Contact: Andy Weisser
(818) 703-6444
aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at
(800) LUNG-USA

American Lung Association of California Funds Lung Research—Projects Offer Hope for Future Cures

(Oakland, CA, February 4, 2000) -- The last century brought incredible scientific advances in medicine with the advent of new disease-fighting drugs and diagnostic procedures. Yet there is still a long way to go in understanding lung diseases, which is why the American Lung Association of California has been funding lung disease research for nearly a century and will continue into the next millenium.

The American Lung Association of California has funded two advanced pulmonary nursing scholarships and 18 research projects totaling $457,000 during the 1999-2000 fiscal year, which examine how the lungs work and what goes wrong during disease. These types of basic research projects explore the building blocks for understanding and treating disease.

"American Lung Association-funded projects lay the groundwork for important discoveries," says Steve Dubinett, MD, chair of the American Lung Association of California's Research Grants Committee. "It's as if a very large number of people are working on a mosaic and each researcher may have a piece of the tile, which together could ultimately result in a cure."

Dr. Dubinett has been studying the immune cell response in lung cancer for more than 15 years. Early in his career, he was awarded an American Lung Association research grant.

"These research grants get young investigators started on a career in lung disease research," Dr. Dubinett says. "They also enable researchers to secure more funding."

This year's research projects include:

• Matthew Derrick, MBBS, at the University of California, San Francisco, is investigating the role of specific protein in surfactant to see if it can be manufactured.
• Yuan-pu Peter Di, Ph.D., at the University of California, Davis, is exploring how specific cells protect the airways from injury and disease.
• Barbara Driscoll, Ph.D., at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, is investigating the possibility that an artificial molecule can slow or even stop the unchecked cell growth common in lung cancer.
• Zhenxing Fu, Ph.D., at the University of California, San Diego, is studying how certain proteins and growth factors in lung tissue react to stresses on the lung lining.
• Gabriel Gruenig, Ph.D., at the University of California, San Francisco, is trying to better understand how cellular and molecular interactions within the lungs contribute to the three major symptoms of asthma: increased airway constriction, mucous production and inflammation.
• Kimberly Hardin, MD, at the University of California, Davis, is looking at brain waves of patients on respirators to determine whether they are experiencing pain or discomfort.
• Deborah Ann Hoffman, MD, at the University of California, San Diego, is studying the mechanisms by which immune cells limit the growth of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
• Art Kearney, at the University of California, Los Angeles, is receiving an advanced pulmonary nursing scholarship.
• Nicholas Kenyon, MD, at the University of California, Davis, is examining the role of five growth factors on the airways of people with asthma to see if limiting one or more would reduce the amount of scarring and thickening of the airways.
• Nobuyuki Koyama, MD, at the University of California, San Francisco, is looking for ways to effectively treat fluid buildup in the lungs by studying proteins that act as channels, which transport fluid across lung cell membranes.
• Miranda Kramer, at the Univerisity of California, San Francisco, is receiving an advanced pulmonary nursing scholarship.
• Martina Kruetzer, MD, at the University of California, Davis, is investigating how specific genes control the growth of lung cancer cells.
• Ite Laird-Offringa, Ph.D., at the University of Southern California, is trying to determine how certain molecules effect the growth of small cell cancers in the lung.
• Charles Lee, Ph.D., at Children's Hospital Oakland, is exploring better methods for preserving lungs to improve the success rate of lung transplants.
• Victor Nizet, MD, University of California, San Diego, is examining how surfactant protects the lungs from bacterial infection and subsequent damage.
• Savita P. Rao, Ph.D., at the University of California, San Diego, is investigating how certain cells react when the Mycobacterium avium organism infects the lungs.
• James H. Roum, MD, Ph.D., at the University of California, Irvine, is exploring the effects of a derivative of nitric oxide, sometimes inhaled by lung disease patients for therapeutic reasons, which may produce the same results without the negative side-effects.
• Kenneth J. Serio, MD, at the University of California, San Diego, is studying how an enzyme affects lung inflammation to see whether it can be controlled through a specific gene.
• Martina Stolina, Ph.D., at the University of California, Los Angeles, is studying the role of an enzyme associated with lung tumors, which may weaken the immune system.
• Rayeev Venkayya, MD, at the University of California, San Francisco, is determining how an isolated cell initiates inflammation associated with asthma by producing substances that attract other cells.

"Discoveries in lung research help the American Lung Association of California improve the health and care of people with lung disease; the third leading cause of death in the United States," said Dubinett.

The American Lung Association has been fighting lung disease for more than 90 years. With the generous support of the public and the help of our volunteers, we have seen many advances against lung disease. However, our work is not finished. As we look forward to our second century, we will continue to strive to make breathing easier for everyone. Along with our medical section, the California Thoracic Society, we provide educational programs, community service, advocacy and research. The American Lung Association's activities are supported by Christmas Seals and other voluntary contributions. For more information, visit us at our web site at www.californialung.org or call 1-800-LUNG USA to be connected to your local American Lung Association.

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