevention of diseases and disorders, rehabilitation, and more. To name a few, allied health professionals include medical laboratory scientists, nurses, occupational therapists, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, public health professionals, speech language pathologists, and many others. Currently, these professions make up approximately 60 percent of health care occupations.

Health care remains a key sector that will drive the economy in our community now and in the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in health care occupations is projected to grow 16 percent from 2020 to 2030, adding about 2.6 million new jobs.

Shreveport, La. – Researchers from three southern U.S. states have published a playbook, “Building a Collaborative and Equitable Viral Genomic Surveillance Program: A Playbook for Researchers, Clinicians, Administrators, and Allies,” pioneering a framework for establishing collaborative, community-centered infectious diseases surveillance programs. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, collaborators from academic institutions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia have refined a method to expand viral genomic surveillance and ensure that historically marginalized groups are represented in community health data.

“Genomic surveillance helps track infectious diseases, clarify who is most at risk, and take action to limit the spread and protect people’s health. But historic disparities in healthcare access have meant that – for far too long – genomic surveillance has excluded medically underserved communities,” said Dr. Jamie Newman, Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Applied and Natural Sciences at Louisiana Tech University. “Establishing an equity-focused, collaborative genomic surveillance program is possible, and this new Playbook breaks down the process we followed.”

The Playbook includes a suite of resources to support researchers and health officials committed to improving equity in genomic sequencing and global infectious disease surveillance. The results of the partnership are also detailed in an article recently published in PLOS Global Public Health, “A collaborative approach to improve representation in viral genomic surveillance.”

“Tools like viral sampling and sequencing are essential for tracking emerging threats to human health and mobilizing the resources to contain them — but such tools have historically excluded some of the most vulnerable people,” said Dr. Bruce Gellin, Chief of Global Public Health Strategy at The Rockefeller Foundation. “The Rockefeller Foundation remains committed to improving equity and community representation in pathogen surveillance, and we commend these leaders for creating a playbook that will help other researchers put these principles into practice.”

Genome sequencing has been vital for understanding SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and is essential for detecting and tracking new variants of the virus. Traditional methods rely on samples from clinics or hospitals, but many rural and medically underserved communities lack access to COVID-19 testing, leaving cases uncounted and communities unaware of the current health risks. In 2021, The Rockefeller Foundation awarded a grant to Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport, Grambling State University, and Louisiana Tech University to enhance, expand, and diversify regional SARS-CoV-2 surveillance efforts.

“Without resources to gather samples, equipment to process them, or networks to share sequences, it can be difficult to run an effective genomic sequencing program in medically underserved communities – and that ultimately leads to gaps in local health guidance and care,” said Dr. Paul Kim, Assistant Professor, Cell Biology at Grambling State University. “By partnering with sample donors and clinicians, we were able to improve the diversity of people represented in genomic sequencing data. Over time, we believe these methods will build trust in the sampling and testing process, strengthen public health guidance, and create opportunities for the next generation of health researchers and leaders to continue building these models for equity.”

Within the region, efforts have increased representation of underserved groups in viral genomic surveillance while also providing research opportunities for students at participating academic institutions. In 2022, partners in Louisiana expanded their network to include teams at Mercer University in Georgia and Jackson State University in Mississippi.

“This genomic surveillance project provided an opportunity for us as scientists to find a fairer, more inclusive way to detect diseases affecting a population – and not just the people with easy access to doctors,” said Dr. Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Jackson State University.

Through collaboration and leveraging their respective research backgrounds, more than 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from COVID-19 test samples – including samples from underserved communities, gathered with informed consent – have been sequenced to date and made publicly available.

“Publishing viral genomes gives the world an up-to-date read on how a virus is changing, and can help develop better tools to fight it and keep people healthy,” said Jeremy Kamil, PhD, Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at LSU Health Shreveport. “That’s why genome sequencing should be available to every community, so that local health officials have the data necessary to make informed recommendations. We designed the playbook to help research teams across the country and the world build on our model and learn from our experiences.”

Viola M. Sprague, MBA, will join LSU Health Shreveport on June 5 as Chief Information Officer, providing strategic oversight of campus information technology activities, and working with Information Technology (IT) service units across campus.

Viola brings over 25 years of experience in the field of information technology and has a background in both university and healthcare settings, with extensive experience in enterprise computing. Previously, Sprague served as the Vice President of Instructional, Administrative and Information Technology for Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. At Kettering, she oversaw the wireless campus-wide expansion, the Blackboard managed hosting system, the implementation of Banner Advise, a virtual desktop environment, the development of an intranet, and other campus-wide technology solutions. She implemented a campus IT governance structure and worked to improve the coordination of IT services.

Prior to Kettering University, Viola worked at Grand Rapids Spectrum Health system and was the Clinical Applications Manager. During that time, she initiated a level charging system and integration of the electronic medical record system with CBORD nutrition solution and provided electronic medical record support for seven hospitals.

Viola served on many committees including the Michigan IT Executive (MITE) Advisory Council, American Council on Education Women’s Network – Institutional Representative, Leadership Board of CIOs for Higher Education, Society for Information Management (SIM), and Michigan Council of Women in Technology, and also served as Vice President of Finance for the Project Management Institute – Michigan Thumb Chapter.

Viola has a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Wayne State University.

Camp Tiger, hosted by incoming first and second-year medical students at LSU Health Shreveport, is proud to announce its 22^nd camp is being held from June 5-9. The free, five-day camp is for children and teens with disabilities such as cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, autism and other disabilities.

Camp Tiger provides an exciting and fun-filled opportunity for children to experience new activities and social interaction with their peers. Campers receive individual attention from camp counselors to ensure this event safe and engaging for every participant.

