In the 1980's, in the midst of a regional economic recession due to the collapse of the oil industry, the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce and other civic leaders in Shreveport and Bossier City sought to diversify the regional economy by developing technology-based industries that would remain viable for decades to come. In 1986, the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana was established as an independent, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) to leverage the region's medical infrastructure as an economic development tool. Today, the Foundation employs 52 personnel, has an annual operating budget of $13 million and manages $89 million in assets. The Foundation's mission is "to pioneer a knowledge-based regional economy by cultivating and attracting life science enterprises and related technologies."

BRF program initiatives include:

• Virginia K. Shehee Biomedical Research Institute (BRI) - Built and opened in 1994, the BRI is a 160,000 square foot, $38 million research facility with 56 wet laboratories and an animal facility. Over 200 investigators from LSUHSC conduct basic research in inflammation and immunology, ischemic disorders, cellular communication, signal transduction, neurosciences, and alcohol and drug abuse.

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging Center - The Foundation owns and operates a world-class diagnostic and research PET center that includes two cyclotrons, three scanners and a radiochemistry research laboratory. In addition, the Center daily supplies radioisotopes to a dozen other PET scanning centers in the tri-state region. Currently, the Center is collaborating with the US Department of Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories to establish PET facilities in Russia.

• LSUHSC-S Research Support - Annually the BRF contributes over $500,000 to support LSUHSC research. Grants are used to provide extramural transitional funding, seed grants for new research projects and to assist in faculty recruiting packages. In addition, the Foundation provided $3mm toward the support of three endowed chairs.

• LSUSHC-S Technology Acquisition & Innovation - The BRF has purchased cutting edge technology for the Health Sciences Center , including a neurosurgical gamma knife, core research lab equipment and Aesop & Zeus robotic surgery equipment.

• Technology Education Programs - The Foundation helped collaborated in the development and support of five regional technology education initiatives:
  • Consortium for Education, Research & Technology ( CERT ): a collaboration of 11 north Louisiana higher education institutions
  • Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART) - in collaboration with LSU Health Sciences Center for gifted high school seniors
  • Math Science Technology K-12 Partnership Program (MST): a research and problem-based curriculum designed to improve educational outcomes for the average student, done in collaboration with the Caddo Parish School System
  • PhD Biotechnology Track: a biotechnology industry track within the LSU Health Sciences Center Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Sciences
  • Biotech Academy: a high school academic magnet program being launched in 2006 to train gifted students interested in biotechnology careers, done in collaboration with the Caddo Parish School System
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• Louisiana Center for Manufacturing Sciences - A non-profit, private sector consortium chaired by the BRF that includes GM, Raytheon, Extrude Hone, Boeing, Aerojet, and Praeses. Funded by the US Army and Navy, the Center is advancing open architecture information technology solutions for motion controllers used in manufacturing processes, above the floor software that facilitates collaborative design and integration from remote locations, and just in time supply chain management technology.

• InterTech Science Park - InterTech is the primary economic development initiative of the BRF to establish a technology-based economy in the region. InterTech's goal is to develop 6,000 technology jobs and over $600 million of technology related construction over the next 20 years.