Pennington Biomedical tells LSU board it aims to be a national leader on nutrition, obesity and translational research

Dr. Jennifer Rude, interim senior vice chancellor and executive director of Pennington Biomedical Research Center, briefed the LSU Board of Supervisors on June 27 about the center’s research strengths, unique infrastructure and public‑facing programs aimed at improving health in Louisiana and beyond.

"There are three things I want you to remember. One, Pennington Biomedical is world class. Two, we are training the next generation of scientists. Three, we are saving lives," Rude told the board during a 20‑minute presentation that emphasized translation from laboratory discovery to bedside care.

Rude outlined the center’s research capabilities, naming faculty whose work ranks among the world’s most‑cited and pointing to specialized equipment — including what she described as the state’s only pre‑clinical MRI — used to study disease models and track tumor progression in animal research. She said Pennington has a long record of contributing to drug development and clinical trials in obesity and diabetes and highlighted community programs such as Grow Healthy, which brings evidence‑based obesity prevention and treatment tools to families, schools and health providers across Louisiana.

The presentation stressed Pennington’s partnerships with the Department of Defense on military nutrition and performance research, ongoing work with NASA analog studies for extreme environments, and collaborations that have supported hundreds of grants. Rude cited state statistics — for example, that roughly 40 percent of people in Louisiana live with obesity and that diabetes costs the state an estimated $7 billion annually — to frame the center’s public‑health mission.

Board members asked clarifying questions about research infrastructure. Supervisor Williams asked what a pre‑clinical MRI is; Rude explained it is an MRI used in primarily rodent models to evaluate tumor development and to advance translational cancer research.

The presentation closed with an invitation for new supervisors to visit Pennington’s campus. Administrators and board members thanked Rude and affirmed continued support for the center’s research and training efforts. The board's record shows the presentation was received as informational with no immediate fiscal action required at the meeting.