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Lung Cancer Research Foundation's $1.65 Million Grant Initiatives

The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) has recently announced its 2025 Scientific Grant Program, where it will allocate a remarkable $1.65 million to support innovative research projects aimed at improving lung cancer treatment and outcomes. This year’s grant cycle is particularly exciting, as it includes eleven groundbreaking research awards across various vital areas:
1. LCRF Leading-Edge Grant in Lung Cancer
2. LCRF Research Grant on Prevention and Early Detection in Lung Cancer
3. LCRF Research Grant on Overcoming Resistance in Lung Cancer
4. LCRF Minority Career Development Award (CDA) for Lung Cancer

Colleen Conner Ziegler, Chair of the Board of Directors at LCRF, emphasized the significance of these projects, stating, "Our Scientific Advisory Board and Research Advocates reviewed hundreds of submissions, and we’re excited to support the work of these grantees." The foundation ensures that the patients' perspectives drive the research process, making it a priority to fund projects that promise to effect significant changes in lung cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.

Earlier this year, LCRF collaborated with the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative (ALCSI), funding its "Plus One" screening initiative, aimed at boosting lung cancer screening rates and exploring early detection methodologies. Furthermore, partnerships with Bayer Pharmaceuticals have spurred two research grants focused on understanding and managing lung cancers that harbor HER2 mutations and other related alterations. These collaborative efforts demonstrate the foundation’s commitment to fostering progress and innovation in lung cancer research.

The awarded projects are expected to make lasting impacts on lung cancer research by addressing critical areas of need:

• - The Leading-Edge Research Grant in Lung Cancer supports four diverse initiatives that explore innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.
• - The Research Grant on Prevention and Early Detection comprises four significant projects targeting pre-neoplasia understanding and advancing screening techniques for both non-small cell and small cell lung cancers.
• - The Research Grant on Overcoming Resistance is awarded to two projects aimed at tackling therapeutic resistance in lung cancer.
• - Notably, the Minority Career Development Award aims to enhance diversity in lung cancer research by providing funding to early-career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds.

LCRF also honors remarkable contributions to lung cancer research with the Joan H. Schiller, MD Award for Scientific Merit. This year’s recipient, Dr. Lu Wang from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is recognized for his groundbreaking project on the therapeutic targeting of ASXL3 protein stability in small cell lung cancer. Dr. Wang remarks, "This LCRF Leading-Edge Research Grant will enable my laboratory to investigate how cancer-specific transcriptional programming is driven by dysregulated transcription factors and epigenetic regulators."

Overview of the 2025 LCRF Research Grant Awardees

Leading Edge Grant Program

• - Lu Wang, PhD - Northwestern University Feinberg College of Medicine

- Project: Therapeutic targeting of ASXL3 protein stability in small cell lung cancer

• - Timothy Martin, PhD - University of Virginia School of Medicine

- Project: Defining how UFMylation pathway inhibition enhances anti-lung tumor immunity

• - Patricia Pereira, PhD - Washington University School of Medicine

- Project: Antibody click for lung cancer therapy

• - John Presner, MD, PhD - University of Michigan

- Project: Microproteins as novel disease targets in squamous cell lung cancer

Research Grant on Prevention and Early Detection in Lung Cancer

• - David Adler, MD, MPH - University of Rochester

- Project: Increasing Lung Cancer Screening Uptake Among Emergency Department Patients

• - Crispin Hiley, MD, PhD - University College London

- Project: Determinants of immune age and immune surveillance for early detection

• - Nicholas Juul, MD - Stanford University School of Medicine

- Project: Identifying biomarkers of precancerous copy number alteration in normal alveolar epithelium

• - Hilary Robbins, PhD - International Agency for Research on Cancer

- Project: Lung cancer risk assessment for people who never smoked

Research Grant on Overcoming Resistance in Lung Cancer

• - Ximeng Liu, PhD - University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

- Project: Deciphering response and resistance mechanisms to firmonertinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR PACC mutations

• - Dongsung Kim, PhD - Ohio State University

- Project: A novel targeted therapeutic strategy for KRAS inhibitor resistant lung cancers

Minority Career Development Award (CDA)

• - Nelson LaMarche, PhD - Yale University

- Project: Defining clinically targetable drivers of pathogenic myeloid cell development for NSCLC immunotherapy

LCRF remains dedicated to enhancing lung cancer research funding and innovation. The organization has funded 442 research grants, amounting to nearly $51 million, making it the leading nonprofit focused on extending survival and quality of life for individuals diagnosed with lung cancer. For further insights about LCRF and its Scientific Grant Program, please visit LCRF.org/Research.