New York Researcher Awarded American Lung Association Grant to Study the Impact of Lung-Specific Biology on the Development of Lung Cancer

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 New York announced that Dr. Hideo Watanabe from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was awarded the Lung Cancer Discovery Award.

Dr. Watanabe said, “Our study aims to address lung lineage heterogeneity on and potential continuity between lung squamous cell cancers and small cell lung cancers, two of the major understudied histological subtypes for which therapeutic options are limited. Our research that introduces lung-specific biology as an additional layer to the current understanding of lung cancer, will contribute to the overarching goal of American Lung Association to improve overall lung health.”

“New York State ranks average when it comes to rates of new cases of lung cancer, lack of treatment, and screening. When it comes to treating the leading cause of cancer deaths in the state, New York can do better. We also have more than 2,305,000 people in our state are living with chronic lung disease,” said Erica Masin, Executive Director at the Lung Association in Metro-New York. “We are excited for Dr. Watanabe to join the American Lung Association Research Team to help improve lung health here in New York City 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.