Throughout the week, over 70 campers and 150 volunteers are participating in a variety of activities in the Shreveport community such as trips to Hot Wheels of Wonder Skating Rink, Sci-Port Discovery Center, Gators and Friends, Holiday Lanes Bowling, Party Central Family Fun Center and more. LSU Health Shreveport extends thanks to the numerous vendors and individuals who donate funds and in-kind services to make Camp Tiger possible.

Camp Tiger will conclude on Friday with its’ annual Family Day allowing campers, their families and counselors to share in active and celebratory activities as a memorable way to close to the week.

Friday, May 26, 2023, will mark the official 50^th anniversary of the first medical school graduation in LSU Health Shreveport’s history. On May 26, 1973, 31 students received the first Doctorate degrees given by LSU Health Shreveport, then LSU School of Medicine. In celebration of the anniversary, LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) will be holding a press conference to honor the remarkable success and growth the institution has had in the 50 years since, as well as offer gratitude to the community and state and local legislators for their foundational and continued support.

Those present will hear from Dr. David Guzick, Chancellor of LSUHS, Dr. David Lewis, Dean of the School of Medicine and a member of the Class of 1985, and a student representative for the School of Medicine. Members of the Class of 1973, Dr. Billy Washburne and Dr. David Cooksey will share about their experiences as students and graduates of LSUHS, and Martha Holoubeck Fitzgerald, whose father, Dr. Joe Holoubeck, was pivotal in the school’s establishment as Chair of the Medical School Development Committee, will share the School of Medicine’s history and development.

Media are invited to attend the 50^th Anniversary Celebration press conference taking place Friday, May 26. Interviews will be available with LSUHS leadership, Martha Holoubeck Fitzgerald, a medical student and members of the Class of 1973. We are anticipating, but waiting on final approval for, media to tour of the $84 million Center for Medical Education which is now 93% complete and scheduled to open in Fall 2023. The Center for Medical Education is the first new building on the LSUHS campus in fifteen years and will physically unite the institution’s three schools.

Media planning to attend should notify Shelby McCarty or Lisa Babin to reserve parking space.

LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) will host its largest commencement in the institution’s history with 224 students receiving a Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD or Doctorate degree. This 50^th commencement milestone began on May 26, 1973, when 31 medical students received the first Doctorate degrees given by then, LSU School of Medicine.

In honor of the School of Medicine’s 50^th anniversary of the first graduating class, the Class of 1973 will lead the procession and be recognized at the ceremony. In addition, each of the 50^th School of Medicine class graduates will receive a handwritten note from the Class of 1973.

Graduation for all three of LSU Health Shreveport’s professional schools will take place in a combined ceremony held at the Shreveport Convention Center on Saturday, May 20 at 10 a.m. Valencia Sarpy-Jones and Randy Morris will represent the LSU Board of Supervisors assisting in the conferring of degrees.

Twelve students will graduate with a PhD and 6 with a Master’s from the School of Graduate Studies; 63 students will receive a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree from the School of Allied Health Professions; and 143 students will graduate from the School of Medicine with their Doctor of Medicine.

“It is an important and noteworthy milestone to have reached the 50^th anniversary of the School of Medicine particularly due to the steadfast advocacy and support required to bring this institution to fruition all those years ago. We remain indebted and accountable to all those who paved the way for our growing and vibrant academic medical center which now includes three professional schools along with continually expanding degree programs. We are very excited to have Dr. David Fajgenbaum as our student-selected keynote speaker on this momentous occasion of our 50^th commencement ceremony. His impressive and lofty goals and accomplishments will serve as a lasting inspiration to our students and anyone in attendance,” stated Dr. David Guzick, Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport.

Dr. David Fajgenbaum, a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, co-Founder and President of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, and national bestselling author of Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope into Action will give the keynote commencement address. Dr. Fajgenbaum went from being a beast-like college quarterback to receiving his last rites while in medical school and nearly dying four more times battling Castleman disease. To try to save his own life, Dr. Fajgenbaum spearheaded an innovative approach to research through the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and discovered a treatment that is saving his life and others. Since then, he has identified and advanced 11 other treatments for autoimmunity and cancer and recently co-founded Every Cure, a non-profit organization on a mission to unlock the full potential of FDA-approved medicines to treat every disease possible. Dr. Fajgenbaum also serves on the Board of Directors for the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA.

One of the youngest ever grant awardees of multiple top NIH and FDA grants, has published scientific papers in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation, including a paper selected as one of the top innovations in science and medicine of 2020. He has been profiled by The NY Times, TODAY, GMA, and others and received numerous awards including the 2016 Atlas Award along with then VP Joe Biden and Forbes 30 Under 30. Dr. Fajgenbaum earned a BS from Georgetown University, MSc from the University of Oxford, MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and MBA from The Wharton School.

The LSU Health Shreveport graduation ceremony will stream live online at https://www.youtube.com/@LSUHealthShreveport/streams.

Media are invited to attend LSUHS Commencement taking place Saturday, May 20. Interviews will be available with Dr. David Lewis, Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. David Fajgenbaum, and graduating students from each school. Media planning to attend should notify Shelby McCarty or Lisa Babin.

WHEN:            Saturday, May 20 at 10:00AM.
Media should plan to arrive as early as 9:15 and no later than 9:30AM for pre-commencement interviews and for time to set up prior to the event’s start.

WHERE:         Shreveport Convention Center, 400 Caddo St. Shreveport, LA 71101.

Bleeding out is the most common cause of preventable death after injury. Researchers at LSU Health Shreveport are asking for community input on whether they should participate in an international study. The study will see if a blood clotting drug, given soon after arrival in the emergency department, can improve survival.

