Research provides hope for millions of people living with asthma, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, and other lung diseases. Here are a few of the research initiatives the American Lung Association is funding right here in Colorado for the 2011-2012 grant cycle.

MARY ANN DE GROOTE, MD
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
American Lung Association/NTM Info Research Career Investigator Award
Discovering New Drugs to Fight Mycobacteria
It's not tuberculosis, but it's a closely related bacteria, shows resistance to antibiotics, and it's an emerging health problem in the United States. A family of bacteria called the non-tuberculous Mycobacteria can infect both healthy people and people with compromised body defenses. These bacteria are particularly problematic when a person has certain lung conditions. De Groote and other researchers will screen libraries of compounds to see which ones are active against a particular strain called M. abscessus. This research may be useful in discovering new drugs against M. abscessus.

SCOTT ALPER, PhD
National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
Biomedical Research Grant, Funded by the American Lung Association
Seeking Genes That Affect Asthma and COPD
Genes that Affect Inflammatory Lung Disease. One feature that asthma and COPD share is that inflammation can either cause or worsen both diseases. The researchers are investigating the possibility of modifying inflammation during the progression of disease as an approach to developing novel diagnostic and treatment options. They will use immune cells to identify novel genes that regulate inflammation. They will compare the data generated by these cells to known lung disease specific information from human patients in order to identify novel genes that regulate inflammatory lung diseases. These candidate disease genes will be further studied in mouse models of lung disease. The novel genes found could be used for better diagnosis and management of at-risk patients, and could lead to alternate monitoring strategies and prevention strategies. The novel genes could also be potential targets for the development of new treatments.

Asthma Clinical Research Network The American Lung Association is proud to have created a network of centers focused directly on asthma and the care and progression of asthma patients. With 20 centers nationwide, including one at National Jewish in Denver, we are making an impact right in our own backyard!

DeSouza Research Award is made possible courtesy of a restricted bequest left by Mr. James L. DeSouza of Phoenix, Arizona. It focuses on tuberculosis and related lung disease research.




See the research that the Lung Association is funding on a national level.