BACK ON HER FEET

28 Pages·2017·7.99 MB·English

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nside
School of Medicine
School of Graduate Studies
School of Allied Health Professions
LSU Health Sciences Foundation
LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT WINTER 2017
BACK ON HER FEET
Allied Health Team Helps Patient Recover From Spine Injury
MINI MED SCHOOL
Dr. Shane Barton, Chairman and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, guides Mini Med School
participant Frank Auer on how to cut and drill a bone.
See page 23 for details
on the next Mini Med
Inside LSU Health Shreveport is published three CHANCELLOR & DEAN, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
times a year by the Department of Communications G.E. Ghali, DDS MD FACS FRCS(Ed)
and LSU Health Sciences Foundation on behalf of
the School of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies, DEAN, SCHOOL OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS
School of Allied Health Professions and LSU Health Joseph McCulloch, PhD
Sciences Foundation.
DEAN, SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
WINTER 2017 Christopher Kevil, PhD
Dr. Shane Barton, Chairman and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, guides Mini Med School
participant Frank Auer on how to cut and drill a bone.
content
features
I recently completed my first year as Chancellor
and Dean of LSU Health Shreveport. Needless 2 CENTER FOR BRAIN HEALTH
to say, it has been a busy and challenging year Group to focus on research and patient care
— a year that has made me grateful to lead a
group of dedicated, passionate and exceptional 12 BACK ON HER FEET
employees. As we strive to overcome very Therapists help patient recover from paralysis
difficult times, I am reminded that it is times
like these that tend to bring out the best in all 18 UPSTATE PROUD
of us. Our employees — the foundation of our Alumna shares her love for Allied Health Professions
institution — have revealed that we are resilient,
resourceful, compassionate, possess a “can do”
spirit, and most importantly have the ability
and desire to stay focused on our mission of in this issue
patient care, education and research.
8 CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION
In the past 90 days, we have had many exciting
Donations provide landscaping enhancements
developments on our campus, such as the
establishment of the Center for Brain Health,
9 ALUMNA ESTABLISHES ENDOWMENT
new project awards from the National Institutes
Scholarship to benefit medical students from rural areas
of Health totaling over $4.8 million, and a 10-
week bioentrepreneurism seminar series titled
10 PROFESSORSHIP RECIPIENTS HONORED
the Business of Science. We are also fortunate
Board of Regents-matched endowments celebrated
to have had improvements to our campus
made possible by volunteers and donors,
11 CLAYS FOR CAMP TIGER
fundraising efforts by our students for Camp
Event raises $20,000 for annual camp
Tiger where mentally and physically challenged
children enjoy a week of free fun each summer,
and faculty members being recognized
around the world for their clinical and research
expertise. in every issue
I wish I could tell you exactly what tomorrow
4 RESEARCH WRAP
holds for our health sciences center in terms
Scientists take a closer look at sickle cell disease,
of a hospital partner, funding levels from the
prostate cancer, diabetic kidney failure, and more
state, and faculty recruitment, but the reality
is, at this time, I do not know. What I do know
16 CLASS NOTES
is that every single day, I along with the 2,726
Updates from alumni
employees will continue delivering outstanding
patient care, education that engages and
20 NEW & NOTEWORTHY
challenges our students, and research that will
improve future healthcare.
24 NEW FACULTY
I ask for your continued interest and support
25 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY PHOTOS
of our health sciences center as “together”
we work to achieve the greatness that our
institution deserves.
