The LA CaTS Center partnered with the first time with the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (SSCI) for the Southern Regional Meeting (SRM). The meeting was held at the InterContinental Hotel in New Orleans on February 22-24, 2024. The LA CaTS Center hosted a symposium focused on the clinical and translational work through our collaborations. LA CaTS Pilot Awardees and Scholars presented posters at the SRM Poster Session in the LA CaTS Health Disparities section. Several investigators also received awards from SSCI.
A special thank you to SSCI for their partnership and our LA CaTS Center speakers and poster presenters that participated.
Below is a recap of the LA CaTS presentations, speakers, posters and awardees for this year’s meeting:
SRM Symposium- The LA CaTS Center: Advancing Health Equity through State-wide Collaborative Research
- John Kirwan, PhD (Pennington Biomedical), LA CaTS Center Overview & Accomplishments
- Peter Katzmarzyk, PhD (Pennington Biomedical), The PROPEL Trial: Building on Louisiana Statewide Clinical Research Infrastructure
- Maria “Tonette” Krousel-Wood, PhD (Tulane), Louisiana Community Engagement Alliance (LA-CEAL): Engaging Community-Academic-Public-Health Practice Partnerships for Health Equity
- David Welsh, MD (LSUH New Orleans), John Apolzan, PhD (Pennington Biomedical), Connie Arnold, PhD (LSUH Shreveport), The LATCH Network: A LA CaTS Network for Studies with People Living with HIV: Lessons learned, Collaborative Opportunities, and LATCH Outcomes
- Augusto Ochoa, MD (LSUH New Orleans), Expanding Access to Cancer Clinical Trials in Louisiana
SRM Poster Session- LA CaTS Advancing Health Equity Section
Program |
Name |
Institution |
Abstract Title |
Roadmap Scholar |
Michael Celestin, PhD (Asst. Prof) |
LSUH-NO |
Knowledge and Implementation of Tobacco Control Practices in Rural Louisiana Community Health Centers |
Roadmap Scholar |
Jacob Mey, PhD, RD (Asst. Prof) |
Pennington |
Habitual dietary intake aligning with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is associated with greater lipid-induced insulin resistance in lean, healthy individuals. |
Roadmap Scholar |
Derek Werthmann, PhD (Asst. Prof) |
Tulane |
The joint effect of pesticide spraying and cockroach exposure on asthma outcomes in a cohort of children residing in low-income housing |
Roadmap Scholar |
*Nell Bond, PhD (Asst. Prof) |
Tulane |
Understanding drivers of post-Ebola syndrome (PES) in pediatric survivors of Ebolavirus disease: characterization and the way forward. |
Pilot Awardee |
Shigeki Saito, MD (Assoc. Prof) |
Tulane |
Distinct Differences in Megakaryocyte Gene Signature Enrichment Among Chronic Lung Diseases |
Pilot Awardee |
Nicholas Skill, PhD (Assoc. Prof) |
LSUH-NO |
Cardiac role in DDAH-P protection against surgically induced hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury |
Pilot Awardee |
Bilon Khambu, PhD (Asst. Prof) |
Tulane |
Role of Bone marrow-derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells (BMHSCs) in liver injury related regeneration |
Pilot Awardee |
Vance Albaugh, MD (Asst. Prof) |
Pennington |
High Prevalence of Dysfunctional/Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery Candidates: Increased Endometrial Cancer Risk? |
Roadmap Scholar & Pilot Awardee |
John Apolzan, PhD (Assoc. Prof) |
Pennington |
Health Risks and Behaviors in People with HIV (PWH) in Louisiana |
Pilot Awardee |
**Yilin Yoshida, PhD |
Tulane |
Ethnic Disparities of Vascular Complications in Patients with and without Diabetes Diagnoses |
LA CaTS Investigator |
*Laura Perry |
Tulane |
Impact of a Community-Engaged Health Coaching Intervention for Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Likelihood Among Vaccine-Hesitant Black Adults in Louisiana: Results From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial |
* Dr. Bond received a SSPR Young Faculty Travel Award.
**Dr. Yoshida & Dr. Perry were the recipients of SSCI Young Faculty Research Awards.
What is the SSCI?
SSCI is a regional academic society dedicated to the advancement of medically-related research. Its major focus, however, is on encouraging students and post-graduate trainees (residents and fellows) to enter academic medicine and to support junior faculty success in clinical investigation.