Pennington researcher awarded grant by LED in recognition of small business contributions

Grady Hurley, a partner at Jones Walker, has been elected as the president of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, making him the fourth president from New Orleans in the organization’s 125-year history. Hurley, who is also the co-leader of the maritime litigation team, holds a law degree and a master of laws in maritime law from Tulane Law School. He has previously served as the president of the Tulane Alumni Association and the New Orleans Bar Association.

In other news, Jennifer Caldwell, an assistant professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, has been selected as one of four early-stage investigators to receive pilot funding of $50,000 from the Forge AHEAD Center at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Caldwell’s upcoming project, Linking Genetics and Improving Nutrition in Scotlandville (Linking GAINS), aims to educate Black individuals on their genetic makeup and its implications for their health. The project will offer nutrition and cooking classes tailored to the limited resources of food deserts in Scotlandville and north Baton Rouge, providing genetic testing for chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, the East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority received an award of excellence from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for their $25 million Cypress Pinchback senior community. This development near Highland Road and Gardere Lane was praised for its design, innovations, and consideration for the needs of aging residents. This marks the second consecutive year that the housing agency has been recognized for excellence, following last year’s award for the Tech Tools for Children in Housing Communities initiative.