For the last 120 years, the American Lung Association has strived to eliminate lung disease and improve the lives of those living with it. Research has always been a cornerstone of this mission and as the times evolve, so has our approach. Today our bold and wide-ranging research programs tackle the most important lung health issues, by searching for treatments and cures for many diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Additionally, when COVID-19 emerged, we began funding research in search of a treatment for any novel respiratory viruses with pandemic potential.
The American Lung Association Research Institute Awards and Grants Program funds a wide range of research in lung health, ranging from basic science to clinical and population-based research, as well as studies in public policy. “American Lung Association grants accelerate the careers of researchers at every stage and make a real difference in the lung health of millions of people living in America,” says Harold Wimmer, CEO and President of the Lung Association.
Growing and Evolving Our Research Program
This year, our Awards and Grants Program has expanded to meet evolving needs in a number of ways. First, we have expanded eligibility for mentored awards, to empower early career researchers. Eligibility now includes Postdoctoral and Medical Fellows seeking at least two years of mentored research training. This change demonstrates the Lung Association’s commitment to boosting early career scientists and helping them become independent investigators.
The new Indoor Air Research award was created to address the critical need for advancing scientific understanding of the health impacts associated with indoor air quality and to find solutions for them. This grant aims to stimulate innovative research, discoveries and interventions that can ultimately guide policies and practices to improve indoor air quality by both mentored and independent investigators for up to three years.
We announced a new joint American Lung Association-American Thoracic Society 120th anniversary award, which is aimed at early-stage investigators to perform basic, translational or clinical research that has a high likelihood of advancing the understanding of lung disease.
Finally, our program continues to evolve with new threats to lung health. Our COVID-19 award has now been expanded and renamed the Emerging Respiratory Pathogen Award, which supports researchers advancing knowledge of respiratory viruses beyond SARS-CoV-2 and responding to emerging threats.
Our Grant Recipients
The Lung Association Research Institute is funding a total of 144 projects across our Awards and Grants, Accelerator Program and ACRC in 2024-2025. Here we spotlight three of our new research team members and their notable projects:
Marta Gomes, PhD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine (Catalyst Award), is studying the role of a protein called WWOX in pulmonary arterial hypertension. PAH is a rare and serious lung disease of unknown cause. Current treatments do not cure PAH and they fall short in effectively managing the disease. Dr. Gomes hopes the findings will define WWOX as a target for new treatments.
James Krings, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine (Public Policy and Public Health Award) is attempting to increase Medicaid payors’ awareness of a single asthma inhaler treatment known as SMART, which combines a long-term anti-inflammatory medicine and quick-relief medicine which decreases the risk of asthma flare-ups by about 30%, compared with using two separate inhalers. Despite the upsides of this treatment, few asthma patients are actually prescribed SMART. He hopes the findings will lead to better asthma outcomes for patients.
Sergejs Berdnikovs, PhD of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine received the Emerging Respiratory Pathogen Award to better understand the link between metabolic diseases and viral infections. People with diabetes and obesity are at a significantly higher risk for severe viral infections, including serious complications from COVID-19, and this study could help to develop prevention strategies or treatment to protect people with diabetes and obesity from viral disease.
The American Lung Association has long been a trailblazer in lung disease research. Our Awards and Grants Program will continue to be responsive to changing threats to lung health, while supporting the next generation of scientists. Our investments in medical and scientific research will move us closer to a world free of lung disease.
To learn more about our research program, visit Lung.org/research.
Blog last updated: October 17, 2024
