2026 News Feed
Dr. John Apolzan and Dr. Leanne Redman Named 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows
Two researchers from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center have been named 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows of the American Society for Nutrition, or ASN, recognizing their significant contributions to nutrition science and sustained engagement in the nutrition community. Dr. John Apolzan and Dr. Leanne Redman were selected for the Fellows of ASN, or FASN, designation, an honor awarded to nutrition professionals who have demonstrated substantial impact in research, translational science and service to the field.
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2025 Publication of the Year Award
The Publication of the Year Awards recognize outstanding scientific contributions by Pennington Biomedical faculty whose research demonstrates exceptional innovation, impact, and advancement of knowledge in obesity, metabolism, nutrition, and related biomedical sciences. These awards highlight the breadth and excellence of research conducted across the Center and celebrate publications that have significantly influenced their respective fields during the past year.
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Study to Evaluate Family Healthy Weight Program for Childhood Obesity in Primary Care Clinics in Louisiana and Tennessee
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has launched a research study, the COACH trial, to test different ways to help children and their families improve their health through lifestyle changes delivered by primary care clinics in communities in Louisiana and Tennessee. The COACH trial is enrolling 900 children ages 5 to 17 with obesity, which is classified as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for their age and sex. Patients and their parents are being recruited through urban, suburban and rural doctor’s offices in Tennessee and Louisiana.
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Study Shows Use of Obesity Drugs Alongside Behavioral Intervention is Associated with Reduced “Food Noise”
New research presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, shows that use of obesity drugs alongside behavioral interventions leads to a larger drop in so called ‘food noise’ than in those using the behavioral therapy alone. The study is by Dr. Hanim Diktas, postdoctoral researcher at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., and colleagues.
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Pennington Biomedical Contributes to Global Study on Physical Activity and Well-Being
Research from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is part of a major international study published in Nature Human Behaviour that offers new insight into how physical activity and emotional well-being are connected in everyday life. Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim analyzed data sets from more than 8,000 people to investigate how physical activity is related to good mood and positive emotions. For most people, the result was that mood improves with everyday movement. At the same time, people are more physically active when they are feeling better.
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Pennington Biomedical Seeks Volunteers for Study on How the Body Regulates Weight
Pennington Biomedical Research Center is recruiting men and women for a research study designed to better understand how the human body regulates weight. The study, “Experimental Approach to Test Predictions of Body Weight Regulation Models (DIP Study),” will explore how energy intake, energy expenditure and biological responses interact to influence body weight. Findings from this research may help advance scientific understanding of metabolism and inform future approaches to obesity and weight management.
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The Critical Role of Exercise in the GLP-1 Era
As GLP-1 receptor agonists reshape obesity treatment, a new medical perspective published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, underscores a persistent gap in care: integrating exercise into weight management in ways patients can sustain. The perspective, “The Conundrum of Exercise for Weight Management in the GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Era,” examines the evolving role of physical activity alongside medications such as semaglutide, liraglutide and other GLP-1-based therapies. Authors included Pennington Biomedical’s Steven B. Heymsfield, M.D., and Harvard University’s Daniel E. Lieberman, Ph.D., and Daniel H. Aslan, Ph.D.
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Pennington Biomedical Convenes Global Experts to Advance Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods and Health
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center recently hosted a two-day scientific symposium, “Ultra-Processed Food and Health: From Mechanisms to Actions,” bringing together many of the world’s leading experts to examine one of the most pressing topics in nutrition science. The symposium convened an international group of researchers, clinicians and policy experts to explore the rapidly evolving science surrounding ultra-processed foods and their impact on human health. Discussions spanned the biological mechanisms linking ultra-processed foods to chronic disease, the gaps in the available research, the role of the food environment and industry practices, and opportunities for policy and public health action.
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Dr. Hannah Cabré Appointed Assistant Professor and Director of the Aging, Gynecology, and Endocrinology Laboratory
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Hannah Cabré as an Assistant Professor, effective May 1. Dr. Cabré, an emerging leader in the field of nutrition, aging and women’s health, will lead the newly established Aging, Gynecology, and Endocrinology Laboratory, after having trained as a postdoctoral fellow at the Center since May 2023 under mentors including Dr. Eric Ravussin and Dr. Leanne Redman.
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Dr. Hanim Ecem Diktas Shares Her Journey, Research and Advice as 2025 Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Hanim Ecem Diktas, a postdoctoral researcher in Pennington Biomedical’s Ingestive Behavior, Weight Management and Health Promotion Laboratory, has been named the Center’s Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow for 2025. Nominated by Dr. Corby Martin and Dr. John Apolzan, Dr. Diktas has quickly distinguished herself through a strong record of scholarly achievement, including 11 peer-reviewed publications, 22 abstracts and poster presentations, and service as a peer reviewer for five scientific journals.
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