First-Ever 海角社区 Systemwide Research Retreat Launches Bold Collaboration in Biomedical Innovation

By Rachel Holland

August 12, 2025

As 海角社区 aims to become a leading research institution and join the Association of American Universities, 140 researchers from all six of 海角社区鈥檚 research campuses gathered for a first-ever two-day collaborative retreat on the Baton Rouge campus. 

鈥淭his is more than a meeting鈥攊t's a milestone,鈥� said Interim 海角社区 President Matt Lee. 鈥淔ederal research funding is tightening. But 海角社区 is not retreating鈥攚e are responding with resilience, creativity, and a long-term vision. This retreat is a testament to our determination to lead, not follow. Our goal is simple but powerful: to spark new partnerships across campuses that lead to bold, fundable research proposals. We鈥檙e here to break silos, share ideas, and build something great together.鈥� 

Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
Scene from the 海角社区 systemwide biomedical research retreat on the Baton Rouge campus.
鈥� Photos by Katherine Seghers and Eddy Perez

鈥淭his is a catalytic moment where the 海角社区 enterprise comes together to act, align, and lead,鈥� said Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, 海角社区 Boyd Professor, director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at the鈥＝巧缜� Health New Orleans' School of Medicine, and a fixture of the 海角社区 system for more than 40 years. 

The inaugural retreat, conceived by 海角社区 Chief Research Officer David Guzick, MD, PhD, focused on biomedical research, with faculty presenting work on eight subject matter areas: cancer, cardiovascular health, neuroscience, metabolic disorders, addiction sciences, immunology, clinical research, and non-animal models. The aim was to highlight the breadth and depth of 海角社区鈥檚 biomedical research and to develop cross-campus, collaborative grant proposals. 

Dr. David Guzick, chief research officer for the 海角社区 system, said this collaborative research will 鈥渆levate鈥痶he size, scope, and stature of 海角社区鈥檚 research enterprise鈥� and result in the submission of large research grants to federal funders like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. He added that the research retreats will be held annually.   

鈥淒iscovery knows no geographic boundaries. Mary Lasker said, 鈥業f you think research is expensive, try鈥痙isease;鈥� if cures for disease are found by Louisiana scientists, residents of the state are benefitted, but so is the world鈥檚 population,鈥� Dr. Guzick said.  

 鈥満＝巧缜� has the talent, the drive, and now the structure to lead in biomedical innovation. Let鈥檚 make the most of this moment and shape the future of health and science in Louisiana and beyond,鈥� said President Lee.  

海角社区 has seen a steady rise in research activity. The research campuses in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport achieved a record-breaking $543 million in combined research activity. Not only did this lead to life-changing discoveries and support thousands of jobs, but the direct economic impact of 海角社区 research on Louisiana is higher than ever, estimated at $1.5 billion. 海角社区鈥檚 historic growth depends primarily on federal funding for large research teams, like those who engaged in this biomedical retreat. Each campus chose a lead speaker for each of the eight subject matter areas to represent the scientists on that campus who work in these areas. These lead presenters were: 

CANCER 

  • HSC鈥揘O Lucio Miele, M.D., PhD 
  • HSC鈥揝HV Omar Franco Coronel, M.D., PhD 
  • Pennington Biomedical Robert Kesterson, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Weishan Huang, PhD 
  • A&M Manas Ranjan Gartia, PhD 
  • AgCenter Zhijun Liu, PhD 

CARDIOVASCULAR 

  • HSC-NO Eric Lazartigues, PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Wayne Orr, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Joseph Francis, PhD 

NEUROSCIENCE 

  • HSC-NO Nicolas Bazan, M.D., PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Quanguang Zhang, PhD 
  • Pennington Biomedical Heike Muenzberg-Gruening, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Alexander Murashov, PhD 
  • A&M Alyssa Johnson, PhD  

METABOLIC DISORDERS 

  • HSC-NO Rinku Majumder, PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Oren Rom, PhD, RD 
  • Pennington Biomedical Jason Collier, PhD 
  • AgCenter Xing Fu, PhD 
  • A&M Fan Zhang, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Britta Leise, PhD 

ADDICTION SCIENCE 

  • A&M Julia D. Buckner, PhD 
  • HSC-NO Nicholas Gilpin, PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Kevin Murnane, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Ethan Anderson, PhD 

IMMUNOLOGY/ID 

  • HSC-NO Augusto Ochoa, MD 
  • HSC-SHV Matthew Woolard, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Samithamby Jeyaseelan, DVM, PhD 
  • A&M Stephania Cormier, PhD 

CLINICAL RESEARCH 

  • HSC-NO Jeffrey Carter, MD 
  • HSC-SHV John Vanchiere, MD, PhD 
  • Pennington Biomedical Owen Carmichael, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Mark Mitchell, DVM, PhD 
  • A&M Janna Oetting, PhD 

NON-ANIMAL MODELS 

  • HSC-NO Carmen Canavier, PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Tarek Mohamed, PharmB, PhD 
  • HSC-SHV Nobel Bhuiyan, PhD, MD 
  • Pennington Biomedical Ronald Horswell, PhD 
  • Veterinary Medicine Seetharama Jois, PhD 
  • AgCenter Jack Koch, PhD 

Next Step

海角社区's Scholarship First Agenda is helping achieve health, prosperity, and security for Louisiana and the world.

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