Get the giant scissors: Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge announced today that it will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Denham Springs South Clinic on Tuesday. Hospital and local officials will cut the ribbon on the new 13,000-square-foot facility, which features 27 exam rooms, at 11:30 a.m. The new clinic—which is located at 139 Veterans Blvd., off Range Avenue next to the La Carreta restaurant—will house primary care physicians, urgent care services and multiple rotating specialists. Appointments are now being accepted for the official opening date, which will be Aug. 4, and beyond.
Backing Bill: Rep. Paul Hollis, the St. Tammany Parish state lawmaker who recently dropped out of the race, announced today that he is endorsing U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, in the Nov. 4 U.S. Senate election, instead of tea party favorite Rob Maness. Hollis issued a statement saying Cassidy will “represent our conservative Louisiana values” in the Senate. Cassidy and Maness are trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu, who is seeking a fourth term in office. Cassidy is running with support of the GOP establishment.
Biting back: An LSU Health Shreveport researcher will use a $50,000 grant to create and test cancer prevention gum. The Shreveport Times reports head and neck cancer specialist Dr. Cherie-Ann Nathan will use curcumin, a substance in turmeric, in the gum. Nathan has studied curcumin’s effect on head and neck cancers for more than five years. Read the full story. Nathan is one of 15 LSU faculty members who recently received grant funds through the university’s new LIFT2 (Leveraging Innovation for Technology Transfer) grant program.
