SHREVEPORT, La. — LSU Health Shreveport has received a five-year, $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to establish the Center for Post-Transcriptional Regulation, marking the first and largest NSF-funded center grant in the institution’s history.

The center will focus on how cells regulate metabolism, examining the role of RNA molecules and protein modifications in converting nutrients into energy. Researchers plan to use CRISPR gene editing, stem cell models, high-powered sequencing, metabolomics and machine learning to advance understanding of conditions such as diabetes, obesity and liver disease.

“This new NSF Center is going to open doors for students across North Louisiana by giving them hands-on experience in research fields like metabolomics and machine learning,” said Dr. A. Wayne Orr, vice chair for pathology and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences. “It’s an exciting step forward for growing our regional research workforce and strengthening the scientific and economic future of the state.”

The center will be co-led by Dr. Oren Rom, senior associate dean for basic and translational research, and Orr. In addition to scientific discovery, the program will provide research opportunities for students from high school through postdoctoral training, along with professional development for faculty.

“This is a transformative step for Shreveport and North Louisiana, showcasing LSU Health Shreveport’s exceptional faculty, state-of-the-art facilities and unique ability to lead nationally competitive science,” Rom said. “Together, we are building a stronger future for biotechnological discovery and workforce development in our region.”

The initiative will support research programs led by Drs. Tarek Magdy, Arif Yurdagul and Nirav Dhanesha, establish new core facilities directed by Drs. Magdy, Nobel Bhuiyan and Hyung Nam, and expand student training under Dr. Karen Stokes.