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Award recipients

Awards and grants program

We are Australia’s leading incubator of lung research

Through our Research Grants and Awards Program we are proud to invest in the best and brightest lung health researchers in Australia. For early and mid-career researchers, our program provides much needed funding for lung-focused research and enables mentorship by senior research leaders. Congratulations to our most recent Award recipients.

2024 recipients

Pillar 1: Lung Foundation Australia Early and Mid-Career Grants in Aid

Award title Value Recipient Project title
Fellowship in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) supported by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand $108,000 Manav Sharma, University of Technology Sydney Using single cell RNA sequencing to identify the origin of the Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) tumours.
Fellowship in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia supported by Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Australia and Lung Foundation Australia $30,000 Dr. Andrew Reid, University of Newcastle Development of patient-centric drug screening platform to address deficient mucociliary clearance in PCD.
CREATE Hope Fellowship 1 $75,000 Dr. Caitlin Fermoyle, The University of Sydney Precision Medicine in Pulmonary Fibrosis.
CREATE Hope Fellowship 2 $75,000 Minh Dao Ngo, The University of Queensland Targeting the Oxysterol/GPR183 Axis to Treat Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Cassy Morris Research Award $25,000 Dr Sarah Yeo, LaTrobe University Multi-omic characterisation of immunotherapy-resistant lung cancer
Ivan Cash Grant for Research in Pulmonary Fibrosis $5,000 Dr Maggie Lam, Monash University Assessing the pre-clinical efficacy of inflammasome drugs for the treatment of silicosis.
Lizotte Family Grant-in-Aid for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research $5,000 Chloe Lawler, The University of Sydney Evaluation of the Association of Epstein-Barr Virus and Human Herpes Virus 6 shedding among patients with pulmonary fibrosis.
Boehringer Ingelheim Sponsored Travel Grant American Thoracic Society Conference 2023 $7,500 Dr. Laura Glenn, The University of Sydney A meta-analysis on the use of antifibrotic agents in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and progressive pulmonary fibrosis.

PILLAR 2: Innovation and Incubator Grants

Award title Value Recipient Project title
Heart of Australia $50,000 Dr Rolf Gomes -
DYNAMALK Trial $25,000 Dr Malinda Itchins - Royal North Shore Hospital Additional funds contributed by Rare Cancers Australia and the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia.

Pillar 3: Strategic Partnership Grants

Award title Value Recipient Project title
Cancer Australia Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme (PdCCRS) $150,000 over 3 years $100,000 over 36 months Dr. Nicholas Hindley How ideas from Einstein’s general theory enable adaptative radiation therapy for lung cancer patients.
Cancer Australia Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme (PdCCRS) $150,000 over 3 years $50,000 over 12 months Dr. Hilary Byrne How are you breathing today?
  • 2023 recipients

    Advocacy

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia LGBTIQA+ Framework Project $45,000 Dr Erin McGillick Allyship, Advocacy & Community: Supporting lung health in the LGBTIQA+ community

    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Sukhdev Singh Sohal $15,000 Maitri Munsif The relationship between perceived breathlessness and neural respiratory drive in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using parasternal electromyography

    Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    David Wilson PhD Scholarship $45,000 Miss Olivia YoungMonash University Assessing angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) agonists as novel anti-fibrotics in the treatment of IPF
    Ivan Cash Grant-in-Aid $5,000 Dr Amy PascoeMonash University “Examining social determinants of health inequity in clinical trials recruitment, enrolment, and outcomes for people with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis”
    Laxmi Vanza Memorial Award $10,000 Dr Mariana Hoffman BarbosaMonash University Ambulatory oxygen in fibrotic interstitial lung disease: patient experiences
    Lizotte Family Grant-in-Aid $5,000 Ms Catherine BuchanMonash University, Central Clinical School Alfred Health Domicilliary nasal high flow for chronic breathlessness in people with interstitial lung disease (INFINITE)
    Ludwig Engel Grant-in-Aid for Physiological Research $5,000 Dr Kurtis BuddenThe University of Newcastle Impact of bushfire particulates on epithelial physiology and infection susceptibility

