Ph.D. In Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Shreveport is dedicated to two central goals. First, we investigate the fundamental molecular mechanisms that enable cells and organisms to grow, reproduce, and interact with their environment. The knowledge gained from our studies will deepen our understanding of biology, generate novel reagents and products, and, most importantly, improve human health. Our research is focused on solving major problems in human disease, primarily cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative and genitourinary diseases.

Second, we train the next generation of scientists, which includes graduate students, medical students, post-doctoral fellows, and under-graduates. Our faculty members have research programs in cancer biology, cell signaling, regulation of gene expression, and neuroscience. Our students are challenged to address fundamental mechanistic questions in these areas.

Graduates from our PhD program will have developed the skills to identify important research problems, plan appropriate experimental approaches, communicate their research results and their significance both orally and in written form, and publish their results in high impact journals. One measure of our success is that graduates from our program have obtained postdoctoral positions in prominent labs, faculty positions, leadership positions in academia, and jobs in industry.

We are educating and training the next generation of health care professionals and scientists who will continue our proud legacy of innovative and lifesaving healthcare and cutting-edge medical research. As one of only one hundred forty academic medical centers (AMC) in the nation, LSU Health Shreveport is a revered treasure in a community that fought decades for its creation.

Our primary teaching hospitals are located in Shreveport and Monroe and are managed by the Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. Additional teaching sites include the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Willis-Knighton Medical Center, CHRISTUS Health and Rapides Medical Center.

The primary mission of Louisiana State University Health Shreveport is to TEACH, HEAL and DISCOVER in order to advance the well being of the region and beyond. LSU Health Shreveport encompasses the Schools of Medicine, Graduate Studies, and Allied Health Professions in Shreveport.