Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman Named LPFA Endowed Chair

Aug. 8, 2025 · Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Redman is a leading authority on body weight regulation, women’s health, obesity and nutrition 

 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.

Dr. Redman is Associate Executive Director for Scientific Education and Director of the Pennington-Louisiana Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Pennington Biomedical, and she leads the Reproductive Endocrinology and Women’s Health Laboratory. The appointment to the LPFA Endowed Chair in Nutrition is an advancement for Dr. Redman, who previously held an LPFA Endowed Fellowship. Recently, Dr. Redman received the E.V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition at its annual flagship meeting, which is given to a clinical investigator who is perceived as a major creative force, actively generating new concepts in nutrition. 

“It is an honor to receive the designation of Endowed Chair, which is among the highest academic honors we can receive as faculty,” said Dr. Redman. “I intend to use this role and the incumbent funding to amplify our research of nutrition, metabolic and reproductive health locally and across Louisiana. Along with my dedicated team and our collaborators, I will continue to advance research at Pennington Biomedical that improves the health of women and families.”

Dr. Redman is a leading authority on body weight regulation and has published more than 250 research papers on the topic as well as on women’s health, obesity and nutrition. She is a strong advocate of training future scientists, and her laboratory presently includes three undergraduate students from Louisiana State University and three Postdoctoral Fellows.

“We are very proud to have Dr. Leanne Redman as part of the Pennington Biomedical team, and we were pleased to nominate her for this Endowed Chair,” said John Kirwan, PhD, Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. “Dr. Redman's strong research contributions, extensive publications, and dedication to mentoring emerging scientists distinguish her in the field. Her commitment to advancing our mission here at Pennington Biomedical is evident in her daily work. We are grateful to LPFA and the Board of Regents for their recognition and support of both this Endowed Chair and our ongoing efforts at Pennington Biomedical.”

LPFA was among the inaugural supporters of Pennington Biomedical, acknowledging the potential for the research center even before it opened in 1988. During that time, through a financing structure designed by the LPFA, the Authority generated nearly $4.1 million in operating funds that enabled the Center to hire personnel and purchase equipment needed to open. Additionally, the LPFA awarded $330,000 in grant funding to the research center’s founders for the purpose of recruiting top scientists and identifying and obtaining government grants and contracts. Since that time, LPFA’s support of Pennington Biomedical has remained consistent, as the Authority aided in the development of endowed chairs and professorships, and through LPFA bonds issued in 2001 for the construction of the Center’s basic science research building.

“Pennington Biomedical’s commitment to advancing research and innovation in Louisiana serves as a key part of our mission to improve the quality of life for Louisiana families and communities,” said LPFA President and CEO Tricia A. Dubroc. “Through our longstanding partnership, we are proud to support the next generation of scientists in our state.”

In 2015, Pennington Biomedical previously worked with the Louisiana Board of Regents to convert the LPFA Endowed Chair in Nutrition to the LPFA Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship to meet the needs of the research center at that time to enhance faculty productivity by expanding the number of postdoctoral fellows. To address current research priorities and at Pennington Biomedical’s request, the Board of Regents reverted the fellowship back to the Endowed Chair at the April meeting, concurrent with selecting Dr. Redman for it. 

“As a supporter and advocate for Pennington Biomedical since before the Center opened, and having worked closely with Dr. Redman for the past few years, I am very excited for the reversion of the postdoctoral fellowship to an Endowed Chair in Nutrition and thrilled with the naming of Dr. Redman as the LPFA Chair," said Former LPFA President and CEO James W. Parks II.