HONOLULU, HI | November 3, 2022
Lung health research is more important than ever. Never have we faced so many challenges to our lung health, including COVID-19, vaping, and increased numbers of our residents with COPD and other chronic lung health challenges. Today, the American Lung Association in Hawai'i announced that Sladjana Prišić, Ph.D. from the University of Hawai'i was awarded the American Lung Association Innovation Award.
Prišić’s groundbreaking project aims to directly address the continued Tuberculosis crisis which claims more than 1 million lives every year and was the deadliest infections disease until 2020 when it was replaced by COVID-19. Her work will aid in the development of alternative approaches to treating tuberculosis including the discover of new drug targets to improve tuberculosis therapy.
“Hawai’i is known to consistently have one of the highest case rates for active tuberculosis in the country,” said Pedro Haro, Executive Director of the American Lung Association in Hawai'i. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Prišić to the American Lung Association Research Team to help improve lung health here in Hawai'i 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. Awards were given in eight different categories; ALA/AAAAI Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award, ALA/ATS/CHEST Foundation Respiratory Health Equity Research Award, Catalyst Award, COVID-19 Respiratory Virus Research Award, Dalsemer Award, Innovation Award, Lung Cancer Discovery Award, and Public Policy Research Award.
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 American Lung Association Research Team, visit Lung.org/research-team.
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The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events.
For more information, contact:
Hawaii Media Contact
[email protected]
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