Ohio State University Researcher Awarded $100,000 Grant to Study Whether Exercise Lowers Lung Cancer Risk

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 that Marisa Bittoni, Ph.D., from The Ohio State University, was bestowed $100,000 Lung Cancer Discovery Award funding to study a novel approach to lowering the risk of lung cancer.

“Here in Ohio, we face lung health challenges every day, including rising lung cancer rates. That’s why we are thrilled to add this research study locally. It is only made possible through the direct support of the Columbus community. Their efforts help the more than 1.6 million Ohioans living with chronic lung disease,” said Brittany Sinzinger, Executive Director at the Lung Association. “We are excited for Dr. Bittoni 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.