NEWS and ACHIEVEMENTS
Molecular & Cellular Physiology
Researching Cerebrovascular Disease
We have two very talented graduate students who have been successful in getting fellowships and conference awards. We recently had outstanding undergraduate and high school students who were with us over the summer/past year. If you are a talented undergraduate student who is interested in researching cerebrovascular disease, check with us to see if we have a spot for you.
Dr. Dragoi receives NIAID Grant Award
Congratulations to Dr. Ana-Maria Dragoi, Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology. Dr. Dragoi has been awarded a 5-year grant for $1,788,500.00 from The National Institute of Allergy and Inflectious Diseases. The project title is, “Mechanism of macrophages colonization in gonorrhea”. Great job Dr. Dragoi!!
Physiology Faculty receive Research Excellence Awards
Three Molecular and Cellular Physiology faculty members awarded with LSUHS Research Excellence Awards. During its 7th Annual Research Celebration, the institution recognized notable research achievements from the past year and honored faculty members for their exceptional achievements with Research Excellence Awards.
Ana-Maria Dragoi, MD, PhD honored with the "Research Rising Star" award.
Changwon Park, PhD honored with "Excellence in Scholarly Activity" award for exceptional contributions to high-impact, peer-reviewed publications.
Arif Yurdagul, Jr., PhD honored with "Excellence in Scholarly Activity" award for exceptional contributions to high-impact, peer-reviewed publications.
Vascular Discovery 2024 Conference
More News
![Dr. El Saafien receives the Gill Award presented by The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute at the University of Kentucky]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1759506745/lsuhscshreveportedu/gufz6fvzxtavd37y06ky/ElsaafienGillAwardnews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1759506745/lsuhscshreveportedu/gufz6fvzxtavd37y06ky/ElsaafienGillAwardnews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1759506745/lsuhscshreveportedu/gufz6fvzxtavd37y06ky/ElsaafienGillAwardnews.png","width":520}])
Khalid El Saafien, PHD, Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, has received the Gill Award for Early Career Contribution to Cardiovascular Research presented by The Gill Heart and Vascular Institute at the University of Kentucky.
![Dr. Khalid El Saafien secured a new ROO grant from the NHLBI]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1757368519/lsuhscshreveportedu/q6yhvrrzrmikrss1czey/KhalidElSaafiennews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1757368519/lsuhscshreveportedu/q6yhvrrzrmikrss1czey/KhalidElSaafiennews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1757368519/lsuhscshreveportedu/q6yhvrrzrmikrss1czey/KhalidElSaafiennews.png","width":520}])
Khalid El Saafien, PHD, Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, who secured a new three-year R00 grant from the NIH National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
![Dr. Hongxue Shi secured an ROI grant for a new project]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1755184871/lsuhscshreveportedu/z9vs7qkdqrwrm4hbt7vs/XonghueShinews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1755184871/lsuhscshreveportedu/z9vs7qkdqrwrm4hbt7vs/XonghueShinews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1755184871/lsuhscshreveportedu/z9vs7qkdqrwrm4hbt7vs/XonghueShinews.png","width":520}])
Hongxue Shi, PHD, Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, who secured a new three-year R00 grant from the NIH National Insitute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease totaling $744,191 for his project.
![Dr. Arif Yurdagul awarded an ROI grant for $2.6 million]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1727204153/lsuhscshreveportedu/vk3ynstpmcrabekbgxj2/YurdagulLabnews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1727204153/lsuhscshreveportedu/vk3ynstpmcrabekbgxj2/YurdagulLabnews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1727204153/lsuhscshreveportedu/vk3ynstpmcrabekbgxj2/YurdagulLabnews.png","width":520}])
Arif Yurdagul, PHD, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, was awarded a new four-year R01 grant from the NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute totaling $2.6 Million for his latest research project.
![Announcing Faculty Promotions]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1752009274/lsuhscshreveportedu/ixy1gqttdyvb0xuhuooo/Physiologynews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1752009274/lsuhscshreveportedu/ixy1gqttdyvb0xuhuooo/Physiologynews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1752009274/lsuhscshreveportedu/ixy1gqttdyvb0xuhuooo/Physiologynews.png","width":520}])
It is with great pride and pleasure that we announce the promotions of several of Physiology's esteemed faculty members.
![School of Graduate Studies awards Graduating Students for Academic Excellence]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1746800012/lsuhscshreveportedu/pdbhxkl8b8catnmk4ouu/2026SOGSawardwinnersnews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1746800012/lsuhscshreveportedu/pdbhxkl8b8catnmk4ouu/2026SOGSawardwinnersnews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1746800012/lsuhscshreveportedu/pdbhxkl8b8catnmk4ouu/2026SOGSawardwinnersnews.png","width":520}])
Each year the School of Graduate Studies recognizes two outstanding graduating students for excellence and achievement in their studies and research.
![Graduate Student of the Month]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1744323465/lsuhscshreveportedu/et0iaoqh1ufnfdb5tkms/NiluDhangelnews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1744323465/lsuhscshreveportedu/et0iaoqh1ufnfdb5tkms/NiluDhangelnews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1744323465/lsuhscshreveportedu/et0iaoqh1ufnfdb5tkms/NiluDhangelnews.png","width":520}])
The April 2025 School of Graduate Studies Student of the Month is Nilu Dhungel in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
Congratulations to Molecular and Cellular Physiology faculty, Dr. Arif Yurdagul for making Stanford University's "World's Top 2% Scientists List".
![Two LSUHS Faculty Members Awarded Prestigious NIH R01 Grants to Advance Research]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1719326564/lsuhscshreveportedu/jqfttxbddrhyxjjla1vk/DragoiandBhuiyannews.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1719326564/lsuhscshreveportedu/jqfttxbddrhyxjjla1vk/DragoiandBhuiyannews.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1719326564/lsuhscshreveportedu/jqfttxbddrhyxjjla1vk/DragoiandBhuiyannews.png","width":520}])
More than $5 million in highly competitive grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was recently awarded to two researchers at LSU Health Shreveport studying infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
![Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes COBRE attend NISBRE 2024 conference]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1719323591/lsuhscshreveportedu/gkz0m02r0gzfepwtool4/NISBRE2024Awards.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1719323591/lsuhscshreveportedu/gkz0m02r0gzfepwtool4/NISBRE2024Awards.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1719323591/lsuhscshreveportedu/gkz0m02r0gzfepwtool4/NISBRE2024Awards.png","width":520}])
Two members of the Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes COBRE at LSU Health Shreveport won meritorious awards for their presentations at the conference.
