BOSTON, MA | November 1, 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 smoke from increased wildfires. Today, the American Lung Association in Massachusetts announced that Peggy Lai, MD, MPH, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, was awarded the COVID-19 Respiratory Virus Research Award to study how indoor air quality impact respiratory viruses.
“Here in Massachusetts, we have more than 858,000 people living with chronic lung disease,” said Daniel Fitzgerald, Director of Advocacy at the Lung Association. “We are excited for Dr. Lai to join the American Lung Association Research Team to help improve lung health here in Massachusetts and across the nation.”
Dr. Lai said, “We hope to show that high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaners will reduce exposure to respiratory viruses in elementary schools; a timely topic in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2012, I have been fortunate to work with the School Inner City Asthma team lead by Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul at Boston Children's Hospital. The team's goal has always been the same; to create safe, healthy indoor environments for elementary school children.”
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:
Jennifer Solomon
(516) 680-8927
[email protected]
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