LSU Health Shreveport School of Graduate Studies

The June Graduate Student of the Month is Ashley Wilkins. Ashley is a doctoral candidate in Dr Stanimir Ivanov's lab in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Ashley has extensively served the Graduate Student Council and her department by taking up several roles and positions. She is the current president and treasurer of the graduate student council. Ashley is an Ike Muslow Predoctoral Fellow, and her dissertation research is titled "Deciphering the Role of host lipids in Legionella pneumophila intracellular replication." When she is not in the lab, she loves baking, traveling, glass blowing, wildlife photography, spending time with friends and her dog Chowder, and getting tacos with Vice President, Ashton Jorgensen.

BILKIS AKHTER speaks about her favorite technique, and it's delightful to read...

I may seem biased toward the Immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique, not because I learned it first but because the IHC results help to plan subsequent experiments. We aim to identify the mechanism behind the age-related differences in neurogenesis following stroke. So, this technique can help us to identify glial cells, macrophages, and neurons at different developmental stages. However, it takes a lot of time & effort to have the data but believe me; you’ll feel great when you have a nice image (They look like a galaxy to me, sometimes, it's weird!!)

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

The countdown is on to our 50th Commencement Ceremony! We are so proud of each of our students who will be walking across the stage tomorrow and can't wait to celebrate with them.
You can watch the ceremony live at 10AM at: https://www.youtube.com//streams.

We are so excited to have Dr. David Fajgenbaum as our 50th Commencement Ceremony keynote speaker! Dr. Fajgenbaum's impressive accomplishments and outlook are sure to inspire our students and all who are in attendance this Saturday. Learn more about him below:

Dr. David Fajgenbaum is a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, co-Founder and President of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, and national bestselling author of Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope into Action. Dr. Fajgenbaum went from being a beast-like college quarterback to receiving his last rites while in medical school and nearly dying four more times battling Castleman disease. To try to save his own life, Dr. Fajgenbaum spearheaded an innovative approach to research through the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and discovered a treatment that is saving his life and others. Since then, he has identified and advanced 11 other treatments for autoimmunity and cancer and recently co-founded Every Cure, a non-profit organization on a mission to unlock the full potential of FDA-approved medicines to treat every disease possible.

One of the youngest ever grant awardees of multiple top NIH and FDA grants, he has published scientific papers in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation, including a paper selected as one of the top innovations in science and medicine of 2020. He has been profiled by The NY Times, TODAY, GMA, and others and received numerous awards including the 2016 Atlas Award along with then VP Joe Biden and Forbes 30 Under 30. Dr. Fajgenbaum earned a BS from Georgetown University, MSc from the University of Oxford, MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and MBA from The Wharton School.

Thank you to the faculty, students, postdocs and research staff who attended the VWR Spring Vender Show at LSUHS! Featured vendors included Avantor, ELGA LabWater, ThermoFisher Scientific, Hardy Diagnostics, Molecular Devices, Crystal, Azure Biosystems, Labconco, Ansell, Quantabio, Analytik Jena, and Beckman Coulter.

Q&A with Bilkis Akhter, the May Graduate Student of the Month

Q. What do you see as your most significant accomplishment since starting graduate school?

A: For me, attending classes, journal clubs, seminars, and meetings and passing all the coursework was a huge accomplishment as an international student. Moreover, I’m afraid of public speaking, but now it feels like I’m gradually becoming comfortable talking about science. One more thing, I’d like to add, I never thought I would be capable of driving a car, and now I’m a terrible driver. (Hoohoo…!!)

Q&A with Bilkis Akhter, the May Graduate Student of the Month

Q. What do you like about Shreveport?

A. I come from a lush green riverine country, Bangladesh. Shreveport’s weather is pretty similar to mine, not too harsh. As a city, Shreveport isn’t that big or too busy. It is full of green nature with a variety of trees, flowers, squirrels, and birds. It’ll be a good place for those who love nature. Sometimes I feel lucky to live here because of less traffic; wherever you want to go, you’ll get there on time.

Q&A with Bilkis Akhter the May Graduate Student of the Month

Q. What made you want to go to graduate school?

A. For a couple of years, I was actively involved in human Structural Biology, Developmental Biology & Neurobiology teaching (undergraduate medical students). Their inquisitiveness always intrigued me to learn more. Furthermore, my spouse encouraged me a lot to start graduate school. So, I decided to pursue a PhD.

The May Graduate Student of the Month is Bilkis Akhter. Bilkis is a graduate student in Dr. Krista Rodgers’ lab in the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, where she studies the immune system's role in neurogenesis and functional recovery after stroke. Bilkis comes to us from Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has a degree in Medicine and a Master of Surgery degree in Anatomy. Bilkis enjoys cooking Bengali cuisine, celebrating Bengali festivals, and wearing her traditional attires of vibrant colors with jewelry. When she is not in the lab, she also finds time to listen to songs, watch movies, care for her garden, and explore new places with family & friends.

It has been raining graduations throughout April. As we end the month of April, we celebrate our graduate students who recently earned their phD degrees.

Ryan Mackay ( LSU Health Shreveport Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology )

Linda Rubio-Rubio ( LSU Health Shreveport Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology )

Sudha Sharma ( Cellular Biology and Anatomy)

Julie Tobin ( LSU Health Shreveport Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience )

Billy Ward Jr. ( LSU Health Shreveport - Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Anthony Domma ( LSU Health Shreveport - Department of Microbiology and Immunology )

Jiyu Li ( Cellular Biology and Anatomy)

Congratulations, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors!!!

Q&A with Lin Li, the April Graduate Student of the Month

What is your advice for younger students considering attending or just starting graduate school?

It is important to work hard to succeed in graduate school, but it is also important to maintain a work-life balance and enjoy life outside of school. It's good to remember that the skills and knowledge gained in graduate school will always be valuable and will serve you well in the future. Overall, a balanced approach to graduate school is key to success both academically and personally.

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is saddened to share the news of the passing of our esteemed colleague, Kenneth Peterson PhD, who died from melanoma.

Dr. Peterson joined our faculty on August 15, 1988, after completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at Harvard University School of Medicine in Boston.

His research at LSUHS is currently being used to guide genetic engineering experiments aimed at constructing stable Vibrio cholerae mutants that may be useful for the development of cholera vaccines.

During his almost 35 years of service at LSU Health Shreveport, Dr. Peterson, an Associate Professor, earned a reputation as being an excellent teacher and scientist.

We send all our love to his children, Philip, Emma, and Roger, their mother Grace, and all who loved him.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. in the sanctuary at All Souls Unitarian Church located at 9449 Ellerbe Road in Shreveport. Dr. Peterson was recognized as a vital part of his church community for many years and for being beloved by individuals of all ages.

Q&A with Lin Li, the April Graduate Student of the Month

What made you want to come to LSU Health-Shreveport/what is your favorite thing about LSU Health-Shreveport?

My initial motivation for being here was actually my husband, Siyuan Cheng, who was my boyfriend at that time. When I was interviewed by our department professors, I found out that they were all super nice. After joining here, I enjoyed the scientific environment and the kindness of the professors. Additionally, I have been impressed by our graduate program for being supportive, protective, and helpful.

Yesterday, April 18, 2023, the LSU Health Shreveport School of Graduate Studies had a town hall meeting. The purpose of this meeting was to address likely issues on student welfare and development and to ultimately build a strong rapport between the students and the administration.

Spot the graduate students discussing with Dr. Chris Kevil, the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and Dr. Jason Bodily, the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

Q&A with Lin Li, the April Graduate Student of the Month

What is your favorite technique or Assay?

Since I work in cancer research, I particularly enjoy Immunohistochemistry (IHC). One of the reasons is that it frequently provides insight into the clinical relevance of our findings, as it is often reflective of what is observed in patients.

LSU Health Shreveport, in collaboration with Tiger Research Group, is excited to share promising new research on the use of topical cannabidiol (CBD) and elite athletes with chronic pain. Dr. Kevin Murnane and former professional athlete, Bradie James, are lead authors of this new research, which the research team believes is the first of its kind. Their research found that of the small sample group in the study, the topical CBD was well tolerated and increased the quality of life of participants.

Murnane and James are hopeful that the positive pilot findings of this initial smaller study will warrant further study of a topical CBD study of elite athletes. “It is estimated that more than 100,000 Americans will lose their lives to opioid addiction in 2023. Their loss will be felt in their families and our communities and throughout our society. It is critically important that we study options such as CBD to control pain in order to end the scourge of the opioid crisis,” stated Dr. Kevin Murnane, Principal Investigator (PI) for the study and Associate Professor at LSUHS.
Read more on our website: https://bit.ly/cbdathleteresearch

QnA with Lin Li, the April Graduate Student of the Month.

Q. Who are some people with whom you enjoy sharing your research/data?

A. I like to discuss my research with my husband and my mentor, as they can provide valuable insights and identify any areas that I may have overlooked. Additionally, I like sharing some aspects with my family, who have always been attentive listeners and unwavering supporters.

The April Graduate Student of the Month is Lin Li. Lin is a doctoral candidate in Dr. Xiuping Yu's lab in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Lin is a Carrol Feist Predoctoral Fellow, and her dissertation research is titled “Androgen deprivation induces TET2, priming transcriptome reprogramming and neuroendocrine trans-differentiation in prostate cancer”. Lin came to us from Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China, and joined the PhD program in the spring of 2019. When she's not in the lab, Lin enjoys spending time and going on road trips with her husband and Coco, her dog.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH ADESEWA AKANDE AND ASKED HER WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT SHREVEPORT. HERE IS WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY!

I love how Shreveport isn’t so big you’d feel you’re being swallowed by it and not so small that you’d feel suffocated. It’s a lovely town to ease into, especially if you are an international student coming to the US for the first time.