Kcentra® (or 4-factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug and is currently used to reverse the effects of medications given to “thin” the blood, for patients who experience bleeding and/or require surgery.  

The Trauma and Prothrombin Complex Concentrate or TAP Trial will evaluate the effectiveness of Kcentra®, in addition to all standard care, in injured patients predicted to require a large volume blood transfusion. “There is evidence that Kcentra® may reduce the chance of dying in injured patients who are not on blood-thinning medications,” explains Dr. Navdeep Samra, Professor of Surgery at LSU Health Shreveport and Trauma Medical Director at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport.

“The standard treatment of injured patients who are bleeding involves the transfusion of different types of blood products, as well as the use of medications to help the blood clot better, along with surgery to stop the bleeding. But even with these treatments up to 30% of patients suffering from a serious traumatic injury die,” said Dr. Samra. “Finding a way to improve that survival rate is our highest priority.”

Patients in this study will have suffered a serious and potentially life-threatening injury, causing significant blood loss, and requiring immediate lifesaving interventions. These types of injuries occur unexpectedly, and it will not be possible for most people to sign up to participate ahead of time. Most patients will be unconscious, unable to speak or hear, and too sick to consent to immediate treatment, or participation in the study. If the community feedback is positive and an independent review board (IRB) approves the study at LSU Health Shreveport, then LSU Health Shreveport will participate in this trial. Community members who do not want to participate can request a bracelet indicating this. If feasible, doctors will consent patients who fit the study criteria. If consent is not feasible, patients who fit the criteria will be automatically enrolled without their individual consent if they are not wearing an opt-out bracelet.

The TAP trial will be conducted in about 120 leading trauma centers in several countries and will include 8,000 patients, making it the second-largest trauma trial ever conducted. The trial will begin between early 2023 and last until 2026, and is funded by CSL Behring, a global biotherapeutics leader which makes PCC.

“The results of this study have the potential to change the way trauma patients are treated,” said Dr. Samra. “If we can determine that Kcentra® is safe and effective for trauma patients, we can transform the standard of care for bleeding trauma patients and save thousands of lives.”

The researchers are asking for feedback from the Northwest Louisiana community about this study to help determine whether the community wants us to participate in this study. Please consider completing a very brief anonymous survey hosted by the local study site. To complete the anonymous survey on your thoughts about this exception from informed consent study, please go to www.uab.edu/medicine/cis/tap-trial-at-lsu-health-shreveport.

LSU Health Shreveport will also hold virtual community forums on Monday, May 8 at 11:30 a.m. and Tuesday, May 9 at 12:30 p.m. These forums aim to educate the community and answer questions regarding the trial. Click here to find more information and the links to join the virtual community forums that anyone is welcome to attend.

The Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport recently sequenced the first instance in Louisiana of the XBB.1.16 variant, assigned the common name “Arcturus”, from a COVID-19 test sample from Willis-Knighton in Shreveport, Louisiana. CEVT Viral Genomics and Surveillance Lab team also sequenced the second instance in the state of the XBB.1.9.1 variant, assigned the common name “Hyperion”, from a school testing sample on our campus.

“These sequences were generated through our genomic surveillance program, which was designed to detect viruses circulating in our community. Detecting these very recently emerging variants demonstrates the robustness of our efforts,” said Krista Queen, PhD, Director of Viral Genomics and Surveillance for the Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSUHS.

XBB.1.5, a subvariant of the Omicron variant, remains the dominant strain in the U.S. The Arcturus and Hyperion subvariants, also both descendants of the Omicron variant, are becoming more prevalent in the United States and make up about 20% of new COVID-19 cases. Both are being closely monitored because they are quickly increasing in proportion to other SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating, but there is no indication currently that they are more likely to cause severe disease. The Arcturus variant has two distinct symptoms of producing more fever and more cases of conjunctivitis, or pink eye, compared with other strains of the virus.

Adding to the expertise and capabilities of the CEVT’s Viral Genomics and Surveillance Lab, the lab has also begun sequencing Flu and RSV strains circulating in our community. These data are shared with researchers across the world and help make up the large dataset used to decide the latest vaccine composition and design.

Getting vaccinated or getting an updated bivalent booster dose is the best option for protection against COVID-19 and severe disease. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone ages 6 months and older. Updated boosters are also recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older. For the latest information on updated COVID-19 boosters and when you are considered up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

The Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport offers primary series and booster doses of authorized COVID-19 vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax at the LSUHS North Campus vaccination clinic located at 2627 Linwood Avenue in Shreveport every Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The CEVT will also host a community vaccine event on Saturday, May 6, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Williams Memorial CME located at 3301 St. Matthias Dr. in Shreveport. Primary and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered. For more information, visit www.lsuhs.edu/covid19/vaccine.

On Saturday, April 22, LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) and Shreveport Police Department (SPD) will partner with LSU Health Shreveport psychologist, Dr. Michelle Yetman, and other members of the LSUHS School of Allied Health Professions to provide the first free to the public opportunity in the Shreveport-Bossier area for individuals with disabilities, such as individuals with autism, to practice interacting with police officers and traffic stops.

Traffic stops and the idea of interacting with police can be intimidating, not just for people with disabilities, but for their loved ones as well. Preparation and familiarity can go a long way in helping someone navigate these anxious situations.

The opportunity will follow the Autism Awareness Walk sponsored by Perfect Fit Autism Foundation. Those present will be able to participate in a demonstration involving safe police interaction and a traffic stop in the Ockley parking lot at Betty Virginia Park following the walk at approximately 9:30 a.m.

LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) in collaboration with Tiger Research Group (TRG) is excited to share promising new research published in the Journal of Cannabis Research. The research focuses on the use of topical cannabidiol (CBD) and individuals with a history of elite physical performance and chronic lower extremity pain. Lead authors of the research include Bradie James, former professional athlete and Founder/President of Tiger Research Group whose mission is to change the stigma of cannabis through education and research, and Dr. Kevin Murnane, Director of Basic Science Research for the LSUHS Louisiana Addiction Research Center and Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology, & Neuroscience and Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine.

Students that worked on this project included PhD student Nicole Hall in the School of Graduate Studies as well as medical students Erin Crane and Carlie Falgout in the School of Medicine. The data were analyzed by Dr. Mohammad Alfrad Nobel Bhuiyan in the Department of Medicine.

Tiger Research Group’s collaborative research includes studying Cannabinoids and formulations in cellular models for addiction, inflammation, pain and other endpoints. Data gathered including experiments are being analyzed by LSU Health Shreveport for safety and efficacy. “Achieving All Conference, All American, Young Alumnus of the Year and being inducted in the Sports Hall of Fame has been special; however, working with LSU Health Shreveport to become an investigator/researcher is one of my proudest accomplishments at LSU,” stated Bradie James.

The publication, “Topical Cannabidiol is Well Tolerated in Individuals with a History of Elite Physical Performance and Chronic Lower Extremity Pain,” found that topical CBD was tolerated with little adverse side effects by the study’s population. The six-week study was conducted with participating former professional athletes, all of whom had careers ranging from 4-10 years. The study found that 50% of participants experienced minor adverse effects such as dry skin, and 50% of participants experienced no side effects. Individuals reported a significant improvement in pain levels along with the enhanced ability to pursue home responsibilities and social, occupational and recreational activities.

There are limited studies on CBD and its ability to be a therapeutic for pain management. Dr. Kevin Murnane and fellow researchers began to study how the special population of former elite athletes tolerated topical CBD. Given that former athletes are susceptible to chronic pain and trained to assess medication tolerability concerns, the population was idyllic to answer the question of “Is CBD a potential therapeutic for pain management due to being effective and tolerable?” To the research team’s knowledge, this is the first study to assess the CBD treatment in elite athletes.

Murnane and James are hopeful that the positive pilot findings of this initial smaller study will warrant further study of a topical CBD study of elite athletes. “It is estimated that more than 100,000 Americans will lose their lives to opioid addiction in 2023. Their loss will be felt in their families and our communities and throughout our society. It is critically important that we study options such as CBD to control pain in order to end the scourge of the opioid crisis,” stated Dr. Kevin Murnane, Principal Investigator (PI) for the study.

The LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) School of Allied Health Professions’ Center of Academic Excellence for Patient Centered Rehabilitation (CAE-PaCeR) has received a full five-year designation from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The Center is establishing an infrastructure to align relevant academic, research and clinical programs of the School of Allied Health Professions with the purpose of the center: patient-centered rehabilitation in an academic culture of excellence for clinical learning, innovation and collaboration.

To be designated a Center of Excellence, the center must be a statewide leader in its area of designation and is expected to be a resource to support similar programs offered by other institutions. According to the Board of Regents, a Center of Academic Excellence establishes a record as a foundation of excellence in teaching, research and service and shows potential for future growth and increasing quality.

“We are so pleased with the successes of our Center of Academic Excellence in Patient Centered Rehabilitation to earn the full 5-year status with the Louisiana Board of Regents.  Dr. Sarah Murnane as Director and our board have demonstrated the profound impact of community and multi-disciplinary collaboration in pursing our goals for excellence in teaching, translational research, service, and improved diversity for these health professions. A few of the accomplishments include: the implementation of a wildly successful immersion experience (Allied Health Education and Discovery “AHEAD” program) for under-represented minority high school students to explore our health professions; we are participants a multi-site clinical trial for multi-ligamentous knee injuries (STaR Trial) funded by the Department of Defense in collaboration with our Department of Orthopaedics and the University of Pittsburgh; our Children’s Center has added interventions for children with Autism and other spectrum-related disorders; and we are looking forward to our first Psychology PhD post-doctoral interns to begin with us this summer,” stated Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions. 

Goals of the Center of Excellence for Patient Centered Rehabilitation align with those of the LSU Health Shreveport campus, teaching, such as collaborating with the School of Medicine to increase inter-professional educational opportunities for students, healing, through providing clinical learning and mentoring opportunities for patient-centered, multi-disciplinary teams through residencies and internships, discovering, such as increasing collaborative research projects with additional departments, and expanding, through adding scholarship/tuition waivers for underrepresented students.

Programs of the CAE-PaCeR include academic programs (physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication disorders, rehabilitation sciences), physical therapy residencies (would management, neurologic, orthopaedic), clinics (Faculty Rehabilitation Clinic, Mollie E. Webb Speech and Hearing Center, Children’s Center), a clinical psychology internship, and diversity initiatives (AHEAD summer pipeline program and tuition waiver). As a part of the Center, these programs will impact not only faculty and students at LSU Health Shreveport, but the community as well.

“The Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) serves students, patients, faculty, and the community. As part of our commitment towards excellence, we were pleased to recently be a part of the STARBASE STEM Zone held at the Barksdale Air Show. The exhibition brought awareness to multiple aspects of our CAE including the physical therapy and occupational therapy programs, Children’s Center, and clinical residencies, all of which assist in treating patients or educating students in our community,” stated Dr. Sarah Murnane, CAE-PaCeR Director.