    Lung Cancer

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Helen Irving Memorial Award $30,000 Dr Tracy LeongWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Characterisation of Primary Immunotherapy Resistance in Metastatic Lung Cancer
    Victorian Cancer Agency – Lung Foundation Australia Low Survival Research Fellowship Nil Dr Mara ZeissigWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Boosting the response to immunotherapy in lung cancer
    PdCCRS 2022 $102,251.5 Fraser BrimsCurtin University Improving lung cancer care: the lung cancer clinical quality data platform (LUCAP)
    PdCCRS 2022 $49,778.5 Jessica Da Gama DuarteLatrobe University Early detection, diagnosis, and prognosis of lung cancers

    Occupational Lung Disease

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Heart of Australia – Tony Britton Strategic Partnership Grant $50,000 Contact: Rolf GomesHeart of Australia Heart 5
  • 2022 recipients

    Asthma

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia – Ludwig Engel Research Grant  $5,000.00 Dr. Hayley ScottUniversity of Newcastle Investigating the role of female sex hormones in asthma

    Bronchiectasis

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia Andrew Harrison Bronchiectasis Fellowship $75,000.00 Prof. Julie MarchantQUT Improving outcomes for children with bronchiectasis: a multicentre RCT using a novel mucolytic.

    COPD

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia John Farrell COPD Fellowship $75,000.00 Dr. Narelle CoxMonash University From hospital to home: remote exercise testing for pulmonary rehabilitation
    Lung Foundation Australia – Boehringer Ingelheim Fellowship in COPD  $120,000.00 Dr. Arwel JonesMonash University Exercise for Exacerbations and Rhinovirus Treatment (EXERT): humin in vitro and mouse in vivo COPD models
    Lung Foundation Australia – Better Breathing Foundation PhD Scholarship in Chronic Lung Disease (full) $126,000.00 Mrs. Jessica WalshUniversity of Sydney Feasibility of implementing pulmonary rehabilitation in primary care

    ILD

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia -Ivan Cash Research Grant  $5,000.00 Dr. Sheetal DeshpandeAlfred Health/Monash University Design and Implementation of a revised telemedicine model for ILD
    Lung Foundation Australia – Lizotte Family Research Grant $5,000.00 Dr. Peter BellPrincess Alexandra Hospital, QLD Prognostic Biomarkers in CTD associated Fibrosing ILD
    PACT Grant-In-Aid $30,000 Dr. Hayley Barnes & Dr. Ryan Hoy Alfred Health Discovering Radiological Biomarkers in Silicosis using Artificial Intelligence
    CREATE Hope Fellowship (scientific) $75,000.00 Dr. Gang LiuUniversity of Technology Sydney/Centenary Institute Extracellular matrix proteins regulate inflammation and fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
    CREATE Hope Fellowship (clinical) $75,000.00 Dr. Ingrid CoxUTAS Creating an evidence base to facilitate rapid access to early diagnosis and care for people living with PF and ILD

    Lung Cancer

    Award title Value Recipient Project title
    Lung Foundation Australia Tony Britton Memorial PhD Scholarship (top-up) $45,000.00 Dr. Sarita PrabhakaranFlinders University Improving outcomes for mesothelioma patients: Integrated data and tissue collection for research that informs therapy decisions and policy
    LUCAP PhD Topup $90,000.00 Dr. Jess NashCurtin University PhD Topup for The LUng Cancer clinical quality dAta Platform (LUCAP) team to improve lung cancer care for Australians.
    PdCCRS Grant 2021 supported by Lung Foundation Australia $150,000.00 Dr. Ashleigh PohOlivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute Targeting the myeloid-specific kinase HCK in non-small cell lung cancer to improve response to therapy
  • 2021 recipients

