President Tate's Scholarship first Agenda
Biomedical
Opportunity
Humanity faces a moment of both unprecedented adversity and opportunity: to keep people healthy and economies thriving, we must solve health-based challenges quickly and at scale. Within our home state of Louisiana, the linkage between health disparities and the broad prevalence of chronic health diseases poses a clear threat to the well-being of all Louisianans.
Importance
In Louisiana, declining health conditions touch all ages, levels of socioeconomic status, and communities – perpetuating a cycle of poor health and financial burden that impacts multiple generations of families. In Louisiana alone, we spend more (per capita) on healthcare than 41 other states, and yet we rank in the bottom 10% when it comes to overall health. Our people suffer disproportionately from cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease—resulting in unbearable costs and the loss of life and livelihoods.
Vision
With eight institutions spanning Louisiana and all levels of higher education and research, LSU is well poised to help meet the challenge of improving the state's health outcomes head-on. Through discovery and innovation, talent development, and partnerships with local communities and industry stakeholders, LSU will:
- Bring together top talent and resources, ranging from clinical research to artificial intelligence, to improve health outcomes
- Pursue National Cancer Institute designation for the state of Louisiana
- Ensure that sustained, premier cancer care and research are accessible for every Louisianan close to home
Impact
Biomedical Research in Action
Federal Grant Bolsters LSU’s Charge to Improve Dementia Care for Louisiana’s Underserved Communities
LSU’s Healthy Aging Research Center, with the help of a five-year, $5 million Health Resources & Services Administration grant, is working to improve the quality of dementia care for underserved communities in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Regular checkups and quick access to medical centers are key for people undergoing cancer treatment. But travel distance and other barriers can impact patient outcomes in some underserved areas in Louisiana.
Infancy is the most vulnerable time of life. Sibei Xia of LSU’s Department of Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising is leading pioneering research aimed at alleviating the stress of new parents through wearable technology that could redefine infant care.
Explore All Five Priorities
LSU has aligned core areas of strength and potential strength with Louisiana’s most important challenges and opportunities.