Big Ideas Wanted: American Lung Association Seeks Grant Applications from Innovative Researchers

Today the American Lung Association announces the start of its 2023-2024 research awards and grants cycle. The organization is now accepting research grant applications with the potential to improve prevention, detection and treatment options for all lung diseases including lung cancer.

“America faces lung health challenges we have never seen before, including COVID-19, vaping and smoke from increased wildfires. There is an urgent need to find solutions to alleviate the burden of lung disease,” said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. “We are committed to supporting the best scientific minds to help develop these solutions. Through these new ideas, innovative approaches, and advanced research, we move one step closer to eliminating lung disease.”

Research projects funded by the Lung Association are carefully selected through rigorous scientific review and awardees represent the investigation of a wide range of complex issues to reduce the suffering and burden of lung disease.

Below is a list of currently available research funding opportunities:

• COVID-19 & Respiratory Virus Research Award: $100,000 per year for up to two years 
  This award is intended to support investigators who have the ability to advance our knowledge of COVID-19 and other novel respiratory viruses with pandemic potential. Successful applicants have evidence of ongoing excellence and productivity in a related field.
• Lung Cancer Discovery Award: $100,000 per year for up to two years
  Intended to support independent investigators conducting clinical, laboratory, epidemiological or any groundbreaking project aimed at revolutionizing our current understanding of lung cancer and improving diagnostic, clinical and treatment methods. A Letter of Intent (LOI) is required for this award.
• Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award: $75,000 per year for up to two years
  A long-standing joint effort between the American Lung Association and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology to encourage and support early-stage investigators with a primary faculty appointment in an allergy/immunology division or section, to conduct research into advancing the understanding of allergic respiratory disease.
• Innovation Award: $75,000 per year for up to two years
  This award will support promising independent investigators who are leveraging their existing body of work to conduct basic science, behavioral, clinical, or translational research for lung health.
• Catalyst Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years
  This award champions the next generation of scientists who are ascending toward independence by supporting mentored investigators who are conducting basic science, behavioral, clinical or translational research into lung health.
• Public Policy Research Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years
  This mechanism is designed to help stimulate and inform important public policy debates around healthy air and lung disease. This award supports research on and evaluation of existing public policy and programs, as well as projects that inject innovative ideas into public policies impacting lung health.
• Dalsemer Award: $50,000 per year for up to two years 
  This is a mentored award meant to provide seed monies to junior investigators for researching the mechanisms and biology of interstitial lung disease.

For more information about the active research funding opportunities, visit Lung.org/awards. For media seeking an interview with an American Lung Association-funded researcher or lung health expert, contact Jill Dale at [email protected] or 312-940-7001.