American Lung Association Awards Pittsburgh Researcher Grant to Study Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Response

Today, the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania announced that it awarded Riyue Bao, PHD from UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh a $75,000 Innovation Award grant, renewable for an additional year for a total of $150,000. Dr. Riyue Bao (pictured left), will research how signals from tumor cells might affect how well immunotherapy works for lung squamous cell cancer.  

In total, the American Lung Association Research Institute announced a $22 million research investment in the past year, making it one of the largest programs in the country focused on lung health. The Lung Association funded 139 research grants, including the Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC), and strategic research partnerships focused on finding ways to identify, treat and cure lung disease. 

“In 2024, the American Lung Association is celebrating 120 years of funding lifesaving research. Lung Association researchers have achieved major milestones, including helping end the devastation of tuberculosis in this country, saving millions of lives of premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), supporting research on COVID-19 and much more,” said Deb Brown, Chief Mission Officer], at the Lung Association. “Here in Pennsylvania, lung research is critical because [2,168,000 residents are living with lung disease. We are honored to welcome Dr. Riyue Bao to join the elite American Lung Association Research Institute team.” 

Bao’s project will focus on studying a tumor pathway called p38 MAPK that may help tumors resist a common immunotherapy called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Understanding this pathway could help make ICI work better and find new treatments for patient. 

Awards were given different categories addressing many aspects of lung disease; American Lung Association/AAAAI Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award, American Lung Association/ATS/CHEST Foundation Respiratory Health Equity Research Award, Catalyst Award, Emerging Respiratory Diseases (formerly, COVID-19 Respiratory Virus Research Award), Public Health & Public Policy Research Award, Hastings Innovation Award for Interstitial Lung Disease, Dalsemer Interstitial Lung Disease Award, Innovation Award, and the Lung Cancer Discovery Award.  

Research projects funded by the Lung Association are carefully selected through rigorous scientific peer review and awardees represent the investigation of a wide range of complex issues related to lung health. 

The Lung Association is currently accepting applications for its 2025-2026 research awards and grants cycle. For more information about the active research funding opportunities, visit Lung.org/awards. For more information about the new grant awardees and the entire American Lung Association Research Team, visit Lung.org/research-team.