American Lung Association Expands Research Grants; Opens Call for Research Applications in Virginia

Today the American Lung Association in Virginia announced the start of its 2025-2026 research awards and grants cycle. This year, the Lung Association has expanded its research opportunities with two new awards: a grant supporting research on the impact of indoor air quality on lung health, and a joint research award in partnership with the American Thoracic Society to commemorate the Lung Association’s 120th Anniversary.

The American Lung Association Research Institute funds basic, translational and clinical research, empowering promising scientists and expanding industry collaboration with the goals of eliminating lung disease and improving life for those living with lung disease. The organization is now accepting research grant applications from researchers here in Virginia and across the nation with the potential to improve prevention, detection and treatment options for all lung diseases including lung cancer.

“In 2024, we are proud to celebrate 120 years of the American Lung Association and continue to advance our work to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease,” said Aleks Casper, Director of Advocacy or the American Lung Association in Virginia. “We invite scientists across Virginia to apply to become a part of our impactful research team, and help us continue to change lives by discovering more ways to prevent lung disease, as well as earlier diagnosis techniques and improved treatments.”

Projects funded by the Lung Association Research Institute are carefully evaluated and selected through rigorous scientific peer review. Awardees investigate a wide range of complex issues with the goal of reducing the burden of lung disease.

The 2025-2026 research funding cycle includes two new grant opportunities:

• The Indoor Air Research Award—$100,000/year for independent researchers and $50,000/year for mentored researchers; up to three years for each award (letter of intent required). The awards seek to support researchers and scientists to generate knowledge that can inform public policies and interventions and promote healthier indoor environments.
   
• The American Thoracic Society/American Lung Association/ Commemorative 120th Anniversary Joint Research Award—$60,000/year for up to two years. The award is a partnership with the American Thoracic Society for investigators aiming to improve our understanding of lung disease, either through relevant basic/translational science or outstanding clinical science research. More information on how to apply for this grant is available here.

In addition to the new grants, 2025-2026 funding opportunities include:

• Lung Cancer Discovery Award—$100,000/year up to two years (letter of intent required). The award is for independent investigators conducting clinical, laboratory, epidemiological or any groundbreaking project aimed at revolutionizing our understanding of lung cancer and improving diagnostic, clinical and treatment methods.
• Emerging Respiratory Pathogen Award—$100,000/year, up to two years (letter of intent required). This award was created to gain a better understanding of the pathobiology and the immediate and long term implications of respiratory infections. This includes emerging problems in known organisms and new and emerging pathogens.
• Innovation Award—$75,000/year, up to two years. The award is for independent investigators conducting basic science, behavioral, clinical, or translational research in lung health or disease. Must have held an NIH (National Institutes of Health) K- or R-type award within five years prior, but not more than two R01 type grants.
• Hastings Innovation Award for Interstitial Lung Disease—$75,000/year, up to two years. The award is for independent investigators conducting basic, clinical or translational research in interstitial lung disease. Must have held a NIH K- or R-type award within five years prior to applying, but not more than two R01 type grants.
• Allergic Respiratory Diseases Research Award—$75,000/year, up to two years.
  Jointly funded with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the award supports allergic respiratory research by investigators with a primary faculty appointment in an allergy-immunology division.
• Catalyst Award—$50,000/year, up to two years. The award supports mentored early career scientists ascending toward independence. This award is intended for junior investigators conducting basic science, behavioral, clinical or translational research into lung health and disease.
• Dalsemer Interstitial Lung Disease Award—$50,000/year, up to two years. The award is for mentored early career scientists ascending toward independence. This award provides seed monies to junior investigators for researching the mechanisms and biology of interstitial lung disease.
• Public Health and Public Policy Research Award—$50,000/year, up to two years. The award is designed to stimulate and inform important public policy debates around healthy air and lung disease. The intent is to support research on and evaluation of existing public policy and public health programs, and pilot new ideas in these areas.

For the 2025-2026 Lung Association Research Institute grant cycle, qualified researchers must be conducting research in the U.S. and meet individual grant qualifications and other terms and conditions. Application materials are available through proposalCENTRAL. The entire process takes 6 to 8 months and research grant awardees will be notified in June 2025. For more information, visit Lung.org/research.