The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, a component of the LSU system, has teaching, research and health-care functions state-wide through six component professional schools. One of these, the School of Graduate Studies of the Health Sciences Center, has campuses located in New Orleans and Shreveport. Since its organization in 1966, the LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport (LSUHSC-S) has become the premiere center for biomedical education and research in the northern part of the state. The present campus, completed and occupied in 1976, contains the University-owned LSU Hospital, the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport, and other medical education buildings. Approximately 600 students are enrolled in the School of Medicine, the School of Graduate Studies, and the School of Allied Health Professions. The School of Graduate Studies is comprised primarily of the basic sciences faculty of the School of Medicine, and consists of graduate programs in Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Physiology and Biophysics. To download the LSU Health Sciences Center Academic Catalogue in PDF format click here. Also located in Shreveport is an undergraduate campus of LSU, with a student body of over 4,000. Recreational facilities at the LSU-S campus, including a recently completed physical education complex, are available to students enrolled at the Health Sciences Center campus.

It is the leadership of a highly qualified faculty within the professional schools that is essential to the development and growth of the education, patient care, and research programs at LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport. The accomplishments of the faculty and the students extend far beyond the institution to influence medical science at the community, national, and international levels. The faculty of LSUHSC-Shreveport is comprised of more than 800 members, approximately 400 being full-time members. In addition to the faculty and the more than 650 students in training, more than 360 full-time residents and medical fellows contribute to health care delivery and biomedical research in the clinical arena. The research endeavors of the faculty, fellows, and students are diverse and concern all aspects of basic and clinical biomedical sciences.

The Office of Research is operated under the supervision of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. The activities of the Research Council (responsible for campus-wide research planning and policies), Research Advisory Committee (responsible for peer review of intramural research awards) and Clinical Research Committee (planning for clinical research development) are coordinated through the Office of Research. Intramural awards applications and instructions are provided at this website. The faculty research interests handbook is also available on this link.

Grants Administration also falls under the responsibilities of the Associate Dean for Research. Applications and instructions for grants from national agencies (eg, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Assocation) are available at this site. Information related to research assurances for experimentation on animals and human subjects, biosafety, and radiation safety is also available here.

The Research Core Facility provides state-of-the art technologies and expertise in a variety of areas, including flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, gene array (Affimetrix), mass spectroscopy/proteomics, autofluorescence imaging, and real time PCR. The facility is located on the 6th floor of the BRI and is operated on a fee-for-service basis.

The mission of the LSU Health Sciences Center - Shreveport Foundation is "to support, enhance and assist the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in its many endeavors. To expand awareness of the Center's many contributions to medical research, education of medical professionals and quality health care, develop and enhance financial support for their endeavors, and provide the means through which financial support is received and administered." The Foundation is located on the 6th floor of the Allied Health building.

The Travel Office website presents the regulations and guidelines for travel that is supported by institutional funds. The site addresses travel allowances for lodging, meals, car rentals, and airfares. The most recently negotiated State rates for airline travel is provided, along with information about the present state contracted travel agency.

Biomedical Research Institute
The Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana (BRF) was established by community leaders and members of LSUHSC to expand the scientific capacity of the Health Sciences Center and to support basic and clinical research with emphasis on the three areas of molecular biology, cardiovascular studies, and neurobiology. In addition to obtaining funds for ongoing research and endowed chairs for senior faculty researchers, the BRF has secured funds to construct a 10-story research building, the Virginia Sheehy Biomedical Research Institute . This building, which opened in February, 1994, provides 160,000 gross square feet of research space to house research laboratories in the three areas of research emphasis as well as a large number of Core Facility Laboratories to provide "state of the art" biotechnologies to LSUHSC. Some of these Core Facilities include those for DNA sequencing and synthesis, oligopeptide synthesis, electron microscopy, animal research, flow cytometry, positron emission tomography, and recombinant DNA technologies.

Center of Excellence For Targeted Research
In addition to research at the Departmental level, which is usually interactive and diverse, the Biomedical Research Institute is organized as interdepartmental affinity groups of basic and clinical researchers who focus investigations into the three target areas of Molecular Biology, Cardiovascular Sciences, and Neurobiology. Also, four formally designated Centers that cut across disciplines to focus on diverse aspects of a common problem have been established: The Center of Excellence For Arthritis and Rheumatology. The Center of Excellence For Cancer Research, Treatment, and Education, The Center of Excellence In Clinical And Forensic Pharmacology, and The Center For The Study Of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Several members of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology participate in the interactive research efforts of the Biomedical Research Institute and the Centers Of Excellence. Members of this Department occupy considerable space in the BRI and provide expertise to other affinity groups of researchers within the target area of Molecular Biology. Also, several faculty members of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology hold faculty positions in the "Cancer Center" and "Arthritis Center" and interact closely with researchers from other Departments. These Centers serve as a means to promote interactions among researchers from numerous academic departments within the Medical School and provide funds for the support of research in the various targeted areas.

Health Sciences Center Library
The Medical Library of LSUHSC-S is the central library for all components of the Health Sciences Center. The library is located on three floors encompassing 34,000 net square feet of space. Presently, the collection has 125,000 bound volumes, more than 1,300 current journal subscriptions, and 3,300 audio-visual and microprint items. In addition to the Library's own collections, other library resources in medical libraries of other universities are available through the National Network Of Libraries Of Medicine/South Central Chapter. Other facilities available include an Interactive Video Disc Lab, a CD-ROM Network of 14 databases, a Computer Facility with IBM and Macintosh computers and connections to the mainframe computer, and an On-Line Catalog with multiple databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, etc. All of these facilities are available for student use on a daily basis, and most can be accessed by workstations located within the Department. Photocopy machines are available for student use.

Bookstore
The LSUHSC Bookstore is located within the Health Sciences Center complex. Required textbooks as well as numerous reference volumes are available. Books not currently in stock may be ordered online or by the Bookstore staff as needed.

Credit Union
All LSUHSC personnell and full-time graduate students are eligible to join the LSUHSC-S Credit Union. Located in the Health Sciences Center, the Campus Federal Credit Union offers both savings and share draft checking accounts. Low cost loans are available to Credit Union members.

Cafeteria and Deli
The LSUHSC-S cafeteria is located on the ground floor of the Hospital and offers breakfasts, lunches and dinners for all Health Sciences Center faculty, students and staff. In addition to the LSUHSC cafeteria, a "deli" (The Big Easy) which serves sandwiches, pizza, and a variety of snack foods is located on the ground floor of the medical school.

Recreational Facilities
A workout room, complete with free weights and Nautilus equipment, is available to students. Also available is a game room with pool tables, ping pong table and assorted video games. The student body owns a student union facility adjoining the campus which is available to all students for meetings and social activities and is equipped with stereo, large screen TV, pool tables, and kitchen facilities. Most Graduate Student Body parties are held at the Student Union Building.