Leading Health Organizations Introduce New Award to Advance Lung Cancer Research

CHICAGO (August 5, 2019) — The Society of Thoracic Surgeons—along with its charitable arm, The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF)—and the American Lung Association have established a new grant, the Lung Cancer Research Award, designed to support investigators performing impactful lung cancer research.

“We are very excited about this new collaboration with the American Lung Association and this joint award that we hope will have a significant impact on combatting lung cancer,” said TSF President Joseph E. Bavaria, MD. “The results of these grants will help advance our knowledge, save lives, and ultimately improve the quality of life for lung cancer patients around the world.”

The American Lung Association/TSF Lung Cancer Research Award is available for cardiothoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, and other investigators—primarily those early in their careers—who are seeking support and recognition for their original lung cancer research projects. Awards of up to $40,000 per year for up to 2 years will be granted to fund innovative medical and scientific research with measurable outcomes.

“As the nation’s leading cause of cancer deaths, lung cancer touches the lives of too many Americans,” said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. “In an effort to ultimately defeat this deadly disease, we are proud to partner with The Thoracic Surgery Foundation in funding promising research to improve and save lives.”

Application submissions for the American Lung Association/TSF Lung Cancer Research Award will undergo a structured, unbiased scientific peer-review process to determine the most qualified award recipients. Emphasis will be placed on originality; clear, concise presentation of a logical project; high probability of successful project completion; and importance of the work toward the advancement of lung cancer research and treatment.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US. According to the American Lung Association, approximately 228,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, and more than 142,000 lung cancer patients will die. Approximately 13% of all new cancers are lung cancers. The American Lung Association/TSF collaboration recognizes that research can help develop more sophisticated treatments, ultimately improving the survival and quality of life for patients; so it is especially important to remain committed to and continue to invest in lung cancer research efforts.

The deadline for 2020 American Lung Association/TSF Lung Cancer Research Award applications is September 15, 2019. For more information, visit https://thoracicsurgeryfoundation.org/lungcancerresearchaward/.

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Contact: Priscilla S. Kennedy, TSF Executive Director, [email protected], 312-202-5868; Allison MacMunn, American Lung Association, [email protected], 312-801-7628

About STS

Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,200 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit sts.org.

About TSF

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation is a pivotal force for growth and vitality in cardiothoracic surgery, especially for research and academic career development, awarding more than $17 million in cardiothoracic surgery research and education grants. The Foundation was first established in 1988 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization and is the charitable arm of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The mission of TSF is to foster the development of surgeon scientists in cardiothoracic surgery, increasing knowledge and innovation to benefit patient care. For more information, visit thoracicsurgeryfoundation.org.

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit lung.org.