LCU science professor, students have research published

Louisiana Christian University professor and three students have conducted three research projects that have been published in scientific journals.

Dr. Ajibade Oyeyemi, a member of the science faculty, and Emma Anthony, a sophomore biological sciences major, had “A Comparative Study of Entomological Diversity and Biochemical Niche Partitioning: Implications for Environmental Clinical Biochemistry, Human Health, and Metabolic Resilience in Grant Parish, Louisiana” published in the International Journal of Entomology Research.

This study looked at how human changes to the land affect local insect populations in Grant Parish and discovered that the health of these tiny creatures serves as a direct mirror for the physical well-being of humans in the same region.

“When we think about public health, we usually think about doctors’ offices and hospitals,” Oyeyemi said. “However, researchers at Louisiana Christian University discovered that some of our best health indicators are actually creeping and crawling right in our own backyard.”

The study compared two sites—a managed residential garden and part of Kisatchie National Forest to see the different effects of areas with human interaction versus untouched environments.

“The differences between the two local sites were stark and clear,” Oyeyemi said.

The findings were threefold:

• The forest is a rich sanctuary. Kisatchie National Forest maintained a significantly higher variety of insect species. It featured a beautifully balanced community of specialized insects that keep the soil healthy and clean.
• The garden is a biochemical desert. The residential garden had far fewer species and was dominated almost entirely by generalist “pest” insects.
• Forest insects are advanced internal clean-up crews. The insects thriving in the forest have evolved highly advanced internal enzyme systems (known as the Cytochrome P450 complex) that allow them to naturally break down and detoxify harsh plant chemicals. These specialized survivors disappear when the land is overly manicured or chemically treated.

“This study creates a unique and vital bridge between field biology and human medical science,” Oyeyemi said. “It proves that insects are not just random pests; they are sophisticated biological models. Insects possess hormone systems, chemical signaling pathways, and stress responses that function remarkably like our own. By tracking which insects can survive in a specific area, scientists can read the landscape like a medical chart to see if an environment is chemically balanced or highly stressed.”

This benefits the residents of Central Louisiana because it shows how environmental conservation can be a strategy for preventative healthcare.

“For the families of Central Louisiana, a biodiverse environment is a blessing that provides a natural shield for our health,” Oyeyemi said. “When local insects are diverse and thriving, it means our shared air, water, and soil are free from the chemical noise and pollutants that disrupt human health. Protecting Kisatchie National Forest isn’t just about saving trees—it is about protecting the health, hormones, and long-term well-being of our community.”

Anthony, a Grant Parish native, said she learned a lot from working on this research with her professor.

“I’ve lived in Grant Parish my entire life, but I never paid attention to what lived around me and the health benefits that come from the insects around us,” she said. “This research shows the health benefits that insects have on the community and how we need to protect them.”

Oyeyemi worked with international Cameroonian biological sciences major Ekepata Obenofunde on “Modulating the Glycemic Response: A Kinetic Investigation of Salivary Amylase Activity and the Inhibitory Effects of Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) in Pineville, Louisiana,” submitted to the International Journal of Research.

This research examined how the digestive protein amylase behaves under different conditions. They tested a simple, natural way to slow it down to help prevent dangerous blood sugar spikes.

“When we eat starchy foods like bread, rice, or potatoes, our bodies immediately start breaking them down into sugar,” Oyeyeme said. “This process begins right in our mouths, thanks to a special protein in our saliva called salivary amylase. Amylase acts like a pair of tiny molecular scissors, chopping complex starches into simple sugars, which then enter our bloodstream and cause our blood sugar to rise.”

They tested saliva samples heated to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the normal human body temperature, examining three conditions. First, how fast it broke down when small versus large amounts of starch were introduced. Secondly, how it performed in acidic environments (like the stomach) versus neutral environments (like the mouth) was tested. Finally, a cooled infusion of green tea was tested to see if the natural compounds in the tea could slow down the enzyme’s ability to chop up starch.

The data revealed that amylase works at peak efficiency in a neutral pH 7.0 environment, which matches human saliva.

The most exciting discovery, Oyeyeme said, was that green tea cut digestion time in half.

“While scientists have long known that green tea is healthy, this study provides precise, numbers-backed proof of how it directly changes our digestive speed,” he said. “It demonstrates that natural antioxidants in the tea (called polyphenols) act like a temporary shield. They bind to the digestive enzyme and block it from chopping up starch so quickly, proving that simple dietary additions have a measurable impact on human biology.”

For families in Central Louisiana, where metabolic issues and Type 2 diabetes are widespread health challenges, Oyeyeme said these findings offer a practical, low-cost preventative tool because green tea slows down the conversion of starch into sugar; drinking a cup of green tea alongside a high-carbohydrate meal can naturally lower the meal’s impact on your body.

“Instead of a massive, sudden flood of sugar into your blood (which triggers a sharp insulin spike and leaves you feeling tired later), green tea helps release the sugar slowly and steadily,” Oyeyemi said.

Oyeyemi conducted research with Memphis Powell on “Louisiana’s Caffeine Frontier: A Comparative Analysis of Indigenous Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) and Commercial Espresso Yields in Pineville, Louisiana,” submitted to the International Journal of Research.

This experiment examined whether the locally growing plant Yaupon Holly, which is the only plant native to North America that naturally contains caffeine, could serve as a healthy, free and sustainable alternative to imported coffee and commercial espresso.

The leaves were tested three different ways: air-dried, lightly roasted and dark-roasted. They tested finely ground and coarsely chopped leaves. The same tests were done on commercial espresso.

The findings revealed that the Yaupon Holly leaves produce the highest amount of caffeine when they are air-dried and finely ground, yielding 98 mg/L of caffeine.

“The higher the heat used to roast the leaves, the more caffeine is lost,” Oyeyeme said. “A dark roast left the plant with only about half the caffeine of the air-dried version.”

Commercial espresso beats out the Yaupon Holly for caffeine strength, at 168 mg/L, but the plant naturally provides about 60% of the caffeine boost of an espresso.

For people of Central Louisiana, Oyeyeme said, this can provide a natural way to provide an energy boost at little to no cost compared to the fancy roasting equipment to make espressos. It also provides health benefits.

“Beyond caffeine, Yaupon Holly is packed with natural antioxidants (polyphenols),” he said. “These compounds help protect our cells and offer a cleaner, smoother energy boost with less of the jittery, anxious crash often caused by heavy coffee drinking.”

 

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Media Release     |     July 1, 2026     |     Pineville, Louisiana
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth B. Clarke, Director of University Communications | Elizabeth.clarke@lcuniversity.edu