LSU Health Shreveport is pleased to announce its participation in the Surgical Timing and Rehabilitation (STaR) trial, a $4.5 million multicenter trial that is sponsored by the Department of Defense and contracted through the University of Pittsburgh. The STaR trial includes 25 of the top medical centers, including Mayo Clinic, Yale University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and 50 of the top knee surgeons across North America. LSU Health Shreveport’s trial is led by faculty members Dr. Patrick Massey, Associate Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Research for Orthopaedic Surgery, and Dr. Daniel Flowers, Assistant Professor and Residency Director for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy.

The overall objective of the STaR trial is to investigate the effects of the timing of surgery, early vs. delayed, and the timing of post-operative rehabilitation, early vs. delayed, for the treatment of multiple ligament knee injuries (MLKIs), as there is little high-quality research for these questions. An MLKI involves an injury to at least two of the four main ligaments of the knee, which include the ACL, PCL, MCL and the LCL. This severe injury is typically caused by major force trauma such as being tackled or injuring oneself playing sports, military combat-related injuries or motor vehicle accidents. Return to duty after combat-related MLKIs has been reported as low as 41% and substantially lower than that reported for civilians.

The study hopes to provide evidence for earlier return to military duty, work and sports for those that sustain this debilitating knee injury. By minimizing adverse outcomes, including arthrofibrosis, persistent pain and instability, and in the long-term, post-traumatic osteoarthritis, lost duty or work time, residual disability and healthcare costs associated with MLKIs, patients will be able to return to a fuller quality of life. In addition, MLKIs represent a large cost and financial burden to the military health system. This trial hopes to also alleviate residual disability and healthcare costs associated with MLKIs of military personnel.

“We are proud to be a part of this trial as one of the largest practices in the state for treatment of complex knee injuries. We typically reconstruct 50-70 knee dislocations per year. Having successful outcomes for this devastating injury is only possible in sites where multiple teams come together to collaborate, and I am grateful for our teams at LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport who do this so well,” stated Dr. Patrick Massey.

“The Department of Physical Therapy is excited about this opportunity to collaborate with the Department of Orthopaedics and the University of Pittsburgh to better serve the patients in our region who have sustained these traumatic injuries. The best rehabilitation timing and procedures for treating patients with knee dislocations is still somewhat unclear. Studies like the STaR Trial are critical to better informing how we serve these patients during their recovery and return them to their prior level of function,” stated Dr. Daniel Flowers.

LSU Health Shreveport Nursing Program Application Deadlines Approaching
Nursing Programs Offered in Conjunction with LSU Health New Orleans

Shreveport, La. – In response to the critical nursing shortage in Louisiana, the School of Allied Health Professions at LSU Health Shreveport will serve as a new instructional site for the School of Nursing at LSU Health New Orleans. Courses will be delivered through a combination of in-person instruction and synchronous distance education. Three nursing programs are offered: BSN Care Nursing Program, RN to BSN Program and MSN Nurse Educator Program. Application deadlines for the programs’ fall admissions are approaching on May 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023.

BSN CARE Nursing Program – Applications Due May 1, 2023

The Career Alternative RN Education (CARE) Program, leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, is designed for individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in any field and who would like to become a nurse. The program of study is for two years and prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Courses are offered in a face-to-face format on the Shreveport campus.

RN to BSN Program – Applications Due June 30, 2023

The Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Program is designed for registered nurses with associate’s degrees or diplomas in nursing. The RN-BSN program can be completed in 12 months of full-time enrollment or a longer time for part-time enrollment. Courses are offered in a hybrid format with a combination of face-to-face and online courses.

MSN Nurse Educator Program – Applications Due June 30, 2023

The MSN Nurse Educator Program targets and prepares registered nurses with earned BSN degrees and at least one year of clinical experience to become nurse educators and accomplish their career goals in academic, practice and service settings. The program is an intensive master’s track, designed for completion in four semesters. Courses are offered in a hybrid format with a combination of face-to-face and online courses.  

The timing of these nursing program offerings is critical as our community is currently in the midst of a nursing shortage. Shortages related to resignations due to burnout and stress existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but have been exacerbated over the past three years. However, voluntary resignations are not the only cause for the current lack of nursing candidates. A survey conducted in 2018 by the Health Resources and Services Administration found that the average age for an RN is 50 years old which indicates a large number of nursing positions will need to be filled over the next 15 years.

To learn more about the nursing programs, including admission criteria and curriculum, please contact the LSU Health New Orleans Office of Student Affairs at 504-568-4213.

140 LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine students learned where they will go to complete their residency training during the annual Match Day celebration. Each year, on the third Friday in March, fourth-year medical students discover where they have “matched” to for their residency training, the first step of their careers as physicians. The day is filled with emotion as students reflect on their accomplishments leading up to this career-defining moment, surrounded by family and friends.

This year, the National Resident Matching Program of the Association of American Medical Colleges, or NRMP®, reported that the 2023 Residency Match is the largest in NRMP's 70-year history. There were 42,952 applicants searching for a match with only 40,375 available positions leaving over 2,500 individuals who did not match.

LSU Health Shreveport is proud to announce that 98.6% of the School of Medicine’s applicants matched, proving that LSUHS remains a strong competitor at the national level. Of the 2023 class, 29.3% will be staying at LSU Health Shreveport for their residency and 37.8% of graduates have matched to an LSU residency site. 45.7% of the graduates will be staying in Louisiana, which is critical with Louisiana facing a shortfall in the number of physicians needed to meet the healthcare demands of the state. 49.3% are entering in primary care residencies comprised of Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Family Medicine and Medicine-Pediatrics.

LSU Health Shreveport medical students matched to highly competitive residencies outside of the state and will train at prestigious programs around the country including: Weill Cornell, University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), Emory, George Washington University, Baylor, University of Michigan and several others. The LSU Health Shreveport Class of 2023 will receive their Doctor of Medicine on Saturday, May 20.