Sincerely, content               photography      courtesy photos       
Lisa Babin Carlton Harp Samantha & Linda Sims
Lindsay Brown Randy Inderman University of
Angela Cason Lawrence Lea Minnesota Health
Bridget Verret Angela Cason
iStock
Bridget Verret
G.E. Ghali, DDS MD FACS FRCS(Ed) graphic design Chris Jay
Angela Cason
Chancellor & Dean
WWW.LSUHSCSHREVEPORT.EDU 1
CENTER
FOR
BR AIN HEALTH
For more on the Center for Brain Health,
FOCUSES ON RESEARCH & PATIENT CARE
visit www.lsuhscbrainhealth.com
2 INSIDE LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
LSU Health Shreveport’s new Center for Brain Health will treatments for patients with stroke and those at risk for
offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to stroke. The Shreveport health sciences center is the first in
treating brain injuries and diseases. the state to be accepted into StrokeNet, joining the ranks of
institutions such as Emory, Massachusetts General, Mount
The center received one-year conditional approval from Sinai, Northwestern, Stanford, UCLA and Vanderbilt.
the Louisiana Board of Regents on Oct. 26, following the
September approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors. Dr. Oleg Y. Chernyshev, Assistant Professor of Neurology
and StrokeNet principal investigator, said one of the
“Advances in brain health rely main goals of this network is to maximize efficiency in
on an approach that brings developing, promoting and conducting clinical trials
together clinicians, educators and focused on key interventions in stroke prevention,
researchers from many areas of treatment and recovery. Under the direction of Dr.
expertise, which is something we Chernyshev, the stroke program at LSU Health’s hospital
are uniquely positioned to offer at teaching partner, University Health Shreveport, is the only
LSU Health as an academic medical one in North Louisiana to receive Advanced Certification
center,” said Dr. Elizabeth Disbrow, for Primary Stroke Centers from The
Director of the Center for Brain Joint Commission, providing acute
Health and an Associate Professor stroke care to 30 percent of the
of Neurology. “When researchers Disbrow state’s population.
work with clinicians, the research
improves. When the clinicians work with the researchers, “StrokeNet provides a tremendous
the clinical care improves.” educational platform for stroke
physicians and other healthcare
With faculty and staff from LSU Health’s School of professionals, particularly those
Medicine, School of Allied Health Professions and School of individuals in training and focused
Graduate Studies working together, the center will provide on an academic career,” Chernyshev
comprehensive care for brain disorders while expanding Chernyshev said. “The health sciences center’s
neuroscience-related education and research. The center inclusion in this network will bolster the success of the
will focus on research into disorders such as stroke, Center for Brain Health.”
traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and
Alzheimer’s disease. The Center for Brain Health will also Not only does the Center for Brain Health integrate LSU
partner with the Children’s Center at the School of Allied Health Shreveport resources focusing on brain injury
Health Professions, where children across the Ark-La-Tex and disease, it also provides a platform for collaboration
are evaluated for Autism Spectrum with Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Louisiana Tech
Disorder and Attention Deficit University and LSU-S.
Hyperactivity Disorder.
“There is so much to be accomplished by leveraging
“Uniting our three professional all the existing resources available in North Louisiana
schools, the Center for Brain Health into an integrated hub,” said Disbrow. “We enhance the
is the only neuroscience research education and training of our students, we improve our
facility in the state that offers the ability to secure competitive national research funding
comprehensive clinical aspects in for our region, and we better serve
CENTER treating patients. Once they are our community with advanced
evaluated and treated medically, neurorehabilitation services.”
they’ll continue to be followed into Tinsley
the rehabilitation aspect of their “With the establishment of the
care,” said Dr. Suzanne Tinsley, Associate Professor of Center for Brain Health at LSU
Neurological Rehabilitation and Assistant Dean of the Health Shreveport, we continue
School of Allied Health Professions, which is home to the to advance clinical and research
FOR only nationally accredited neurological physical therapy opportunities to citizens of North
residency program in Louisiana. “The goal of neurological Louisiana,” said Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice
rehabilitation is to restore patients back to the maximum Chancellor for Research at LSU
level of function possible after brain injury or disease.” Kevil Health. “In addition, as the only
BR AIN HEALTH
Louisiana institution associated
Another component unique to the center is LSU Health’s with StrokeNet sponsored by the National Institutes of
role in the National Institutes of Health’s StrokeNet. This Health, the Center for Brain Health will be a vital source
stroke trials network serves as a pipeline for new potential for the latest in stroke care, rehabilitation, and research.”