    Lung Cancer

    Award title Value and Partner Recipient Project title
    Ellen Yates Memorial Grant-in-Aid for Lung Cancer Research $20,000 over 1 year, funded by Yates family Dr Afaf AbedFiona Stanley Hospital Genomic HLA heterozygosity, T-cell receptor (TCR) – repertoire diversity and tumor PD-L1 expression as predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy in lung cancer patients
    Lung Foundation Australia Deep Manchanda Lung Cancer Fellowship $320,000 over 2 years co-funded by Manchanda family (with matched funding provided by research institution) Dr Venessa ChinGarvan Institute of Medical Research Utilising single cell sequencing to change the management of lung cancer

    Rare Lung Disease

    Award Title Value and Partner Recipient Project Title
    Lung Foundation Australia Diana Cox PhD Scholarship in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Research $45,000 over 3 years, funded by Diana Cox Dr Laura GlennUniversity of Sydney Novel diagnostic techniques in Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
    Lung Foundation Australia Brian Eaton Memorial PhD Scholarship in IPF Research $90,000 over 3 years, co-funded by Eaton family (with matched funding provided by research institution) Dr Matthew ParkerUniversity of Sydney Novel methods to distinguish IPF from connective tissue disease-associated ILD
    Lung Foundation Australia Lizotte Family Research Award for Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis Research $5,000 over 1 year, funded by Lizotte family Dr Yet Hong KhorAustin Health Understanding lung function trajectories in ILD
    Lung Foundation Australia Ludwig Engel Grant-in-Aid for Physiological Research $5,000 over 1 year, funded by Ludwig Engel Dr Alexander WongThe Children’s Hospital at Westmead Normal day-to-day variability in oscillometry in school aged children: Defining target thresholds for future intervention studies in childhood asthma
    Pulmonary Fibrosis Australasian Clinical Trials Grant-in-Aid $30,000 over 1 year, funded by CREATE Dr Lauren TroyRoyal Prince Alfred Hospital Novel diagnostic techniques in ILD: extension of the COLDICE study findings
    Lung Foundation Australia Ivan Cash Grant-in-Aid for IPF Research $5,000 over 1 year, funded by Ivan Cash Dr Paris PapagianisRMIT University Pathogen-induced lung remodelling during the early life period in mice
    Lung Foundation Australia John Reid Prize for Physiological Research $500 funded by Reid family A/Prof Graeme ZoskyUniversity of Tasmania Systemic inflammation modifies the regional gene response to mechanical ventilation

    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

    Avard Title Value and Partner Recipient Project Title
    Lung Foundation Australia Boehringer Ingelheim COPD Fellowship $160,000 over 2 years, funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Dr Simone De LucaRMIT University New ways to treat vascular cognitive impairment and dementia in chronic lung disease
    Lung Foundation Australia Cochrane Airways Australia Scholarship $2,500 Ms Kelsey SharradUniversity of South Australia Psychological interventions for asthma in children and adolescents
    Lung Foundation Australia A Menarini Travel Grant (American Thoracic Society Conference) $3,000 funded by A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd Ms Zoe LearWA Health Poster prize
    Lung Foundation Australia A Menarini Travel Grant (American Thoracic Society Conference) $3,000 funded by A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd Dr Katrina TongaSydney University Poster prize
    Lung Foundation Australia A Menarini Travel Grant (Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Conference) $3,000 funded by A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd Dr Khine Khine Yin MonLiverpool Hospital Poster prize
    Lung Foundation Australia A Menarini Travel Grant (European Respiratory Society Congress) $3,000 funded by A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd Mr Karosham ReddySydney University Poster prize
    A Menarini Travel Grant (European Respiratory Society Congress) $3,000 funded by A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd Dr Sabine ZimmermannWoolcock Institute of Medical Research Poster prize

    Bronchiectasis

    Award Title Value and Partner Recipient Project Title
    Lung Foundation Australia David Serisier Memorial Award (Best Abstract) $1,000 Dr Su-Wei KhungAlfred Health The use of eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation as a bronchoprovocation technique for exercise induced bronchoconstriction in the clinical setting
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