Dr. David Lewis, Dean of the School of Medicine at LSU Health Shreveport stated, “With this being the School of Medicine’s 50^th Match Day, I find today’s match outcome  extremely meaningful for those of us who are early alumni of this medical school. With a five-year match rate of 99%, this year’s class further solidifies the schools’ reputation for training outstanding students who successfully compete with the ‘best of best’ across the nation. I offer my wholehearted congratulations to each of our students, their families and our dedicated faculty and staff.”

Match Day also reveals the number of newly minted physicians coming into the Shreveport-Bossier area to begin their post graduate training. LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine successfully filled 193 residency and fellowship positions. The new group of trainees will be welcomed to Shreveport in July, where they will train at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Academic Medical Center, St. Mary Medical Center and Monroe Medical Center along with other partner hospitals.

“The Office of Graduate Medical Education is honored by those who selected to pursue their residency or fellowship at LSU Health Shreveport. The success and wellbeing of these individuals is what motivates our staff to deliver ongoing support and guidance during this important timeframe in their development as a physician,” stated Leisa Oglesby, BSRN, MBA, LSU Health Shreveport’s Designated Institutional Official for graduate medical education.

Dr. David Guzick remarks on his first Match Day at LSU Health Shreveport, “I am elated at the results of today’s match both for our medical students and our institution. I offer my deepest appreciation to our School of Medicine and the Graduate Medical Education (GME) leadership and staff for their hard work making today’s outstanding match results possible. To those individuals headed to LSU Health Shreveport for their residency, we can’t wait to welcome you to the LSU Health Shreveport family.”

On Saturday, March 4, 145 LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine students participated in a traditional rite of passage known as the “White Coat Ceremony” which signifies their entrance into the medical profession. During the ceremony, students receive a short white coat symbolizing their journey to the long white coat they will wear once they are a physician. After the white coat is placed on each student’s shoulders, the Hippocratic Oath is often recited, and students are welcomed warmly by academic leadership, faculty, and peers. This tradition was established by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation in 1993 at Columbia University as a way to highlight the importance of humanism in all care of patients, with the white coat serving as a tangible symbol of matriculation.

The 2023 LSU Health Shreveport White Coat Ceremony was held at a packed Strand Theatre with Dr. Christina Notarianni, Professor of Neurosurgery, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery Residency Program Director serving as the keynote speaker.

“The annual White Coat Ceremony is one of the most memorable days in the lives of our medical students and their families and one that we as faculty and leadership look forward to each year.  We congratulate these students for accomplishing this important milestone in their goal of becoming physicians,” stated David Lewis, MD, MBA, Dean of the School of Medicine at LSU Health Shreveport.

In addition to the presentation of white coats, 30 new honorees were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS). This international honor society was established in 2002 by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation with the purpose of recognizing medical students, residents and faculty who practice patient-centered care by displaying qualities of excellence, compassion, altruism, respect and empathy. Currently there are 187 chapters of GHHS comprised of over 45,000 students, faculty, and other healthcare leaders.

The list of 2023 Gold Humanism Honor Society Inductees is denoted below:

Faculty Inductees:

1. Richard “Shane” Barton
2. Kavitha Beedupalli
3. Jason Jordan
4. Gary Menefee

House Officer Inductees:

1. Eunice Adu Dapaah
2. Lance “Tyler” Albin
3. William Ishee
4. Payam Entezami
5. Tyiesha Brown
6. Pooja Shah

Student Inductees:

1. John Campbell
2. Ross Dies
3. Isabella Fabian
4. Farrah Flattman
5. Taylor Gatson
6. Deniz Gungor
7. David Heap
8. Madison Hoffman
9. Rebecca “Holly” Lacour
10. Amanda Langston
11. Brianna LeBlanc
12. Benjamin Maxey
13. William Mullen
14. Brennen Murphy
15. Laura Nussdorf
16. Collyn O’Quin
17. Shelby Patti
18. Sarah Peytavin
19. Stephen “Tanner” Ward
20. Kathryn White

Shreveport, La. – On Thursday, February 23, LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) held the 5th Annual Research Celebration, where members of the community and LSUHS employees and students were invited to hear about the past year's accomplishments of the LSU Health Shreveport Office for Research.

Some highlights shared include:

• $25,104,155 in extramural grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, NASA, and the US Department of Defense in the current fiscal year.
• The Clinical Trials Office has 27 active clinical trials and 19 follow up trials with over 290 participants.
• Data reflecting the impact of LSUHS research on the LSU System and the state as a whole.
• Continued pandemic response with COVID vaccines still being offered to the community. To date, more than 132,000 vaccines have been administered.

LSU Health Shreveport and the Office for Research also celebrated the 2023 Research Excellence Award Winners which are listed below.

• Dr. Martin Sapp - Excellence in Extramural Funding
• Dr. Nobel Bhuiyan - Excellence in Translational Research
• Dr. Patrick Massey - Excellence in Innovation
• Dr. Hui Chao "Reggie" Lee - Research Rising Star
• Kris Clements - Community Champion
• Service Awards were also given to Dr. Kenneth McMartin, 42+ years, and Dr. Kevin McCarthy, 25+ years for their service to our institution.

Shreveport, La. – LSU Health Shreveport has partnered with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to become one of five sites participating in the Black and African American Connections to Parkinson’s Disease (BLAAC-PD) study, a project of the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) and the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative. MJFF serves as the implementation partner for GP2 and works with the ASAP initiative to coordinate a global program to conduct scientific research and analysis to identify genetic links to Parkinson’s disease.

It is estimated that nearly one million people in the United States are affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD), an age-related degenerative brain condition that impacts motor and cognitive function. It is the most common movement-related brain disease and the second-most common neurodegenerative disease.