Yesterday, the Cell Biology department treated the graduate students to a nice breakfast. It has been a fantastic Graduate Students' Appreciation week, and the graduate students feel appreciated!

Today, the third day of the Graduate Students' Appreciation Week, the LSU Health Shreveport - Department of Microbiology and Immunology hosted graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. We captured lots of smiling faces and happy graduate students😊

Adesewa has always been a trailblazer! These are some of the awards she won before coming to LSU Health Shreveport

-Dean’s Roll of Honor, Faculty of Pharmacy University of Ibadan 2012-2016

-Award for Excellence in Service, Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (University of Ibadan Chapter)

-Agbami Medical and Engineering Scholarship for undergraduates

-Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Joint Venture Scholarship

-JSAY Pre-varsity Scholarship

-Best 2011 SSCE/WASCE result in Oyo State, Nigeria

Today's Graduate Students' Appreciation Week event started with donuts and coffee provided by LSU Health Shreveport Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. In the afternoon, the graduate students cooled off with gourmet pops from Frios gourmet pops.

Spot Dr. Chris Kevil (the Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean, School of Graduate Studies) and Dr. Jason Bodily, Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies.

The graduate students' appreciation week still extends to this afternoon.

Do not forget to come down to the front of the BRI for free gourmet pops and drinks (Pink Lemonade, Strawberry Mango)

Physiology grad students Luisa Delgadillo, Nilu Dhungel and Brenna Gallion celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week at LSU Health Shreveport.

TODAY!!! Remember, each day is not limited to students of the hosting department. Provisions have been made for all graduate students by each department, and you're all encouraged to attend because you deserve it!!

It's about that time of the year when we're celebrated for all our efforts! The Departments in LSU Health Shreveport School of Graduate Studies will host all graduate students from MARCH 27th to 31st. So be sure to have fun and eat your fill!

NB: Each day is not limited to students of the hosting department. Provisions have been made for all graduate students by each department, and you're all encouraged to attend because you deserve it!!

Q&A WITH ADESEWA AKANDE, THE MARCH STUDENT OF THE MONTH

Q: What do you see as your most significant accomplishment since starting graduate school?

A: Wheew! It’s been a whirlwind since day 1. I would say just getting through classes, the qualifying exams, and the preliminary exams have been a huge accomplishment. On a more personal level, I believe I’m getting more comfortable giving presentations and attempting to communicate my science. That is huge for me because I used to have a bit of anxiety about public speaking.

TODAY!!!!

SAVE THE DATE!
Next Wednesday (3/22/2023) is the Graduate Student Distinguished Lecturer (GSDL) seminar hosted by the LSUHS Department of Microbiology and Immunology!

Each year, the third-year graduate students invite an outstanding scientist to come and give a seminar on their work. This year's recipient of this honor is Dr. Cynthia A. Leifer from Cornell University! Check out the attached flyer for more information on Dr. Leifer and the event!

Special thanks and recognition go out to the 2022-2023 committee!
Lauren Henderson, Nick First, and Jessica Trammel

TODAY IS THE DAY!

The Graduate Council Fundraiser is this evening from 5-9 PM at MCAlister's Deli (1671 E 70th)!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE SIGNED UP TO GO TO THE EVENT!!

So come out and hang with the Council and other students, staff, faculty!

Make sure to mentions "LSUHS Graduate Council Fundraiser" when paying!

It's happening today! Enjoy a meal from McAlister's Deli at 1671 E 70th St, Shreveport, LA, US 71105 at 5:00pm to support LSUHS Graduate Council! The restaurant is donating 20% of your meal/drink to the cause!

Don't forget to follow the restaurant's donation instructions to have your sales counted. Telling the restaurant that you're with LSUHS Graduate Council when ordering is important.

When sharing photos/videos, make sure to use and tag McAlister's Deli so we can highlight your support on our socials :)

SAVE THE DATE, AND DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER BEFORE THE 11TH OF MARCH, AS A DECENT NUMBER OR REGISTERED INDIVIDUALS IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUNDRAISING.

It's about that time of the year when we're celebrated for all our efforts! The Departments in LSU Health Shreveport School of Graduate Studies will host all graduate students from MARCH 27th to 31st. So be sure to have fun and eat your fill!

NB: Each day is not limited to students of the hosting department. Provisions have been made for all graduate students by each department, and you're all encouraged to attend because you deserve it!!

SAVE THE DATE, AND DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER BEFORE THE 11TH OF MARCH, AS A DECENT NUMBER OR REGISTERED INDIVIDUALS IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUNDRAISING.

The March Graduate Student of the Month is Adesewa Akande. Adesewa is a doctoral candidate in Dr. Hyung Nam's Lab in the department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience. Adesewa is from Ibadan, Nigeria, and her dissertation research is titled, "Akt-mediated Neurogranin regulation of the blood-brain barrier in Schizophrenia." When she's not working in the lab, she enjoys watching movies, reading novels, hanging out with friends, listening to music, cooking delicious Nigerian dishes, and trying new recipes.