For more on the Center for Brain Health,
FOCUSES ON RESEARCH & PATIENT CARE
visit www.lsuhscbrainhealth.com
WWW.LSUHSCSHREVEPORT.EDU 3
RESEARCH WRAP
Diabetic Kidney Disease
Focus of $2.5 Million Grant
Dr. Kevin McCarthy, Chairman and Professor of Cellular
Biology & Anatomy, received a $2.5 million grant from the
NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases for his five-year project on diabetic kidney disease.
It is currently estimated that 30 million individuals in the
United States are afflicted with diabetes mellitus. In Caddo
and Bossier Parishes, approximately 11 percent of the adult
population are diabetics. Long term, poorly controlled
diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of adult
blindness, limb amputations, stroke, heart attack, and depends on the person, but usually it takes between 10-25
kidney disease. Approximately 36 percent of individuals with years. So unlike other kidney diseases, like nephritis, this isn’t
diabetes mellitus develop chronic kidney disease, and the cost happening rapidly. With diabetics, it’s so sneaky. One of my
of treating diabetics with kidney disease is approximately $25 colleagues calls it an insidious disease because these patients
billion a year. are fine and they don’t know something is wrong, and then
one day that gradual demise of these filtration units just builds
Although research into the etiology and progression of up. You have 1 million of these filtration units per kidney. If you
diabetic kidney disease, nephropathy, has been an active area become a diabetic and these units are gradually affected, one
of biomedical research for four decades, an understanding by one you start losing them. You may go from 1 million down
of how diabetic nephropathy begins and progresses is still to 250,000 over 20 years. And then all of a sudden you may
incomplete. The research of the McCarthy laboratory at LSU go from that 250,000 to 100,000, and then you have issues.”
Health Shreveport over the past 25 years has focused on
discerning key factors that contribute to the development The current award from NIH/NIDDK to the McCarthy lab will
and progression of diabetic nephropathy. fund research exploring the adverse effects that hyperglycemia
has on very critical protein-carbohydrate interactions that are
“Every day our kidneys will produce about 35 gallons of known to play an important role in maintaining the integrity
filtrate, but we only urinate about a liter per day. The kidneys of kidney function.
are responsible for filtering our plasma, and they recycle and
reclaim key proteins and ions. This is what we depend on to The results of this line of research will ultimately lead to a better
maintain our homeostasis, the water balance in our body,” understanding of the basic mechanisms by which the kidneys
Dr. McCarthy said. fail as a result of diabetes mellitus and the development of
novel therapeutic interventions that could potentially block
“In diabetics, this kidney disease process is rather slow. It the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy.
$1.45 Million NIH Grant Examines Sickle Cell Disease
With a $1.45 million grant from the NIH’s Heart, Lung and Blood Sickle cell disease affects approximately
Institute, Dr. Felicity Gavins is investigating the dysfunction of 100,000 Americans, according to the
the cerebral microvasculature in sickle cell disease. Centers for Disease Control, occurring in
one out of every 365 African-American
In sickle cell disease, a group of inherited red blood cell births.
disorders, cells become hard and sticky and resemble a sickle
tool. These red blood cells can’t transport enough oxygen, Each year in Louisiana, approximately 80
Gavin explained, making these patients very susceptible to infants are born with sickle cell disease,
vessels becoming blocked, which can lead to heart attacks with approximately 3,000 children and
and strokes. adults in the state living with sickle cell,
according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
“We’re looking at white blood cells, particularly how the
neutrophils in sickle cell disease are different and how they In addition to her research, Dr. Gavins, Assistant Professor of
contribute to the increase in inflammation and thrombosis Physiology, is actively involved in bringing more awareness to
that these patients have,” Gavins said of her four-year research sickle cell disease. She and other faculty members held the
project. “A lot of sickle cell patients are very susceptible to Adult Sickle Cell Anemia Symposium at LSU Health Shreveport
having strokes and heart attacks, so my research is looking in August. Gavins also served on the organizing committee
to be able to target the specific cells, particularly neutrophils, for the American Physiological Society’s 2017 Conference on
in order to change their phenotype to perhaps protect these Physiological and Pathophysiological Consequences of Sickle
patients from having strokes.” Cell Disease, held Nov. 6-8 in Washington, D.C.
