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LUNGevity's prized research awards are now accepting applications

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, is excited to issue four Requests for Applications (RFAs) in their continued effort to improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer. 

"We know progress in the early detection and treatment of lung cancer is only possible with a vibrant and engaged research community," says Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, executive director of LUNGevity Research. "For more than a decade, LUNGevity has supported researchers through award mechanisms that are tailored to the needs of the lung cancer community. Each of the awards we are offering in 2025 was strategically established to create a research and clinical trial workforce that focuses on the needs of people living with lung cancer." 

Based on the success of past years, LUNGevity is once again issuing the following workforce-focused research RFAs in 2025: 

Career Development Awards (CDAs) – Now in their 13th consecutive year, CDAs are LUNGevity's flagship award program. They have earned a sterling reputation for providing financial support and networking opportunities that allow early-career researchers to springboard into leadership positions as respected experts in the field. 

"Despite lung cancer being the biggest cancer killer, research funding from the government for this disease is low. Only 6% of federal dollars spent on cancer research support work focused on lung cancer. This makes it challenging for researchers who are still establishing their laboratories to get the funding they need," says Amy Moore, PhD, vice president of Global Engagement and Research Partnerships. "LUNGevity's CDAs help address this need. They are a beacon of hope for junior investigators interested in establishing a research laboratory focused on lung cancer."

The CDAs offer a maximum award of $300,000 over three years.

Health Equity and Inclusiveness Research Fellow Awards – LUNGevity first issued these awards in 2021. Since then, the power of inclusivity and equity in improving patient care and outcomes has been evident. LUNGevity is proud to once again support a diverse lung cancer workforce that cares about addressing the unique needs of underserved populations. This award is for a maximum of $100,000 over two years.

Veterans Affairs Research Scholar Awards – Veterans are at increased risk for lung cancer due to exposure to tobacco and environmental factors during their service. LUNGevity is proud to continue its long-standing support of American veterans and veteran-related health care. These translational research awards support fellows and junior faculty interested in lung cancer research in the US Department of Veterans Affairs and affiliated institutions. This award is for a maximum of $100,000 over two years. 

ASTRO-LUNGevity Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Seed Grants – LUNGevity is proud to partner with the American Society for Radiation Oncology for a fourth consecutive year to foster and develop the research careers of residents and fellows interested in radiation oncology-related basic, translational, and/or clinical research to benefit patients with lung cancer. This award is for a maximum of $50,000 for one year. 

Applications for the ASTRO-LUNGevity Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Seed Grants are due on March 10, 2025.  All other LUNGevity awards will use a two-step application process, including a letter of intent, which is due by February 14, 2025. For more information about these awards, visit the LUNGevity website at www.lungvity.org/RFAs and the proposalCENTRAL website at proposalcentral.com.

Award recipients are expected to be announced in late summer 2025.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity, the nation's leading lung cancer organization, is transforming what it means to be diagnosed and live with lung cancer. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the disease—while promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum.

• Through research, we use an innovative and holistic approach to finding lung cancer earlier when it is most treatable; advance research into new treatments so people may live longer and better; and ensure a diverse, vital pipeline of investigators for the future of the lung cancer field.
• Through advocacy, we foster groundbreaking collaborations to ensure all people have access to screening, biomarker testing, and treatment breakthroughs.
• Through community, we educate, support, and connect people affected by lung cancer so that they can get the best healthcare and live longer and better lives.

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, Patient Gateways for specific types of lung cancer, a toll-free HELPLine for personalized support, international survivor conferences, and tools to find a clinical trial. All these programs are designed to help us achieve our vision—a world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit www.LUNGevity.org to learn more. 

About Lung Cancer in the US

• About 1 in 18 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.
• More than 234,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, with a new diagnosis every 2.2 minutes.
• It is estimated that close to 65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people with no tobacco exposure or only past tobacco exposure.
• More lives are lost to lung cancer than to the next two deadliest cancers (colorectal and pancreatic) combined.
• Only 27% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, but if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves to 64%.

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SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation