LSU Health professor, Dr. Nicolas Bazan to present new discoveries on neurodegenerative diseases at international conference

Written By Alicia Vial

Dr. Bazan and his team discovered molecules produced by the brain which protect against stroke, traumatic injury, and Alzheimer's disease.

NEW ORLEANS – World renowned neuroscientist and director of LSU Health New Orleans’ Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Dr. Nicolas Bazan and his team made an innovative discovery that can change the approach to treatment of critical brain injuries and illnesses including stroke, ALS, traumatic brain injuries (concussions), spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. By uncovering a neuroprotective molecule produced by the brain, for which Bazan and his team coined the name Elovanoids (ELVs), they are working to find ways to put those molecules to work in the brain to protect against brain injuries and neurodegenerative illnesses. Dr. Bazan was asked to present his findings at a distinguished international conference this month in Rome, Italy “Neurodegenerative Diseases from molecular mechanisms to prospective therapies” sponsored by the Italian Academy of Sciences (Accademia dei Lincei), by the German Deutsche Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) and by Springer/Nature.

The ELVs, discovered by Dr. Bazan and his research team, are derived from omega 3 fatty acids, which are known for the many health benefits they provide including lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease and stroke. The work that Dr. Bazan will present in Rome shows that ELVs are cell-specific mediators necessary for the protection of brain synaptic integrity. This discovery, and Dr. Bazan’s continued work in this space, will fill gaps in prevention and treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

“Our ongoing quest in medicine is, in a way, reflected as a response to one major challenge to civilization: the growing incidence of dementia,” shared Bazan. “Although age is the main risk factor, not everyone develops dementia during aging.”

The lecture will disclose studies using experimental traumatic brain injury (concussions) or stroke, which are conditions that in many instances lead to cognition deficits and even dementia. The design of the study included intranasal delivery of ELVs after those injuries and the subsequent identification of cell-specific gene expression as well as of encoded proteins. This was determined by analyzing 25,000 different cells from the cerebral cortex using AI machine learning algorithms.

“Dr. Bazan’s inclusion in this conference is a testament to the pivotal research he and his team are conducting every day,” said Dean of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, Dr. Richard DiCarlo. “We are proud to support and foster research into preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases, which are rising steadily due to our aging population.”

Traumatic brain injuries and stroke cause dysfunctions related to calcium signaling, mitochondrial function, cell-cell interactions, perturbations in cell specific clusters and oxidative stress. ELVs alter these cell specific impairments to promote neuroprotection after one of these incidents. Decreased cognition has been neither preventable nor treatable; however, growing evidence through Dr. Bazan’s research supports the notion that it is preventable and at least delayable in many instances. The lecture will conclude by highlighting beneficial well-defined actions of ELVs relevant to sustain cognition and successful aging.

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About LSU Health New Orleans (LSUHSC)
LSU Health New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's health sciences university leader, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine with campuses in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty take care of patients in public and private hospitals and clinics throughout the region. In the vanguard of biosciences research, the LSU Health New Orleans research enterprise generates jobs and enormous annual economic impact. LSU Health New Orleans faculty have made lifesaving discoveries and continue to work to prevent, advance treatment or cure disease. 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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