4 INSIDE LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
NIH Project Looks at Brain Injury Following Cardiac Arrest
Dr. Kevin Lin received a grant for lifestyles. Most neuroprotective trials for
$1,596,156 from the National Institute cerebral ischemia have been unsuccessful • Dr. Lin received a grant-in-
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of and therefore new interventions are aid from the American Heart
the NIH for his five-year project studying greatly needed. Our goal in this proposal Association for $154,000 to
cardiopulmonary arrest-induced brain is to understand sympathetic regulation explore the therapeutic potential
injury. in brain circulation after cardiac arrest of palmitic acid methyl ester
in order to lay the foundation for a (PAME) against cerebral ischemia.
Cardiac arrest is a major cause of death common therapy and greatly improve
and disability in the United States, the outcome.” • Dr. Reggie Lee in the Lin lab is
affecting up to 325,000 people each year also looking at how to decrease
with only a 10 percent survival rate. His research looks to improve brain injury and memory
understanding of the mechanisms deficits associated with cardiac
The whole-body ischemia, or restriction in underlying cardiopulmonary arrest- arrest (CA). With CA-induced
blood supply to meet metabolic demand, induced brain injury. “Identifying
hypoperfusion, the decrease in
following cardiac arrest results regulatory factors that
cerebral blood flow (CBF) as the
in subsequent brain damage influence cerebral blood flow
major cause of brain injury and
leading to neurological deficits. autoregulation and innovative
neurological deficits, uncovering
The long-term goal of Dr. Lin’s neuroprotective agents in
novel therapies to alleviate
project aims to decrease brain the context of cardiac arrest
hypoperfusion is greatly needed.
damage by reviving cerebral is paramount in changing
Research has previously identified
blood flow and subsequent patient outcomes,” he said.
PAME derived from the sympathetic
neurological deficits associated
nervous system causes potent
with cardiac arrest. Dr. Lin will study a new
vasodilation and an increase in CBF.
vasotone regulatory
The vasodilatory properties of PAME
“Survival rates following mechanism, the release of
cardiac arrest are poor, despite prompt palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME), a provide a potential therapeutic
emergency treatment and better vasodilator and neuroprotectant, derived opportunity in the treatment of
resuscitation techniques,” said Dr. Lin, from the superior cervical ganglion CA-induced hypoperfusion. With
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Cellular innervating major cerebral arteries. Lee’s post-doctoral fellowship
Biology & Anatomy and Director of the “Our central hypothesis is that protein funded by the AHA for $114,368,
Stroke Center for Research. “With 70,000 arginine methyltransferases are the the project’s main purpose is to
patients per year that are resuscitated regulatory ‘switch’ for the methylation investigate the impact of PAME
after cardiac arrest, 60 percent die from of palmitic acid to form palmitic acid on CA-induced hypoperfusion
extensive brain injury and only 3 to 10 methyl ester responsible for vasodilation/ alleviating subsequent brain injury.
percent are able to resume their former neuroprotection during ischemia.”
Award Supports Collaborative Research Across Louisiana
Nationally recognized researchers from Rouge. The health sciences center will be vulnerable populations” Dr. Davis said.