The Black and African American Connections to Parkinson’s Disease (BLAAC-PD) research study seeks to learn more about gene changes that may cause Parkinson’s in Black and African American people. To date, 90% of genetics studies performed relating to Parkinson’s disease have involved populations of European ancestry, meaning that Black and African American individuals are underrepresented in current research data and the genetic impact on PD susceptibility in these populations is largely unknown.

“While great strides have been made in Parkinson’s disease research, there is still more to learn, especially regarding the genetic impact on disease development. Information gathered through studies like BLACC PD could lead to major breakthroughs in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Our team at LSU Health Shreveport is looking forward to working with GP2 and the Michael J. Fox Foundation to better understand PD and develop new therapies for all groups of people who are affected by this disease,” said Elizabeth Disbrow, PhD, Director of the Center for Brain Health and Professor of Neurology, who will lead the study at LSU Health Shreveport.

LSU Health Shreveport joins Rush University, University of Chicago, Kaiser Mid-Atlantic and University of Alabama at Birmingham as participating U.S. BLAAC-PD study sites.

LSUHS is currently recruiting volunteers to participate in the BLAAC-PD study. People who meet the following criteria are eligible:

• Age 18 or older
• Identify as Black or African American
• Do or do not have Parkinson’s disease

There is no cost to participate, and participants will be compensated. To learn more or to participate, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Disbrow at CBHResearch01@lsuhs.edu, go to blaacpd.org, or call (318) 656-4800 (The Bridge a local resource center associated with the Center for Brain Health).

Shreveport, La – Beginning Wednesday, February 1, LSU Health Shreveport’s North Campus Vaccination Site (formerly Chevyland) will administer vaccines Monday-Friday from 10:00AM to 4:00PM.

For COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Vaccinations:

• Pfizer and Moderna Booster: recommended to individuals who are at least 2 months out from any previous COVID-19 infection.
• Pfizer Bivalent Booster: available to anyone 12+ who is at least 2 months out from either their 2^nd primary vaccine or any booster dose.
• Moderna Bivalent Booster: available to anyone 18+ who is at least 2 months out from either their 2^nd primary vaccine or any booster dose.

For Primary Vaccines:

• For initial doses of the vaccine, children ages 5 to 17 can ONLY receive the Pfizer vaccine.
• Those age 5 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may request a third primary dose of the either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
• Everyone ages 12 years and older can get a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster at least 2 months after completing their vaccine primary series.
• Janssen (J&J) vaccine is no longer available at our site.
• Vaccines used for the primary vaccination (monovalent) are no longer being used as a booster.  Only the bivalent vaccine formulation is available as a booster.

No appointments are needed for vaccinations.  It is recommended that individuals who received their first and second dose of the vaccine from a non-LSUHS location should pre-register for a booster dose appointment at www.lsuhs.edu/covid19/vaccine. Individuals should provide ID and insurance information when they arrive at any LSUHS vaccine distribution site. Those that are without insurance are still eligible to receive the vaccine. For a list of COVID-19 testing sites in your area, visit ldh.la.gov/coronavirus.

Shreveport, La. – On Wednesday, January 25, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the new Teen Lounge at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - St. Mary Medical Center. Funding for the Teen Room was provided by the LSU Health School of Medicine Class of 2024. The Teen Lounge provides a space for older hospitalized children to play arcade games, video games and other activities providing a fun place for patients that is near their room or healthcare team. The interactive and relaxing space was funded by LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine’s Pars for Peds Golf Tournament, a student-led fundraiser.

Pars for Peds was started in 2021 by then second-year medical students, Tanner Ward and Landon Waite. They each saw a need for age-appropriate, recreational and entertainment spaces that are comforting and enjoyable for children who are hospitalized. Together they created the annual Pars for Peds Golf Tournament that in 2021 and 2022 raised approximately $20,000 and $25,000 respectively. The proceeds from their first tournament were used to create the Teen Lounge with the most recent proceeds being designated to their next project, revitalizing the atrium at St. Mary Medical Center into an entertainment space complete with grass turf and a movie screen.

“It is a beautiful room and today is a beautiful celebration. The thing Landon and I are most proud of is that Pars for Peds will facilitate ongoing investments in children in our community,” stated Ward at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Shreveport, LA – The LSU Health Sciences Foundation in Shreveport is pleased to announce Tom Ostendorff, III was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a 2-year term, which began on January 1, 2023.

Ostendorff is a lifelong Shreveport resident and has served on the LSU Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors for four years, most recently as Vice Chairman. He is the current owner and President of Southern Research Company, which focuses on background investigation for employment, tenancy, and volunteerism. Previously, he worked for the Shreveport Police Department in the Division of Special Investigations and as the District Manager of Purolator Armored.

Ostendorff is a member and former Regional Vice President of the American Society of Industrial Security, a Member of the Committee of One Hundred, and Former Chairman of the Committee of One Hundred Healthcare Subcommittee.

“I look forward to leading this dedicated board and continuing to grow and use Foundation resources to strengthen LSU Health Shreveport in its mission to train our future healthcare providers, deliver exceptional health care, and expand research opportunities. We will continue to help position our academic medical center as a leading economic driver for North Louisiana,” said Ostendorff.

The LSU Health Sciences Foundation’s mission is to inspire donors to invest in LSU Health Shreveport and steward contributions toward its support.

“I am honored to welcome Tom to his new role in serving LSU Health Shreveport,” said Kevin Flood, President and CEO of the LSU Health Sciences Foundation. “Throughout his years on our board, Tom has demonstrated a strong passion for LSU Health Shreveport and brings invaluable leadership, perspective, and expertise.”

