LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center Strengthens Cancer Clinical Trials Infrastructure to Expand Access Across Louisiana
May 13, 2026
The LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center has strategically expanded its Clinical Trials Office, reinforcing its commitment to bringing cutting-edge cancer treatments closer to patients across Louisiana.
The enhanced office, led by Dr. Patrick Ma, Associate Director of Clinical Research, alongside Medical Director Dr. Yazmin Odia and Administrative Director Eileen Mederos, RN, will oversee and coordinate cancer clinical trials across the LSU Health system of hospitals where the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center performs clinical research. Recruited from leading academic medical centers, Dr. Ma (Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center, Penn State University) and Dr. Odia (Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute), bring extensive expertise in clinical-translational research leadership and trial development, reinforcing the Cancer Center’s investment in building National Cancer Institute (NCI)-level capacity in Louisiana.
“Clinical trials are how we turn today’s discoveries into tomorrow’s standard of care,” said Dr. Lucio Miele, Director of the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center. “By strengthening our Cancer Clinical Trials Office, we are ensuring that more patients across Louisiana have access to the most advanced treatment options without having to leave home. This is a cornerstone of our mission to build a cancer center that delivers world-class care, drives discovery, and transforms outcomes for our state.”
In Louisiana, where approximately 30,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed each year and nearly 9,000 lives are lost to the disease, limited access to cancer clinical trials has historically been a significant barrier to care. The LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center is working to change that and improve health outcomes for all Louisianians
Through a coordinated, system-wide approach, the Cancer Clinical Trials Office will expand the number and variety of cancer clinical trials available across LCMC Health-affiliated hospitals; streamline trial activation, regulatory processes, and patient enrollment; strengthen partnerships between researchers, clinicians, and community sites; as well as ensure trials reflect the populations and communities most affected by cancer in Louisiana
The Cancer Clinical Trials Office builds on the Cancer Center’s existing infrastructure while introducing enhanced coordination, oversight, technologies and support to improve efficiency and patient access.
By integrating efforts across clinical, research, and community settings, the office
will help ensure that:
- Patients can access trials closer to where they live and receive care
- Physicians have the support needed to offer trials as part of routine treatment
options
- Research efforts are aligned with Louisiana’s most pressing cancer challenges
About the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center
The LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center is leading the fight against cancer in Louisiana
through an integrated approach that unites innovative research, patient-centered clinical
care, and the education of the next generation of cancer leaders. Our teams translate
scientific discovery into real-world impact, expanding access to advanced treatments
and improving patient outcomes across the state and the Gulf South. As we advance
toward National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation, we are building a cancer center
defined not only by scientific excellence but by our commitment to delivering innovation,
access, and hope to every community we serve.
Media Contact:
Lee Sabatini, Associate Director of Communications
LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center
lsabat@lsuhsc.edu