LSU Health will continue to play key funded for $1,035,255 over the next five
roles in addressing health issues that years, bringing the total funding for its Vice Chancellor for Research Dr. Chris
adversely impact the people of Louisiana contributions to LA CaTS to $2,220,372 Kevil is the site investigator for the
thanks to a $20 million federal grant to over a 10-year period. Clinical Research Resources. In that
fund the innovative Louisiana Clinical capacity, Dr. Kevil will work closely with
and Translational Science Center (LA Drs. Terry Davis and Connie Arnold, other LA CaTS Clinical Trial Units in a
CaTS) for another five years. Professors of Medicine, serve as site collaborative arrangement designed to
principal investigators. In this role they greatly expand access to the resources
This funding from the National Institutes have implemented health literacy research required for high-impact research at
of Health is the second competitive grant and education state and nationwide. the health sciences center and other
awarded for this research collaborative Their work focuses on enhancing patient research institutions across the state.
among 10 academic institutions across understanding and engagement as well “Cross institutional participation in
the state. The new award increases the as promoting collaborations with rural LA CaTS clinical research areas, such
total federal support for LA CaTS to $40 and inner city clinics. as cardiovascular disease, holds great
million over 10 years and continues to promise to improve the health of all
build Louisiana’s research capacity. “LA CaTS provides a novel opportunity Louisiana citizens,” said Dr. Kevil. “The
for health professionals and researchers ability to initiate and engage clinical
LSU Health faculty will make a significant across the state to collaborate to conduct research at LSU Health Shreveport,
contribution in this statewide initiative truly meaningful clinical research to in conjunction with other Louisiana
coordinated through the Pennington improve the health and healthcare of medical centers, strengthens our ability
Biomedical Research Center in Baton Louisiana residents, particularly our most to impact as many people as possible.”
WWW.LSUHSCSHREVEPORT.EDU 5
RESEARCH WRAP
Researcher Looks at Drug’s
Effect on Prostate Cancer
Dr. Arrigo De Benedetti, Associate Professor of Biochemistry,
received $865,785 in funding as part of the Department of
Defense’s Prostate Cancer Research Program. His project
looks at specific inhibitors identified in antipsychotics used to
treat schizophrenia patients and how those drugs may slow
or prevent the progression of prostate cancer.
to androgen deprivation therapy and prevent the progression
“In retrospective studies of male patients who were given to the fatal castrate-resistant prostate cancer.
these phenothiazine antipsychotics, they found a much lower
percentage of prostate cancer,” Dr. De Benedetti said. “Since these are well-tested drugs, if our work is successful, it
may not take long to achieve a patient-related outcome with
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men after skin a clinical trial,” he said. “Phenothiazine antipsychotics have
cancer, with approximately one in seven diagnosed with the been used for over 30 years for severe psychotic illnesses for
disease, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the prolonged periods with relatively low side effects.”
third leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United
States, ranking behind lung and colorectal cancers. Support from a previous DOD grant and Bridging Grants
through LSU Health Shreveport’s Feist-Weiller Cancer Center
Hormone therapy, or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), made it possible for Dr. De Benedetti to advance to this
is the mainstay treatment for prostate cancer. This therapy point in his research. “There was so much I could do with my
reduces the level of male hormones, or androgens, which research, but to move forward, it really needed to take the
stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. While this is next step, and without the Feist-Weiller funding, I couldn’t
often initially effective in remission of the disease, after have done it,” he said, also crediting Dr. Stephan Witt,
a mean time of two to three years, the prostate cancer Chairman of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, with helping
frequently progresses despite hormonal manipulation, Dr. De him secure grant funding.
Benedetti explained.
After this stage in his research, Dr. De Benedetti will apply
“Once that therapy fails, the cancer is androgen-insensitive for the National Institutes of Health Rapid Access to
and eventually that will kill the person,” he said. His work Interventional Development Program, which assists in moving
looks to repurpose those antipsychotics to improve response the treatment to clinical trials.
Collaborative Grant Includes Researchers from Three States
Dr. Andrew Yurochko, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology Each of the research teams will look
is among a group of human cytomegalovirus researchers across at a different aspect of the virus-host
the nation awarded a five-year, $8.9 million collaborative grant interaction working to understand how
to investigate how the virus hides its presence in dormancy until the virus manipulates signaling pathways
it’s ready to activate and pose life-threatening disease risks. within its host, regulating how a host cell
receives and transmits information from
Dr. Yurochko will work with other researchers from the the extracellular environment to sense
University of Arizona Health Sciences and Oregon Health and and respond to infection. Their aim is
Science University to investigate different aspects of the virus- to understand how HCMV can hijack its
host interaction of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), host’s biology allowing it to control its
one of nine human herpesviruses. The grant is funded by the entry into and its exit from dormant and active cycles, a key
NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. to its ability to exist in the human host.
