LSU Surpasses $600 Million in Research Activity, Continuing Multi-Year Historic Rise Across Unified Flagship
May 27, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA
LSU’s Flagship has surpassed $600 million in annual research activity, building on last year’s record-setting milestone when the campuses exceeded $500 million for the first time ever. This marks the fifth consecutive year of record-breaking research wins.
“This is not a one-time jump. It is a trajectory,” said Chancellor Jim Dalton. “We are building exceptional momentum across every single flagship campus.”
The LSU flagship collectively reported $601 million in research expenditures for fiscal year 2024–2025, an 11% increase from $543 million in 2023-2024. Importantly, every LSU flagship campus increased activity, reflecting collaborative, high-impact projects spanning campuses and partners across Louisiana.
Pennington Biomedical Research Center and LSU Health New Orleans
While Pennington Biomedical researchers have helped develop every GLP-1 weight loss drug currently on the market to fight obesity and diabetes, they’re also collaborating with LSU Health New Orleans to “get personal” on who should follow which diet through a national study called Nutrition for Precision Health, powered by the All of Us Research Program under the National Institutes of Health. Launched in 2022, the research, which is led by Eric Ravussin at Pennington Biomedical and Dr. Lucio Miele at LSU Health New Orleans, goes deep into genetics, metabolism, physiology, and behavior—even microorganisms. Learn more about how the effort got started.
For more information contact:
Ernie Ballard, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing, ernie.ballard@pbrc.edu, 225-263-2677.
About the Pennington Biomedical Research Center
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is at the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the triggers of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. Pennington Biomedical has the vision to lead the world in promoting nutrition and metabolic health and eliminating metabolic disease through scientific discoveries that create solutions from cells to society. The Center conducts basic, clinical and population research, and is a campus in the LSU System.
The research enterprise at Pennington Biomedical includes over 600 employees within a network of 44 clinics and research laboratories, and 16 highly specialized core service facilities. Its scientists and physician/scientists are supported by research trainees, lab technicians, nurses, dietitians and other support personnel. Pennington Biomedical is a globally recognized state-of-the-art research institution in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more information, see www.pbrc.edu.
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
