American Lung Association Announces New Research Awards

COLUMBUS, OH (10/26/2015)(readMedia)-- The American Lung Association's Research Awards Nationwide 2015-2016 report highlights the novel and innovative research projects supported by the organization with the goal of discovering effective prevention and treatment strategies as well as cures for lung diseases like asthma, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more.

Through its Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) and Awards and Grants Program, the American Lung Association funds high quality research and will be funding more than $6.49 million in 2015-2016. The Program supports laboratory and patient-centered research and is an essential cornerstone of the Lung Association's mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

"Lung conditions are often preventable or manageable. State of the art research is needed to ensure that we consider all factors in the care of our communities," said Dr. Sumita Khatri, a member of the American Lung Association National Board of Directors and the American Lung Association of the Midland States Charter Board of Directors.

"Therefore, the ALA makes research a priority and is extremely proud to fund meaningful, novel, and relevant scientific research to help individuals with lung diseases like asthma, lung cancer, and COPD and their families" said Dr. Khatri, the Co-Director of the Asthma Center at Cleveland Clinic

Over the next 12 months, the American Lung Association in Ohio is supporting the following lung disease research projects[s]:

Mohammed Shatat, MD of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH is studying the role of KLF4, a molecule present in the cells lining blood vessels, in the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In his project, "Molecule Could Play Role in Improving Treatment of PAH" he'll determine if the KLF4 molecule could help relieve the pressure in blood vessels carrying blood to the lungs and heart.

Sameek Roychowdhury, PhD, MD of The Ohio State University will offer lung cancer patients an innovative testing strategy using customized targeted DNA and RNA sequencing to identify genetic mutations identified as lung cancer. The information from his project, "Identifying Gene Mutations in Lung Cancer That Can Be Attacked With Smart Drugs" will allow those cells to be attacked directly using existing drugs programed to target lung cancer mutations.

Yutaka Maeda, DVM, PhD of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH will use new single cell sequencing technology to capture individual lung tumor cells and analyze their genetic profiles. His project, "Eradicating Every Last Lung Cancer Cell" hopes to identify the "Achilles' heel" of individual lung tumor cells, including recurring tumor cell populations, and develop strategies to eradicate every tumor cell.

Medical advances made possible by the research contributions of the American Lung Association in Ohio have advanced treatment options and improved quality of life and patient care for a variety of lung diseases.

Research Awards Nationwide 2015-2016 is available and searchable on the American Lung Association's newly redesigned Lung.org.