Yurochko’s research will receive $746,715 over five years.
“This grant shows the importance of collaborative research
Unlike many virus infections, HCMV infections are forever— as the NIH’s Program Project Grant involves virologists in
they are never cleared by the host, hiding their presence in Oregon, Arizona and Louisiana,” said Dr. Dennis O’Callaghan,
dormancy. More than half of adults by age 40 have been Chairman of Microbiology & Immunology at LSU Health
infected with HCMV and most people infected show no signs Shreveport. “Virtually all faculty within the department have
or symptoms. ongoing collaborations with scientists not only within the
same department but with faculty in other departments,
When HCMV is reactivated from dormancy, it poses life- such as Physiology, Pediatrics, Pathology, ENT, and with
threatening disease risks in immunocompromised individuals, faculty at other universities such as LSU-S, ULM, University of
including transplant, AIDS and cancer patients. HCMV Berlin, Tulane University, Yale University, University of North
infection also is the leading cause of infectious disease-related Carolina, Michigan State University, Iowa State University,
birth defects, affecting 1 in 150 live births in the United States. and others.”
6 INSIDE LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT
3-D Material Explored for Living Bone Grafts Research Focuses on
Dr. Christen Boyer, a postdoctoral fellow, for bone replacement can be used, but HPV-related Cancer
and mentor Dr. Steven Alexander, Professor still need to be shaped to fit individual
of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, received patient anatomies and are not as ideal
Head & Neck Surgery Fellow Dr. Ameya
the Peter Geistlich Award from the Osteo as living bone.
Asarkar and mentor, Dr. Cherie-Ann
Science Foundation for $100,000 for their
two-year project, “Three-Dimensional “At LSU Health, we have developed a Nathan, Professor and Chairman of
Printing of Osteogenic Engineered three-dimensional printing material Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery,
Networks (OGEN) for Craniomaxillofacial called OGEN, or Osteogenic Engineered received $30,000 from the American
Defects,” in collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Networks, which is loaded with Academy of Otolaryngology/Head
Woerner, Assistant Professor of Oral & nanoparticles and human placental & Neck Surgery’s Bobby R. Alford
Maxillofacial Surgery. stem cells for use in bone regeneration. Endowed Research examining human
OGEN is used in 3-D printing and allows papillomavirus-positive head and
Surgical reconstruction of the face for for the creation of custom printed, neck cancer.
cancer, cleft palate and birth defects patient-specific facial implants based
often requires harvesting of bone from on a unique nanoparticle-enhanced HPV-associated oropharyngeal
a patient’s body (like the hip) to provide stem cell bone regenerative process,” Dr. squamous cell cancer (OSCC) is
bone for the facial restoration. The Boyer said. “While we are still validating a growing epidemic in the young
availability of bone using this approach OGEN materials, we expect we will soon population, projected to surpass
is limited, can be traumatic and carries be able to provide patients with custom HPV-associated cervical cancer
several complications, especially for 3-D printed synthetic living bone grafts by 2020. HPV-positive OSCC
pediatric patients. Synthetic materials at LSU Health.” patients exhibit a significantly
better prognosis compared to HPV-
AHA Fellowship Looks at Atherosclerosis negative OSCC. However, 30 percent
of HPV-positive patients still see a
The American Heart Association were a pathogen, and these pathogenic recurrence, especially in the HPV-
awarded Aimee Vozenilek, a graduate responses accelerate atherosclerosis.
positive smoking population.
