We fund translational research to move knowledge as quickly as possible from basic discovery to treatment of patients.

Since 2002, LUNGevity has invested in 183 research projects at 69 institutions in 24 states and the District of Columbia focusing on early detection as well as more effective treatments of lung cancer.

Therapeutics Award

Frank J. Slack, PhD
Frank J. Slack, PhD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Hai Tran, PharmD
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Joanne Weidhaas, MD, PhD
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Targeting KRAS mutations in lung cancer

Dr. Slack is studying the KRAS-variant, a recently discovered KRAS mutation found in over 20% of  NSCLC patients, which has been shown to predict a patient’s response to cancer treatment. His research aims to confirm the role of the KRAS-variant to direct cancer therapy for lung cancer patients and as a potential future target for therapy.

 


Career Development Award

Jennifer Beane, PhD
Boston University, Boston, MA
Biomarkers of pre-malignant disease progression for lung cancer detection

Dr. Beane will characterize how RNA expression in normal airway epithelial cells is affected by the presence of precancerous lesions and identify changes that predict if the lesions will become malignant or return to normal. Identifying these key molecular changes will contribute to early detection and possible chemo-prevention of lung cancer in high risk patients.


Lauren A. Byers, MD
Lauren A. Byers, MD
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
PARP1 as a novel therapeutic target in small cell lung cancer

Dr. Byers is building on her discovery that patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have an overabundance of the protein PARP1, which helps repair damaged DNA in SCLC cell lines and tumors. She is using the data from a Phase II clinical trial to discover which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment that combines a PARP inhibitor drug with chemotherapy.

 


Mohamed Hassanein, PhD
Mohamed Hassanein, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Developing new non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of lung cancer

Dr. Hassanein is using 164 proteins found only in lung cancer patients to develop a method to test the patient’s blood for its own antibodies to these proteins. His goal is to use these proteins as biomarkers in a blood test that will find lung cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.

 


Christopher A. Maher, PhD
Christopher A. Maher, PhD
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Molecular predictors of outcome in non-small cell lung cancer

Dr. Maher is working to improve on the accuracy and usability of tests that identify lung cancer patients who are likely to relapse. He is using next-generation sequencing techniques to develop a signature set of key genetic changes  and convert it to a clinical test that will be able to predict who is at high risk for relapse.

 


Viswam S. Nair, MD
Viswam S. Nair, MD
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
In-vivo and in-vitro diagnostics to improve lung cancer care

Dr. Nair is developing a blood test to help determine whether a pulmonary nodule seen on a PET-scan imaging screen is cancerous. The goal of this test, which will make use of circulating molecular biomarkers, is to accurately determine which patients are most likely to have lung cancer and, therefore, should have biopsies or surgery.

 


Early Detection Award

Jeffrey A. Borgia, PhD
Jeffrey A. Borgia, PhD
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Autoantibody-based biomarkers to aid in the early diagnosis of lung cancer

Not every nodule detected on a CT scan is malignant. However, an invasive biopsy is often needed to determine this. Dr. Jeffrey Borgia’s team has discovered that malignant and benign nodules produce different types of proteins in the blood. Based on this finding, they are developing a simple blood test to predict which nodules require follow-up.


York Miller, MD
York Miller, MD
University of Colorado Denver, AMC and DC, Aurora, CO
Wilbur Franklin, MD
University of Colorado Denver, AMC and DC, Aurora, CO
Kavita Garg, MD
University of Colorado Denver, AMC and DC, Aurora, CO
Biomarkers to improve clinical assessment of indeterminate lung nodules

Computed tomography (CT) has a high false-positive rate. Less than 5% of people with nodules found through CT actually have lung cancer. Cells from benign nodules differ from malignant ones in two ways: they have a normal number of chromosomes and they make the same proteins as normal lung cells. Dr. York Miller is taking advantage of these differences. His team is developing a sputum-based test to determine whether a nodule is malignant or benign. The test will help decide whether the nodule requires follow-up.


This grant was funded in part by Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation
Suzanne Miyamoto, PhD
Suzanne Miyamoto, PhD
University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA
Oliver Fiehn, PhD
University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA
Karen Kelly, MD
University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA
A system biology approach to biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer

Biomarker-based tests that complement CT will make it easier to detect lung cancer early. These tests should also be useful for both high-risk (current and former smokers) and low-risk (never-smokers) populations. Dr. Suzanne Miyamoto and her team are studying different protein, fat, and sugar molecules made by lung cancer cells. These different molecules can also be found in the blood of lung cancer patients. Their ultimate goal is to develop a blood test for the early detection of lung cancer.


This grant was funded in part by Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation
Edward Patz, MD
Edward Patz, MD
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Michael Campa, PhD
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
James Herndon
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Serum Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Lung Cancer

CT scans often detect the presence of a lung nodule. Most of these nodules are benign. Dr. Edward Patz and his colleagues have discovered 25 auto-antibodies (protein molecules) found in the blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients. They are developing a simple, blood-based test to confirm these findings in larger groups of these patients.


Therapeutics Award

David P. Carbone, MD, PhD
David P. Carbone, MD, PhD
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
John Minna, MD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Ignacio Wistuba, MD
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Biomarkers for personalizing adjuvant therapy in NSCLC – increasing cures

Patients with stage I and II lung cancer usually undergo surgery to treat their cancer. Sometimes, the cancer comes back. Using chemotherapy with surgery can prevent the cancer’s return. Dr. Carbone is studying how we can identify which stage I and II patients may benefit from chemotherapy.


Edward Gabrielson, MD
Edward Gabrielson, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Examining LKB1 status as a biomarker for response of lung cancer to metformin

Metformin is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of diabetes. Dr. Edward Gabrielson and his colleagues have found that a gene called LKB1 is altered in 40% of lung cancer patients. He is studying whether lung cancer cells with mutations in LKB1 are sensitive to metformin. His ultimate goal is to use an already-approved drug for the treatment of LKB1-positive lung cancers.


This grant was funded in part by Upstage Lung Cancer
Rebecca Heist, MD, MPH
Rebecca Heist, MD, MPH
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Anthony Iafrate, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
William Pao, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Identifying Tumor Genomic Changes in Lung Cancers

Targeted therapies have shown great promise. However, up to 40% of patients with lung cancer do not test positive for a known target. Dr. Rebecca Heist is studying this group of patients and using DNA sequencing technology to identify novel targets for treatment.


A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation
John V. Heymach, MD, PhD
John V. Heymach, MD, PhD
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
David Carbone, MD, PhD
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Predictive blood-based markers of response to VEGF inhibitors in NSCLC

Cancer cells make chemicals that attract blood vessels. This process is known as angiogenesis. Drugs that inhibit angiogenesis are already being used to treat lung cancer patients. Unfortunately, not all patients respond to angiogenesis inhibitors. Dr. John Heymach is studying what determines whether a patient will respond.


Alexander Steven Whitehead, DPhil
Alexander Steven Whitehead, DPhil
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Folate-related biomarkers as predictors of response to pemetrexed therapy

Pemetrexed is a chemotherapy drug commonly used for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The drug blocks two proteins called DHFR and TS that cancer cells need to grow. Not all patients respond to pemetrexed. Dr. Alexander Whitehead is studying how changes in the DHFR and TS genes predict response of non-small cell lung cancer patients to pemetrexed.