2025 News Feed
Pennington Biomedical Opens Advanced Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center has opened a new Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic in Baton Rouge. The clinic provides specialized care for patients managing diabetes and endocrine disorders, bringing world-class expertise to the region.
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Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman Named LPFA Endowed Chair
Pennington Biomedical Research Center's Leanne Redman, PhD, has been named as the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority (LPFA) Endowed Chair in Nutrition, a chair established through private donations matched by the Board of Regents Support Fund. Dr. Redman was appointed by Pennington Biomedical leadership, with the appointment approved by the Louisiana Board of Regents in April 2025. Her appointment to this esteemed honor follows the reversion of the award from an Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship back to an Endowed Chair.
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Pennington Biomedical’s Annual Men’s Health Summit Scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23
Registration is now open for the 2025 Pennington Biomedical Men’s Health Summit, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23. Presented by Our Lady of the Lake Health and hosted by Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation, the free summit is available to all men over the age of 18. The summit welcomes men from across the Capital Region to learn more about their health, and it will featuring a wide variety of complimentary health screenings and informational sessions. Additionally, the CORE UFC Gym will host a UFC and self-defense demonstration, and the Baton Rouge Corvette Club will be on-site for a showcase of classic sports cars.
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Pennington Biomedical Celebrates Growth, Global Recognition at Annual Meeting
On Friday, Aug. 1, Pennington Biomedical Research Center brought together its faculty, staff, and leadership for its annual Center-wide meeting, where Executive Director Dr. John Kirwan delivered a forward-looking address underscoring the institution’s momentum, resilience, and global leadership in metabolic research.
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Answer ALS Launches AI Drug Development Collaboration with Tulane, Pennington Biomedical Research Center and GATC Health to Advance ALS Treatment Discovery
Answer ALS is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking collaborative initiative aimed at accelerating AI-powered drug discovery for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. This effort, known as the Louisiana AI Drug Development Infrastructure for ALS (LADDIA), brings together leading institutions and innovators, including Tulane University, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and GATC Health - a tech-bio innovator using validated AI models to accelerate drug discovery from large-scale multiomics data-, to harness the power of artificial intelligence and one of the largest ALS datasets in the world.
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Pennington Biomedical Q&A: Dr. Kara Denstel
Dr. Kara Denstel is leading the Pennington Generation study, which is designed to capture a clear picture of the health of Louisiana families, specifically physical activity, sleep quality, eating habits and more. Dr. Denstel recently participated in a Pennington Biomedical Q&A to elaborate on the Pennington Generation study, how she got involved, and what she and colleagues hope to learn from the collected data.
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Tirzepatide Reduces Food Intake and Appetite, and Affects Brain Functioning, more than a Placebo and Liraglutide
Researchers found that tirzepatide, a medication primarily used for treating type 2 diabetes and weight loss, reduced body weight, food intake and many measures of appetite more than placebo and liraglutide. These results were recently published in Nature Medicine in the study titled “Tirzepatide on ingestive behavior in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized 6-week phase 1 trial.”
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Reduction in Amino Acid Cysteine Triggers Weight Loss
Consuming fewer calories is largely accepted as a way to improve health and lose weight, but a recently published study in Nature Metabolism points to a specific sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine as a key component in weight loss. In the study “Cysteine depletion triggers adipose tissue thermogenesis and weight loss,” researchers discovered that when study participants restricted their calorie intake, it resulted in reduced levels of cysteine in white fat.
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Bill Signing Event Held at Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry hosted a bill signing event at Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Friday, June 27, joined by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The event drew approximately 200 attendees, including legislators and community members, with supporters standing on stage alongside the Governor, Secretary, and bill sponsor Senator Patrick McMath.
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New GLP-1 Therapies Enhance Quality of Weight Loss by Improving Muscle Preservation
Findings from two groundbreaking studies highlight potential pharmacological and biosensor solutions for muscle mass preservation in patients undergoing obesity treatment therapy. Results from the BELIEVE study of bimagrumab and semaglutide combination therapy and a study of a novel continuous protein sensor for sarcopenia management were featured as a late-breaking symposium and late-breaking poster, respectively, at the 85th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) in Chicago.
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