Research Programs & Laboratories
Research laboratories at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center are divided into 10 program areas (listed below). Click on a laboratory to view more information.

Cancer
  • DNA Damage & Repair
    • Faculty/PIs:  Deutsch, Andy A.

      The DNA Damage & Repair laboratory's mission is to understand genomic instability and its impact on aging and cancer etiology.
Diabetes
  • John S McIlhenny Skeletal Muscle Physiology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Ravussin, Eric, Redman, Leanne M., Johannsen, Darcy L., Tchoukalova, Yourka D.

      The Skeletal Muscle Metabolism laboratory is focused on the measurement of skeletal muscle metabolism and seeks to understand and characterize the role of metabolic proteins and mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance and some muscle defects that occur with aging (sarcopenia and oxidative stress). Central to this investigation is the rhomboid mitochondrial protease named PARL and the adiponectin/AdipoR axis.
  • John S. McIlhenny Botanical Research
    • Faculty/PIs:  Cefalu, William T., Wang, Zhong Q., Stull, April J.
      Website: http://brc.pbrc.edu

      The primary mission of the Diabetes and Nutrition laboratory is to study the cellular mechanisms contributing to the development of insulin resistance in humans. In addition, their goal is to evaluate the clinical effect and mechanism of action by which dietary factors modulate insulin resistance.
  • Joint Program on Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
    • Faculty/PIs:  Cefalu, William T., Primeaux, Stefany D.
      Website: http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/endocrinology/about.aspx

      The “Joint Program on Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism” is a single academic program across two distinct campuses of the LSU System. Specifically, the program represents a collaborative effort between the Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) in Baton Rougeand LSU Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans. The purpose of such a program is to enhance the research, education and medical care in diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism by aligning both institutions, so as to promote collaboration, facilitate sharing of resources and avoiding duplication of efforts. The recognized research expertise in endocrinology and clinical research at PBRC has been aligned with the medical care provision and endocrinology fellowship education and training efforts existing at LSUHSC, thus creating a seamless Program on Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism.

      The program is lead by William Cefalu, MD, who is jointly appointed to the faculty at both institutions and whose time allocation is divided between the two institutions at approximately 50% effort at each. The faculty of the joint endocrinology program are appointed to either or both institutions.
  • Mechanisms of Diabetes Complications
    • Faculty/PIs:  Obrosova, Irina G.

      The Mechanisms of Diabetes Complications laboratory's mission is to understand the pathogenesis of diabetes complications, especially neuropathy.
  • Oxidative Stress and Disease
    • Faculty/PIs:  Stadler, Krisztian

      There is no description at this time. Please check back later.
Epidemiology & Prevention
  • Chronic Disease Epidemiology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Hu, Gang
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/chronicdisease/

      The mission of the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Laboratory is to improve the health of human populations through research, increasing public awareness, and advocacy around issues related to physical activity, obesity, and dietary intervention.
  • Contextual Risk Factors
  • Health Behaviors & Chronic Disease
    • Faculty/PIs:  Harsha, David W.

      The Health Behaviors & Chronic Disease laboratory is researching the implementation of efficacy studies in behavioral interventions for cardiovascular disease, overweight, and metabolic syndrome, and the study of effectiveness of proven behavioral strategies in real world populations
  • Health Economics
    • Faculty/PIs:  Gandjour, Afschin

      There is no description at this time. Please check back later.
  • Nutritional Epidemiology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Champagne, Catherine M., Ryan, Donna H.

      Nutritional epidemiology includes all studies of the relations between diet and health in human populations. To this end, the goal of this laboratory is to provide nutrition education and/or counseling that improve diet and health.
  • Physical Activity and Obesity Epidemiology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Katzmarzyk, Peter T.
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/physical_activity_epidemiology/

      The focus of the Physical Activity and Obesity Epidemiology Laboratory is on the effects of physical activity, fitness, and obesity on morbidity and mortality, and their impact on population health. These issues are examined using epidemiological approaches and large-scale population studies.
Genomics & Molecular Genetics
  • Epigenetics & Obesity
    • Faculty/PIs:  Koza, Robert A.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Gene-Nutrient Interactions
    • Faculty/PIs:  Mynatt, Randall L., Zhang, Jingying

      The Agouti Research Lab uses an integrative approach to understand the actions of the agouti protein and diet in obesity and diabetes.
  • Human Genomics
    • Faculty/PIs:  Bouchard, Claude, Rankinen, Tuomo T.
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/humangenomics

      This lab investigates the genetic and molecular basis of the response to a physically active lifestyle with an emphasis on cardiorespiratory endurance, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes risk factors, as well as genetic and molecular background of obesity and abdominal obesity and their co-morbidities.
  • Regulation of Gene Expression
    • Faculty/PIs:  Salbaum, Michael

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Taste Genetics
    • Faculty/PIs:  Richards (Smith), Brenda K.

      This laboratory investigates the genetic basis for variation in the preferential consumption of dietary fat or carbohydrate, as well as total energy intake.
Neurobiology
  • Autonomic Neuroscience
    • Faculty/PIs:  Rogers, Richard C., Hermann, Gerlinda E., McDougal, David H.

