Accelerator Program

A renewing of a partnership with the LUNGevity Foundation, the Accelerator program has co-invested $3 million over three years to the Lung Cancer Interception Team to pioneer diagnostic tools to detect pre-cancerous tissue and develop treatments that halt progression of these pre-cancerous cells before they become invasive lung cancer.  

• Avrum Spira, MD - Boston University
• Steven Dubinett, MD - University of California-Los Angeles

In partnership with the Gateway for Cancer research, the Accelerator Program is investing nearly $700,000 over five years to spearhead projects in personalized lung cancer vaccines. Their goal is to train each patient’s immune system to combat small cell lung cancer, in combination with standard immunotherapy. Ultimately, this will enhance treatment of this most aggressive form of lung cancer. 

• Jeffrey Ward, MD, PhD - University of Washington St. Louis

In partnership with the Gateway for Cancer Research, the Young Investigator ward provides funding to promising young physicians during the final years of training to support the transition to a faculty appointment and research in clinical oncology.  

• Jacob Zaemes MD - Georgetown University Medical Center

In collaboration with the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, this three-year, $500,000 project is on a quest to revolutionize influenza prevention. Their aim is to develop a universal flu vaccine that remains effective season after season, offering a game-changing solution to ever-changing flu strains. 

• Luis Martinez-Sobrido, PhD – Texas Biomedical Research Institute

The American Lung Association and the AAAAI Allergic Respiratory Diseases Award represents a joint effort to support applicants holding a primary faculty appointment in a Clinical Allergy and Immunology Division of an academic medical center and conducting research in allergic respiratory disease.

The two-year award, totaling $75,000 per year supports research in allergic respiratory diseases.  

• Stephen Schworer, MD, PhD – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The CHEST/ALA/ATS Respiratory Health Equity Research Awards is a two‐year award totaling $100,000 per year. This award is dedicated to improving clinical outcomes in preventing and treating lung disease in disproportionately impacted groups.  

• Stephanie LaBedz, MD – University of Illinois

Jointly funded by the CHEST foundation, the American Thoracic Society, and the American Lung Association, The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program is a career development award administered through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase diversity in academic medicine.

• George Alba, MD - Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard