2026 News Feed
Pennington Biomedical Hosts Reception Honoring Dr. Steven Heymsfield as LSU Boyd Professor
On March 23, LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center hosted a special reception to honor Dr. Steven Heymsfield following his appointment as an LSU Boyd Professor, the university’s highest and most prestigious academic rank. The event brought together Pennington Biomedical faculty and staff, LSU leaders, donors, fellow Boyd Professors and colleagues to celebrate Dr. Heymsfield’s distinguished career and lasting contributions to the field of obesity research and body composition science.
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Improving Heart Health May Not Be Enough to Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease
In a recent study, researchers found that exercise and aggressive cardiovascular risk reduction successfully improved heart health, but these efforts did not produce measurable cognitive benefits over two years in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
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RURAL Health Study Reveals Key Drivers of Chronic Disease in Assumption Parish
Researchers at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center recently published the first set of data from the Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal, or RURAL, Heart and Lung study. The first-of-its-kind study was developed to explore why people who live in rural areas suffer disproportionately from heart and lung diseases, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Led by Dr. Stephanie Broyles, professor and director of the Contextual Risk Factors Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical, the longitudinal study first gathered data in Louisiana’s Assumption Parish and then collected data in Franklin Parish. The data book for Assumption Parish is now available to explore.
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Luck of the Lab: LSU Research Glows Green, Spanning Brain Cells, Crops, Frogs, and Algae
At Pennington Biomedical Research Center, scientists often study the brain by highlighting specific cells so they can be seen more clearly under a microscope. This technique was recently used by Dr. Yanlin He, associate professor and director of the Brain Glycemic and Metabolism Control Laboratory, who is examining Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum. Purkinje neurons are best known for helping control movement and motor learning, but researchers are discovering they may have other important roles in the body as well, such as controlling energy balance and blood sugar. By making these neurons glow green, Dr. He and his team can see their complex branching shapes and how they connect within the cerebellum’s neural network. This technique also allows researchers to perform electrophysiology recordings, which measure the electrical activity of the cells in a laboratory setting. Their work could help scientists better understand how the brain helps regulate metabolism and overall health.
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Pennington Biomedical’s Study of Assumption Parish Shares Initial, Surprising Data
Researchers at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center are collaborating on a large, first-of-its-kind study to find out why people who live in rural areas suffer disproportionally from heart and lung diseases, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. LSU’s team has been working with two rural Louisiana parishes, Assumption and Franklin, which—despite similar demographics—see radically different health outcomes: some of the best (Assumption) and some of the most challenging (Franklin) among rural communities across the South.
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Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy Initiative Addresses Childhood Obesity as It Tours Acadiana Region
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Greaux Healthy initiative is set to embark on a significant outreach tour throughout the Acadiana region March 9-13. As childhood obesity rates in Louisiana rank among the highest in the nation, the Greaux Healthy initiative seeks to engage local education, healthcare, business, and government leaders in a collaborative effort to address this pressing health crisis.
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National Sleep Awareness Week 2026: Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Prachi Singh Shares Importance of a Complete Night’s Rest
Sunday, March 8, marked the start of daylight saving time, when clocks move forward and many people lose an hour of sleep. It is fitting, then, that National Sleep Awareness Week – an initiative of the National Sleep Foundation – begins the same day and continues through March 14. During the week, sleep health organizations encourage the public to consider the importance of healthy sleep habits and their impact on overall well-being. The observance also coincides with World Sleep Day, recognized on Friday, March 13, by the World Sleep Society, which highlights the global importance of sleep and promotes better sleep practices worldwide.
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Hundreds Attend 26th Annual Irene W. Pennington Wellness Day for Women at Pennington Biomedical
Hundreds of women from across the Greater Baton Rouge region gathered at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Saturday, March 7, for the 26th annual Irene W. Pennington Wellness Day for Women, a morning dedicated to health screenings, wellness education and activities focused on mind and body health. Participants received a Passport to Wellness Card and visited screening and activity stations throughout the Center, connecting with healthcare providers and researchers while learning practical ways to support their health.
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Greaux Healthy Day Declared in Lake Charles: Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy Initiative Highlights Childhood Obesity Challenge in SWLA
Local elected officials and community stakeholders gathered today at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital to learn about Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Greaux Healthy initiative. Greaux Healthy is an initiative by LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in partnership with the State of Louisiana focused on preventing and treating childhood obesity in Louisiana. Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien, Jr. was onsite to present the group with a proclamation announcing March 5th as “Greaux Healthy Day” in Lake Charles.
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Combination GLP-1 Therapy Shows Fat Mass Loss While Preserving Lean Mass in Adults with Obesity
A recent research study found that a combination of the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide and bimagrumab, an antibody that blocks activin signaling pathways, results in greater weight loss while also preserving lean mass, such as skeletal muscle and connective tissue. In the paper “Bimagrumab and semaglutide alone or in combination for the treatment of obesity: a phase 2 randomized clinical trial,” published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, Dr. Steven Heymsfield of Pennington Biomedical Research Center describes the results of the BELIEVE study, which showed that the therapy combination addressed lean mass loss associated with GLP-1-based therapies.
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