Accelerator Program

Strategic alliances with government, non-profits, and private industry sharing the lung health mission expand our research impact beyond traditional grants and clinical research programs.

The Accelerator Program drives today's scientific discoveries into tomorrow's lung health solutions. Investing in mid- to late-stage research, the Accelerator program identifies and empowers visionary researchers to bring innovations from the lab to real-world applications—diagnostics, therapeutics, and medical devices, accelerating development and commercialization to reduce time to delivery to the patient. 

Here are the revolutionary partnerships and co-funded projects currently supported by the Accelerator Program:

A renewing of a partnership with the LUNGevity Foundation, the Accelerator program has co-invested $3 million over three years to the Lung Cancer Interception Team to pioneer diagnostic tools to detect pre-cancerous tissue and develop treatments that halt progression of these pre-cancerous cells before they become invasive lung cancer.  

In partnership with the Gateway for Cancer research, the Accelerator Program is investing nearly $700,000 over five years to spearhead projects in personalized lung cancer vaccines. Their goal is to train each patient’s immune system to combat small cell lung cancer, in combination with standard immunotherapy. Ultimately, this will enhance treatment of this most aggressive form of lung cancer. 

In partnership with the Gateway for Cancer Research, the Young Investigator ward provides funding to promising young physicians during the final years of training to support the transition to a faculty appointment and research in clinical oncology.  

In collaboration with the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, this three-year, $500,000 project is on a quest to revolutionize influenza prevention. Their aim is to develop a universal flu vaccine that remains effective season after season, offering a game-changing solution to ever-changing flu strains. 

The Accelerator Program also co-funds research awards with leading organizations and endowments who share the same goals with the American Lung Association.

The American Lung Association and the AAAAI Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award represents a joint effort to support applicants holding a primary faculty appointment in a Clinical Allergy and Immunology Division of an academic medical center and conducting research in allergic respiratory disease.

The two-year award, totaling $75,000 per year supports research in allergic respiratory diseases.  

The CHEST/ALA/ATS Respiratory Health Equity Research Awards is a two‐year award totaling $100,000 per year. This award is dedicated to improving clinical outcomes in preventing and treating lung disease in disproportionately impacted groups.  

Jointly funded by the CHEST foundation, the American Thoracic Society, and the American Lung Association, The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program is a career development award administered through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase diversity in academic medicine.

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Partner with us in our mission to drive scientific discoveries from the lab to real-world solutions, ultimately improving the lives of countless individuals affected by lung disease.

Page last updated: May 2, 2024

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