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NEW ORLEANS — One year into its push toward National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation, the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center has begun reorganizing cancer research programs, clinical trials operations and patient care statewide, as Louisiana continues to face cancer rates more than 40% higher than the national average and lacks an NCI-designated cancer center.

Securing NCI designation is a rigorous, multi-year process that evaluates cancer research funding, institutional leadership, governance, infrastructure and scientific productivity through competitive federal review.

At LSU, that work is being carried out through closer coordination among academic researchers, clinicians and hospital partners, consolidating cancer research and clinical trial activity that had previously operated across separate campuses and institutions.

One Year In: Building an NCI-Ready Cancer Center

During Miele’s first year, the Cancer Center has restructured its leadership and governance model to clarify program oversight, strengthen scientific review and standardize performance tracking, bringing cancer research and clinical operations into closer alignment with NCI expectations.

At the same time, cancer research, clinical trials and patient care programs across LSU’s academic, research and clinical partners have been brought into closer operational alignment, consolidating previously fragmented efforts into a single, coordinated cancer enterprise.

That alignment has coincided with growth in cancer-focused research funding across the LSU system, driven by more competitive grant submissions, improved coordination of multi-investigator proposals and stronger positioning with the National Institutes of Health, the NCI and national foundations.

As a result, the Cancer Center now exceeds $20 million per year in research funding—double the $10 million minimum required for NCI designation—an early indicator that LSU’s cancer enterprise is gaining national traction.

The Cancer Center’s membership has expanded, with faculty and clinicians being recruited into a unified structure that better reflects the full scope of cancer research activity across Louisiana.

Recent progress toward NCI designation is also reshaping recruitment. According to Dr. Patrick Ma, section chief of hematology/oncology and associate director of clinical research, the Center’s direction is already resonating nationally.

“The vision and mission of LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center to achieve NCI designation for Louisiana is a highly impactful and compelling endeavor,” Ma said. “The institutional leaderships in LSU and LCMC Health show great commitment and strategic planning to achieve designation.”

Ma said the Center’s current position compares favorably with peer institutions across the country.

“The Cancer Center is already on solid ground comparable to many NCI-designated cancer centers nationally,” he said. “It is well positioned to grow into a world-class center with excellence in cancer care and programming, research and education.”

That perception is shared by recently recruited faculty. Dr. Leonard “Jim” Wudel, division chief of thoracic surgery and associate professor of clinical surgery at LSU School of Medicine, said the opportunity to help shape a growing cancer enterprise played a key role in his decision to relocate to New Orleans.

“There was the chance to contribute meaningfully to an environment free from the limitations of long-standing institutions,” Wudel said. “The opportunity to help reshape cancer care for not just the local community, but the entire state and region, was a strong incentive.”

Wudel also cited clear institutional commitment as a deciding factor.

“The Center’s upfront financial investment and the trust placed in new members reflected a strong belief in sustainable growth and confidence in the Center’s future,” he said.

As research programs expand, the economic implications extend beyond the laboratory. Each new funded initiative generates high-wage positions for scientists, postdoctoral researchers, biostatisticians, research nurses and clinical trial staff, along with roles tied to genomics, data science and advanced analytics. Research growth also drives laboratory construction, equipment purchases and vendor contracts, including major projects such as the new Medical Education Building at LSU Health New Orleans.

Clinical trials bring federal and industry funding directly into University Medical Center and Manning Family Children’s Hospital, the flagship clinical partners for NCI designation, supporting nurses, pharmacists, coordinators and regulatory teams and reinforcing the Cancer Center’s role as a growing economic engine.

What NCI Designation Unlocks for Louisiana

NCI designation would bring an estimated $5 million to $10 million or more annually in direct federal funding, along with tens of millions in competitively awarded grants. It would further strengthen Louisiana’s ability to recruit top-tier scientists, attract biotech and pharmaceutical activity, and expand laboratory, data and clinical research capacity.

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), a 27-institute federal research agency that includes the NCI, every $1 in NIH research funding generates roughly $3 in local economic activity. As LSU’s cancer enterprise continues to grow, that multiplier effect translates into sustained investment, job creation and infrastructure development across Louisiana.