Two Cleveland Researchers Awarded $100,000 Grants to Study COVID-19 Patient Immune Systems, Tuberculosis

Lung health research is more important than ever. Never have we faced so many challenges to our lung health, including COVID-19, vaping and smoke from increased wildfires. Today, the American Lung Association in Ohio announced two research awardees in the Cleveland area. 

•    Kenneth Remy, M.D., from the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, received the “COVID-19 Respiratory Virus Research Award.” Dr, Remy will study the immune systems of COVID-19 patients to help start applying therapies to restore immune function and improve patient outcomes. 

•    Stephen Carpenter, M.D., Ph.D., from Case Western Reserve University - School of Medicine, received the “Catalyst Award.” Dr. Carpenter will study different cells in individuals to help tuberculosis (TB) vaccine development efforts; TB kills 1.5 million people globally every year.

“Here in Ohio, we face lung health challenges every day, but we are proud that Cleveland is becoming a leader in medical research. We are thrilled to add these two funded studies locally. They are only made possible through the direct support of the Cleveland community. Their efforts help the more than 1.6 million Ohioans living with chronic lung disease,” said Kim Covey, Executive Director at the Lung Association. “We are excited for these doctors to join the American Lung Association Research Team to help improve lung health here in Ohio and across the nation.” 

In the 2022-2023 grants cycle, the Lung Association is funding $13.2 million for more than 130 lung health research grants. For this round of funding, the organization placed a greater focus on strategic partnerships with key organizations like American Thoracic Society and CHEST, and grants that focus on equity like the Harold Amos Scholar. 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.  

The Lung Association’s Nationwide Research Program includes the Awards and Grants Program, and also our Airways Clinical Research Network, the nation's largest not-for-profit network of clinical research centers dedicated to asthma and COPD treatment research.

For more information about the new grant awardees and the entire Lung Association Research Team, visit Lung.org/research-team.