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2010 Young Investigator Research Grant Recipients
The National Lung Cancer Partnership has awarded over $1.5 million to support lung cancer research in the last five years. We are pleased to announce the winners of our 2010 Young Investigator Research Grant competition!
The Young Investigator Research Grant competition was developed to support lung cancer researchers early in their careers and ignite their interest in the field. Grant recipients will receive $100,000 total distributed over two years.
 Stephen Malkoski, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Denver
During tumor development, cancer cells interact with surrounding non-cancerous cells that can support or inhibit tumor growth. TGFß is a protein that regulates normal lung growth. Dr. Malkoski is examining whether defects in TGFß in surrounding lung tissue create an environment that supports lung cancer growth. This research may eventually provide opportunities to identify new lung cancer therapies that target the tumor environment.
This grant is supported by the National Lung Cancer Partnership.
 Heidi Hamann, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Lung cancer patients may feel shame and guilt related to their disease due to the stigma of lung cancer’s association with smoking. This stigma can negatively affect their care and treatment. Dr. Hamann is working to develop a way to measure lung cancer stigma, examine differences between what men and women experience, and study how stigma affects patients’ communications with their doctors. Learning more about lung cancer stigma will allow clinicians to directly address and reduce this stigma and eventually improve treatment and care for lung cancer patients.
This grant is supported by the North Carolina Lung Cancer Partnership and the National Lung Cancer Partnership.
 Mark Onaitis, M.D., Assistant Professor, Duke University Medical Center
Dr. Onaitis is seeking to better understand the complexity of lung cancer tumors by characterizing tumor-initiating cells and how they respond to certain molecular signals. He will investigate how the type and location of a tumor-initiating cell contributes to the aggressiveness of the cancer. A better understanding of the different types of cells within a tumor and how those cells are affected by cell signals could help develop more effective targeted therapies.
This grant is supported by the North Carolina Lung Cancer Partnership and LUNGevity Foundation.
 May-Lin Wilgus, M.D., Fellow, Columbia University
A particular type of lung cancer, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC), is generally not aggressive. However, it can transform into adenocarcinoma, a more aggressive form of cancer. Dr. Wilgus is seeking to determine whether abnormalities in a specific chromosome are associated with progression of BAC to adenocarcinoma. This research has the potential to help identify which patients are likely to experience recurrence of cancer after surgery, so they can be provided with additional treatment.
This grant is supported by the National Lung Cancer Partnership and LUNGevity Foundation.
 Sai Yendamuri, M.D., Attending Surgeon, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Buffalo
Although early stage lung cancer is often curable with surgery, up to 30% to 40% of these cancers will recur. Predicting which patients have a high risk of recurrence would allow more aggressive treatment in the beginning, potentially curing more people. Dr. Yendamuri’s research aims to understand whether looking at a set of genetic components, micro RNAs, can predict who will experience disease recurrence, and whether these micro RNAs can be used to detect recurrence earlier than is now possible.
This grant is supported by the National Lung Cancer Partnership and LUNGevity Foundation.
2010 Lung Cancer Nursing Research Grant Recipient
The National Lung Cancer Partnership is proud to partner with the Oncology Nursing Society Foundation to present an annual Lung Cancer Nursing Research Grant. This year's grant is awarded to:
 Donna McCarthy Beckett, PhD, RN, Professor, Associate Dean for Research, Ohio State University College of Nursing
Lung cancer patients often experience fatigue and depression. In this pre-clinical study, Dr. McCarthy Beckett aims to better understand the basic biology behind these symptoms. She will also examine how effectively anti-inflammatory and anti-depression medications treat these symptoms, with the hope of improving overall quality of life for lung cancer patients.
Click here to read about past grant recipients.
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Two Family Members Too Many
By: Eileen
I lost my mom to lung cancer in 1996 and my grandma died of it in 2003. My mom was not a heavy smoker and grandma did smoke. Either way, no one deser...
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