      The Autonomic Neuroscience Lab has been interested in the relationship between the brain and the digestive tract for more than 20 years. Lately, they have concentrated on how specific neural circuits in the brainstem integrate visceral afferent, descending neural command, hormone and cytokine signals to control digestive processes.
  • Leptin Signaling in the Brain
  • Neurobehavior
    • Faculty/PIs:  Martin, Roy J.

      The theme of the Neurobehavior laboratory is “Nutrient (macronutrient) sensing mechanisms are important in the control of feeding behaviors.” Our goal is to modulate nutrient sensing mechanisms to control food intake and obesity.
  • Neurobiology & Nutrition I
    • Faculty/PIs:  Berthoud, Hans-Rudolf

      The Neurobiology & Nutrition I laboratory's mission is to understand Neural mechanisms of nutrient detection, control of appetite and regulation of energy balance.
  • Neurosignaling
    • Faculty/PIs:  Morrison, Christopher D.

      The Neurosignaling Laboratory focuses on the cellular mechanisms underlying the neural regulation of body weight homeostasis, with particular interest in the signaling molecules and neuronal circuits involved in the brain’s “perception” of nutritional state and subsequent regulation of feeding behavior.
  • Nutrition & Neural Signaling
    • Faculty/PIs:  Barnes, Maria J.

      There is no description at this time. Please check back later.
Neurodegeneration
  • Aging and Neurodegeneration
    • Faculty/PIs:  Keller, Jeffrey N.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Blood Brain Barrier I
    • Faculty/PIs:  Pan, Weihong
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/bloodbrainbarrier

      The Blood Brain Barrier I Laboratory's primary objective is to identify mechanisms, regulation, and clinical applications of cytokine transport across the blood-brain and blood-spinal cord barrier (BBB).
  • Blood Brain Barrier II
    • Faculty/PIs:  Kastin, Abba, Stone, Kirsten P.

      The Blood Brain Barrier II Laboratory's primary objective is to determine the role of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in neuroendocrine control, particularly in feeding behavior and alcoholism.
  • Inflammation and Neurodegeneration
  • Nutritional Neuroscience and Aging
    • Faculty/PIs:  Ingram, Donald K.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
Nutrient Sensing & Signaling
  • Neuroendocrine Immunology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Dixit, Vishwa Deep

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Nutrient Sensing and Adipocyte Signaling
    • Faculty/PIs:  Gettys, Thomas W.

      The Adipocyte Signaling lab investigates central mechanisms regulating SNS outflow to adipose tissue, mechanisms of SNS-dependent remodeling of adipose tissue, and functional consequences of adipose tissue remodeling
  • Protein Structural Biology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Kheterpal, Indu K.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
Obesity
  • Behavioral Medicine
    • Faculty/PIs:  Brantley, Phillip J., Myers, Valerie H., Roy, Heli J.

      The Behavioral Medcine laboratory is understanding interactions between biological, behavioral and psychosocial factors that relate to health promotion, risk factor reduction, disease management and adaptation to medical conditions associated with the metabolic syndrome including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Health Psychology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Williamson, Donald, Stewart, Tiffany M.
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/healthpsychology

      The Health Behavior Research Group conducts research on behavioral approaches for the prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders. This research involves testing the efficacy of community-based, internet-based, and clinic-based interventions for changes in health behaviors.
  • Infection and Obesity
  • Ingestive Behavior Laboratory
    • Faculty/PIs:  Martin, Corby K.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Women's Health, Eating Behavior, & Smoking Cessation Program
    • Faculty/PIs:  Geiselman, Paula J.

      The Women's Health, Eating Behavior, & Smoking Cessation Program studies the robust role of fat and other macronutrient intake and fat preferences in the control of appetite and body weight in pre- and post-menopausal women following smoking cessation.
Physical Activity & Health
  • Physical Activity & Ethnic Minority Health
    • Faculty/PIs:  Newton, Robert L.

      There is no description at this time. Please check back later.
  • Preventive Medicine
    • Faculty/PIs:  Church, Timothy S.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Walking Behavior
Stem Cell & Developmental Biology
  • Developmental Biology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Kappen, Claudia T.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Epigenetics & Nuclear Reprogramming
    • Faculty/PIs:  Eilertsen, Kenneth J.

      The Epigenetics & Nuclear Reprogramming laboratory investigates 1) the epigenetic basis of nutritional programming that may occur in utero and contribute to later in life diseases such as obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes; 2) methods that reprogram the epigenome in ways that restore developmental and differentiation potential; and 3) epigenetic basis of liposarcoma differentiation.
  • Protein Deficiency and Developmental Biology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Sutton, Gregory M.

      There is no description at this time. Please check back later.
  • Stem Cell Biology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Gimble, Jeffrey

      The Stem Cell Biology Laboratory will focus on the characterization and understanding of adipose tissue, adult stem cells and especially the formation and development of adult stem cells.
  • Ubiquitin Biology
    • Faculty/PIs:  Floyd, Elizabeth Z.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.