LUNGevity Foundation Issues 2021 Requests for Applications for Two New Early-Stage Lung Cancer Research Awards Supporting Minority Investigators

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, is pleased to offer two new lung cancer research award programs to support early-stage lung cancer researchers from underrepresented populations in the biomedical research workforce. These award programs, to be granted in 2021, are in addition to LUNGevity's Career Development, Early Detection, and VA Research Scholar award programs.

The 2021 LUNGevity Health Equity and Inclusiveness Research Fellow Award program supports fellows interested in translational lung cancer research who belong to underrepresented minorities in STEM, as per the NIH. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree, be within the first or second year of their fellowship, and plan to pursue a lung cancer research career. This is a mentored award, which may be for a maximum of $100,000 over two years ($50,000 per year).

The 2021 LUNGevity Health Equity and Inclusiveness Junior Investigator Award program supports physician-scientists interested in conducting lung cancer clinical research. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree, be within the first five years of their first faculty appointment, and have completed a training fellowship. This is a mentored award, which may be for a maximum of $200,000 over two years ($100,000 per year).

"Ethnic and racial minority representation within clinical and research-related professions is currently a major issue, with black men making up less than 3% of physicians in 2020," explained VCUMC Cancer Center Director and LUNGevity board member Robert Winn, MD. "As healthcare inequity continues to be a major problem within underserved communities, having increased access to clinicians who understand their unique needs can play a pivotal role in bridging this gap."

Projects funded in 2021 are expected to have a direct impact on the early detection of lung cancer or the outcomes of lung cancer or to provide a clear conceptual or experimental foundation for the future development of methods of early detection and/or individualized treatment, including through targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

The RFAs for these awards are available on the LUNGevity website at www.LUNGevity.org/apply-for-award and on the proposalCentral website at proposalcentral.com.

"These funding awards are just a first step in establishing more diverse voices in the biomedical workforce," stated LUNGevity CEO Andrea Ferris. "We are proud to launch these new funding programs."

Letters of intent for both awards must be submitted by February 24, 2021.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity Foundation is the nation's leading lung cancer organization focused on improving outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, policy initiatives, education, and support and engagement for patients, survivors, and caregivers. 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. LUNGevity works tirelessly to advance research into early detection and more effective treatments, provide information and educational tools to empower patients and their caregivers, promote impactful public policy initiatives, and amplify the patient voice through research and engagement. The organization provides an active community for patients and survivors—and those who help them live longer and better lives. 

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, a toll-free HELPLine for support, the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference, and an easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder, among other tools. All of these programs are to 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 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

• More than 235,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

• About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

• Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined

• Only 21% 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 dramatically

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SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation