SHREVEPORT, La. — LSU Health Shreveport and Louisiana Tech University have established a formal research partnership to foster collaborative projects, student training and shared access to facilities.
The agreement, signed at the Louisiana Tech Research Institute in Bossier City, aims to strengthen ties between the two institutions. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, researchers, faculty and students will gain access to specialized laboratories, equipment and mentorship across both campuses. The initiative also promotes joint grant applications, technology transfer and workforce development.
"This agreement connects the complementary expertise, technologies and research infrastructure of two major institutions," said Oren Rom, assistant vice chancellor for research at LSU Health Shreveport. "By making it easier for investigators to share facilities, exchange knowledge and develop joint projects, we can address complex biomedical challenges that no single discipline or institution could solve as effectively alone. It also helps build a more connected and competitive research ecosystem across North Louisiana."
The partnership combines LSU Health Shreveport's focus on biomedical, clinical and translational research with Louisiana Tech's expertise in engineering, micromanufacturing, advanced manufacturing and technology development.
"This agreement is a big win for researcher teams at both institutions. It establishes protocols and procedures for faculty and graduate students from one institution to benefit from the intellectual capital, technical expertise, and research infrastructure available at the other," said Dr. Ramy Ramachandran, interim vice president for research at Louisiana Tech. "This will open new avenues for collaborations and increase our competitiveness for various funding opportunities on the horizon. The potential is also high for innovations and commercialization opportunities as a result of the interactions between researchers with very diverse disciplinary expertise."
In addition to enhancing student and faculty training, officials expect the collaboration to improve the institutions' competitiveness for federal and private research funding.
"Federal agencies increasingly seek multidisciplinary teams, shared infrastructure, workforce development, and meaningful regional impact," Rom said. "This formal partnership demonstrates institutional commitment, reduces barriers to collaboration, and positions our faculty to develop stronger multi-investigator proposals that combine complementary expertise and resources."
Leaders from both universities described the agreement as a shared commitment to advancing scientific discovery, innovation and regional economic growth.