LSU Health New Orleans hosted U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy and leaders from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Friday for a campus visit and roundtable discussion focused on advancing clinical research, expanding access to care and improving health outcomes for Louisianans.

The visit included a tour of newly renovated research laboratory space in the LSU Health New Orleans Medical Education Building, a $112 million investment in Louisiana healthcare research, followed by a collaborative discussion about the NIH’s All of Us and Nutrition for Precision Health (NPH) programs, led in Louisiana by Dr. Lucio Miele, director of the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center.

The All of Us Research Program, launched nationally in 2018, integrates genomic and other biomarker data with electronic health records, biospecimens, surveys and real-world data from participants across all fifty states over time, capturing the full complexity of health and disease. The NPH program, is the largest study of its kind, aims to enroll over 8,000 participants to better understand how bodies respond to food, coupling detailed nutritional data with the existing genomic, clinical, behavioral and lifestyle data from All of Us. Overall, these studies are key components in the evolving study of precision medicine, an innovative approach to treatment which considers each patient’s unique genetic markers, environment and lifestyle – rather than a one size fits all solution.

The roundtable brought together leading physicians, researchers, NIH representatives and program leaders to examine how federally funded initiatives are helping address cancer, kidney diseases and other chronic diseases across Louisiana. The All of Us Research Program and the NPH program topped the agenda as major efforts aimed at personalizing care and improving prevention strategies through data-driven research.

“LSU Health is helping patients defeat obesity and lower their risk of cancer,” said Sen. Cassidy. “I will continue to support these efforts, so our loved ones can live longer, healthier lives.”

LSU Health New Orleans is a national leader in enrollment for the All of Us and NPH programs, exceeding targets set by NIH and demonstrating strong community engagement in research efforts. NIH leaders confirmed that Louisiana has enrolled over 800 participants for the NPH program – 13% of the total sample size required nationally – including high representation of Black, Hispanic and rural communities.

The NIH noted that the next data set to release for the All of Us Research Program will be the largest of its kind in the world.

Dr. David Guzick, senior vice chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans, emphasized the institution’s role in translating research into real-world impact.

“LSU Health New Orleans is committed to leveraging federally funded research to improve the health of our communities,” Guzick said. “These programs are not only advancing science but also ensuring that Louisianans have access to innovative approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.”

The discussion also underscored LSU Health New Orleans’ ongoing pursuit of National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation, a milestone that would significantly expand access to clinical trials and elevate cancer care across the region.

“Large-scale precision medicine efforts like the All of Us Precision Medicine Research Program and its partnered research studies such as NPH are key to tackling the burden of chronic disease in Louisiana, including diabetes, obesity and cancer. Our participation in All of Us, NPH and future All of Us-based studies will play a major role in our drive to achieve NCI designation for Louisiana,” said Dr. Lucio Miele. “These cutting-edge programs would allow us to accelerate discoveries that will ultimately reduce the cancer burden in our state.”

Experts participating in the roundtable addressed the impact of federal funding on sustaining and growing these initiatives, noting that continued investment is critical to maintaining progress in combating chronic disease.

LSU Health New Orleans is a national leader in medical education, patient care and biosciences research, with a mission to improve health outcomes across Louisiana through innovation and collaboration.

For more information, visit lsuhsc.edu or joinallofus.org/southern.

About LSU Health New Orleans
LSU Health New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's health sciences university leader, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine with campuses in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty provide care in hospitals and clinics throughout the region and lead groundbreaking research that drives medical innovation and economic impact across the state.