Ostendorff will lead a 22-member board which includes the following officers and committee chairs:

Bill Comegys, III - Vice Chair & Investment Chair
Ray Lasseigne - Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
Valarie Jamison - Secretary & Audit Committee Chair
Bubba Rasberry - Governance Committee Chair
Shane Bridges - Property Committee Chair
Susan Moffitt - Development Committee Chair
Armand Roos - Immediate Past Chair

For a full list of the LSU Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors, please visit https://www.lsuhsfoundation.org/your-foundation/#board.

LSU Health Shreveport will host the Louisiana Junior Science Humanities and Symposium (JSHS) this weekend, one of 48 regional JSHS competitions that features presentations of original research conducted by high school students from around the state of Louisiana. At each of the regional competitions, three finalists are eligible to receive scholarship awards totaling $4,500 (awarded at $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000). Five regional finalists are awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Symposium held in Bethesda, Maryland.

JSHS is designed to challenge and engage students in grades 9-12 in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Forty-one students from across Louisiana will compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers. Symposium participants also hear presentations of current research by the host universities, visit research and development laboratories, and meet and exchange ideas with practicing researchers and fellow students.

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposia Program is jointly sponsored by the United States Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, in cooperation with leading research universities throughout the nation. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed JSHS on the NASSP Advisory List of Contests and Activities.

Media are invited to attend the poster presentation on Saturday, January 14 and/or the awards program on Sunday, January 15.  Interviews will be available with LSUHS faculty, coordinator for Louisiana JSHS, and student participants. Media planning to attend should notify Megan Strecker at 770-595-3052.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

• Poster Presentation: Saturday, January 14, 1:45 – 3:15 p.m.in the BRI Atrium
• Awards Program: Sunday, January 15, 12:45 – 1:00 p.m. in the LSUHS Auditorium

PARKING:

Parking will be available in the B Lot, located behind the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center. Follow the event signage posted that directs attendees to parking lot and building entrance.

Shreveport, La. – LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) has received continued accreditation with no citations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME is an independent organization that sets and monitors professional education standards essential in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality medical care and oversees the accreditation of residency and fellowship programs in the United States. Residency and fellowship, or graduate medical education (GME), refers to the period of education and training in a particular specialty or subspecialty after a physician’s graduation from medical school.

The ACGME requires institutions to comply with regulations such as providing residents and fellows with financial compensation, supportive training services and a collaborative work and education environment where residents and fellows engage with patient care, quality improvement, supervision, accountability, and more. Institutions must meet these requirements annually and those that do not meet the provided standards may receive citations or lose accreditation.

Leisa Oglesby, BSRN, MBA, and Designated Institutional Official at LSU Health Shreveport stated, “Thank you to our faculty who supervise and train residents and fellows for their unwavering dedication to ensure our residents and fellows receive the best training for their futures as physicians. A special thank you for our program administrators and GME office staff for their ongoing commitment and hard work to ensure that LSU Health Shreveport maintains compliance with ACGME standards and receives continued accreditation.”

LSU Health Shreveport has 45 ACGME accredited programs and over 600 residents and fellows for the 2022-2023 academic year. There are also over 3,000 LSUHS resident and fellow alumni. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the ACGME accredited 12,740 residency and fellowship programs with 182 accredited specialties and subspecialties. There were 871 sponsoring institutions housing accredited programs and 153,843 active residents and fellows in ACGME accredited programs.

Dr. David Guzick has been selected as the next chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport. Guzick, a member of the country’s premier honorific society for medical scientists and leaders, the National Academy of Medicine, will begin on Jan. 9, 2023.

A renowned clinician, medical scientist and health economist with expertise in the field of reproductive medicine, he used mathematical and statistical models to generate evidence-based approaches aligned with improving clinical outcomes, while generating novel insights into polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and infertility. He was awarded with the “Best Physician for Women” recognition by Good Housekeeping. He is a recipient of the Roy M. Pitkin Award for the best paper published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. He earned “Top Paper of the Decade in Reproductive Medicine,” from the Serono Symposium International Foundation. His 2020 book, entitled, “US Health Care Industry: Balancing Care, Cost and Access” published by Johns Hopkins Press captures his interest in health economics and public health.  

“We are excited to put David’s extensive experience in medical administration and leadership, graduate medical education, research and partnerships to good use for our students, faculty, staff, and the people of North Louisiana,” said William F. Tate IV, LSU President. “His vision for this institution will further our mission of exceptional medical education and community health.”

Dr. Guzick’s most recent position was at the University of Florida, where he served as senior vice president of health affairs and president of UF Health for nine years. In this role, he was responsible for UF’s six health science colleges and two hospital systems in Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. He was able to integrate the hospital system and health science faculty in a manner that spurred tremendous growth in the size and stature of all critical mission areas.

“I am so excited to be joining the LSU family! I was inspired to become a candidate for Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport by President Tate’s broad and ambitious vision,” said Guzick. “In partnership with Ochsner Health, and in concert with faculty staff, students and the broader LSU community, I am now thrilled to embark on the task of building an elite, functionally integrated academic health center in North Louisiana – a powerful virtuous circle of education, research and patient care that will grow in size, scope and stature, and serve as an economic engine for the region.”

Prior to Dr. Guzick’s position at UF, he served for seven years as dean of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. During that time, he led a community health effort that led to the AAMC Outstanding Community Service Award; oversaw a GME program that was the first in the nation to receive Special Commendation from the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education; implemented a new, nationally recognized, “Double Helix” medical school curriculum; and was Principal Investigator on an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award, won during the first round of funding.

Dr. Guzick received his MD and PhD (economics) from New York University as part of the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and his fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at The University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center.