At A Glance

Pennington Biomedical’s vision is to lead the world in eliminating chronic diseases. Our mission is to discover the triggers of chronic diseases through innovative research that improves human health across the lifespan. We are helping people live well beyond the expected.

FACTS

Economic Impact

  • $1.14 billion in grant funding1
  • For every $1 in state funding, our research generates $3 in external funding
  • Our research generates from $349 to $1,278 per square foot, depending on the nature of the research
  • Every faculty member produces roughly five jobs in the local economy

Employment & Scope

RESEARCH

  • We discovered new molecules that can decrease inflammation without causing diabetes.
  • We have been involved in the development of all approved obesity medications on the market today, and many key diabetes medications.
  • We are a leader in nutrition research for our U.S. Military Soldiers, retirees and their family members.
  • We are home to the Pennington Biomedical/Louisiana Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (NORC), one of 11 Nutrition and Obesity Research Centers in the U.S. funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.
  • We are home to the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science (LA CaTS) Center, a single clinical translational science program for the state that is funded by the National Institutes of Health.  LA CaTS provides and infrastructure across Louisiana academic institutions to facilitate research in chronic disease prevention and improved health care in underserved populations.
  • We have one of the world’s only infant metabolic chambers in operation to study babies’ health and metabolism, and we have four functioning metabolic chambers dedicated to adult health and metabolism.
  • We work with children and families to utilize telehealth programs to improve the health of children around the globe.

OUTREACH

  • Our clinical trials and research studies have engaged nearly 60,000 individuals from every parish in Louisiana in an effort to improve the health of our state.
  • Our dementia study is one of the largest aging studies in the U.S., and our research has been recognized by the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study Group (ADCS) - the largest Alzheimer’s therapeutic research consortium in the U.S. - making Pennington Biomedical the only ADCS-approved site in a tri-state area.
  • We played a key role in designing the DASH diet - voted one of U.S. News & World Report's top diets for more than ten years in a row. 
  • Our postdoctoral program has been voted among the top 10 in the nation.

 

1Research grants made by federal, private and donor sources that were awarded and expended since the Center's inception (1988-2022).