Dr. Jennifer Rood to Lead Pennington Biomedical Research Center as Interim Executive Director

January 9, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

Under new LSU structure, Dr. Rood will also hold the title of Interim Senior Vice Chancellor; international search to be conducted for Center’s new full-time leader 

BATON ROUGE, La. – Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Associate Executive Director for Cores and Resources, Dr. Jennifer Rood, has agreed to serve as Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director while an international search for the Center’s next Executive Director is underway. Dr. Rood began her term as Interim Executive Director on Jan. 1, 2026, and is working closely with LSU leadership and Center representatives to identify a new full-time Executive Director. 

“Pennington Biomedical has been my research home for more than 30 years, and I am honored to step into this interim leadership role as we search for the Center’s next Executive Director,” Dr. Rood said. “Pennington Biomedical is a world-respected leader in obesity and chronic disease research. Our extraordinary team of scientists and staff work each day to advance scientific discovery and continue the Center’s amazing legacy. I am honored to support this important transition.”

Dr. Rood began her career at the Center in 1993 and has played a critical role at Pennington Biomedical while serving as the Associate Executive Director for Cores and Resources. The Core services provide specialized scientific expertise and cutting-edge technology to support basic, clinical and population research. Basic science cores provide services such as microscopy and imaging of cells and tissues, cell culture facilities, comparative biology including behavior and metabolism, genomics and more. In the clinical science segment, core functions include protocol development, budgeting, clinical trial recruitment, inpatient and outpatient facilities, clinical chemistry, exercise testing, dietary assessment, and other services needed to conduct clinical trials. 

Dr. Rood has served as the director of three of these cores: the Clinical Chemistry Core, which collects and processes biological samples and performs over 250 clinical assays; the Exercise Testing Core, which provides assessments of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength; and the Mass Spectrometry Core, which administers and analyzes stable isotopes to measure energy expenditure and other metabolic pathways.

Dr. Rood is a co-director of the Pennington Biomedical Center for Military Performance and Resilience. In this role, she has conducted research on nutrition, metabolism and human physiology aimed at promoting warfighter readiness and performance. Her work has been funded continuously since 1993 by the Department of Defense. She received her PhD from LSU Health Sciences Center in 1993 and is a clinical pathologist with expertise in both clinical chemistry and stable isotopes. She is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry and Fellow of the Association for Diagnostic & Laboratory Medicine. She is also a member of The Obesity Society. 

While Dr. Rood leads the Center during the transition, a new full-time leader of Pennington Biomedical is expected later this year. LSU Executive Vice President & Chancellor Jim Dalton has said the goal is to have the Center's new leader in place by the summer.

"Looking ahead, I am confident in what lies before us. Pennington Biomedical is an institution of remarkable caliber, defined by the quality of its faculty, the dedication of its staff, and the importance of the work done here every day. Together, there is a real opportunity to reach even greater heights, expand our impact and strengthen Pennington Biomedical’s role as a research leader. I’m excited to begin that work alongside you,” Dr. Dalton said.