assistant in Microbiology & Immunology,
$53,688 for her pre-doctoral fellowship “We are studying an enzyme, lipin-1, Current treatment regimens for head
taking a closer look at atherosclerosis. which is required for managing and neck squamous cell carcinoma
cholesterol in macrophages. However,
(HNSCC) include a combination
Excess cholesterol in the blood results exposure to excess cholesterol causes this
of surgery and radiation therapy
in its deposit into blood vessels, causing enzyme to contribute to macrophage
with or without chemotherapy.
them to harden and narrow. This pathogenic responses. We showed
Chemotherapeutic agents such as
process, atherosclerosis, is the major that mice lacking the lipin-1 enzyme
cisplatin, have high rates of acute and
cause of catastrophic cardiovascular from macrophages have reduced
long-term adverse effects including
diseases, such as strokes and heart atherosclerosis,” Vozenilek said. “My
difficulty in swallowing, dryness of
attacks. One of the immune cells, fellowship is focused on understanding
mouth, inflammation of the oral
called a macrophage, tries to remove how and why lipin-1 contributes to
mucosa and potential damage to
the cholesterol from the blood vessels atherosclerosis. By understanding lipin-1
the kidneys. “There is a dire need to
by “eating” it. However, for reasons and the pathways that it controls, we
find effective and less toxic agents
that are not fully known, macrophages can identify targets to develop better
which can target these cancers at
respond to excess cholesterol as if it therapeutics to treat atherosclerosis.”
the molecular level,” Dr. Asarkar said.
Grant Examines Effects of H. Pylori in Space
Preliminary data from Dr. Nathan’s
lab has shown PIK3CA, an important
Dr. David McGee, Associate Professor This project focuses on the response of H.
gene responsible for normal growth
of Microbiology & Immunology, received pylori grown under normal or microgravity
and function of cells, was considerably
$35,000 from the Board of Supervisors conditions to a variety of stresses that the
altered while p53, a tumor suppressor
of LSU and Agricultural and Mechanical bacterium encounters in the human body.
gene, was mutated in only 5 percent
College — LaSpace for his project Some stresses that will be investigated
of HPV-positive smokers. PIK3CA
examining the microgravity-mediated include: bile salts, released after a fatty
alterations contribute to the aberrant
effects on Helicobacter pylori. meal into the intestines; acid mimicking
activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway
stomach acidity; and oxidative stress, a by-
Astronauts in space encounter low gravity product of metabolism. Factors that are rendering selective inhibitors of this
or microgravity environments, often for known to contribute to disease will also be pathway a promising therapeutic
extended periods of time leading them assessed. option in HPV-positive OSCC. “Studies
to develop a variety of health issues. proposed in our research project
They carry microorganisms into space “This proposal addresses an important will provide a strong rationale for
and one of these, H. pylori, can cause NASA goal to minimize risk and maximize development of PI3K/mTOR specific
inflammation of the stomach, ulcers and astronaut safety, as this organism can inhibitors as effective radio-sensitizers
stomach cancer. How H. pylori responds to potentially cause moderate to severe for HPV-positive oropharynx cancer
microgravity and whether this bacterium health problems in astronauts in the patients improving their functional
affects astronaut health in outer space microgravity environment of outer outcomes while maintaining high cure
are unknown. space,” Dr. McGee said. rates,” Dr. Asarkar said.
WWW.LSUHSCSHREVEPORT.EDU 7
Beautification
Generous Donations Provide Campus
Medical students enjoy the new gathering space, part of a
campus beautification project supported by generous donors.
Significant landscaping enhancements in
many areas of the LSU Health Shreveport
campus were completed this fall. The
$100,000 campus beautification project
was envisioned in 2014 and generously
supported by donors in the community.
It serves to enhance the exterior of
the campus, reflecting the amazing
achievements and discoveries that happen
inside our buildings.
Visitors to LSU Health Shreveport are
greeted by renewed flower beds at the
Kings Highway entrance and newly planted
trees along Jennings Street and Woodrow
Street. There have also been significant
drainage and irrigation improvements and
the installation of a new outdoor gathering
space which is available to all. Thank you
to the many donors who made these
enhancements possible.
8 INSIDE LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT