Letter from the Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation President and CEO

One of the things I enjoy most about my work at Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation is learning about the fascinating research happening here on a daily basis. I have a curious mind and I am in awe of the relevant and impactful work being done here, and the passion of the faculty and staff is infectious.

When we say Pennington Biomedical’s world-class research benefits people throughout the lifespan, we really mean it – from targeting women before they get pregnant all the way to individuals living in their ‘sunset years’ – there is research taking place to make life healthier for all.

I need look no further than my own family to prove my point. At just two weeks old, my new baby made a contribution to science by participating in the Born2Burn Calories research study!

Pennington Biomedical is the only institution in the world studying how brown fat affects metabolism in infants. Unlike traditional white adipose tissue (traditional fat) which accumulates in excess during obesity, brown fat burns calories to produce heat. Most adults lose brown fat as we age, yet, adults with detectable brown fat are leaner and healthier. Babies have a lot of brown fat which helps regulate their body temperature since they cannot shiver and do not have a lot of white fat to act as insulation. Our scientists hypothesize that the amount of brown fat an infant has contributes to their energy expenditure, which may be a determinant in the development of childhood obesity. For this study, my baby spent time in the infant metabolic chamber here at Pennington Biomedical – the only functional one in the world! – as well as in other state-of-theart equipment which accurately mapped her fat composition and caloric expenditure. Her older sister also made her contribution to science by taking part in SUNRISE, an international study on the physical activity, sleep, motor skills, and sedentary behaviors of preschoolers. The early years are the most critical period for developing important physical, motor, social, and cognitive skills, skills that influence school readiness and help lead to success later in life. Yet little is known about how much physical activity and sleep preschoolers get, if this varies by gender or where a child lives, and how their activity relates to their cognition or motor skills. Research conducted by Pennington Biomedical shows that less than 11 percent of the children in the Baton Rouge area meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for minimum daily movement behaviors. We are part of a massive data collection effort in 52 countries worldwide to understand how the behaviors outlined above are associated with child health and development, from their bodies to their brains.

These two studies are examples of the 58 clinical trials being conducted at Pennington Biomedical right now – a record number in our history – and more are in the pipeline. If you haven’t ever participated in a clinical trial at Pennington Biomedical, I highly recommend doing so! It is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the incredible and impactful science happening here every day. The current list of clinical trials can be found on the Pennington Biomedical website: https://www.pbrc.edu/research-trials/view-allcurrent.aspx.

Beyond our clinical trials, there are success stories here in every building and in every hallway. We have highlighted just a few recent stories on the following pages. None of these incredible stories could happen without your support. Your dedication to our mission matched with the passion of our faculty and staff makes this an institution we can all be very proud of. We hope to see you on campus sometime soon – come visit!

Sincerely,