July 08, 2021 – Today, the ATS Research Program announced that Jessica Blackburn, PhD, of Vanderbilt University has been awarded the ATS/GSK Research Grant in Obstructive Lung Disease. The grant was funded through GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) support of the ATS Research Program.
The $100,000 award will support Dr. Blackburn’s study, “The Role of YAP/TAZ activation and altered cell-cell contact in COPD epithelial remodeling.”
“This award will provide critical early career funding for me to pursue exciting data uncovered from our COPD single cell data set,” Dr. Blackburn wrote in her application. “It will also better position me to apply for a larger independent grant in the future.”
"As Chair of the ATS Clinical Problems Assembly, I know how critical funding is for promising early-stage investigators like Dr. Blackburn,” said Sonye Danoff, MD, PhD. “This generous grant will allow her to pursue important basic studies which could ultimately translate into new approaches to treatment for patients with COPD."
Visit our website for more information and to see the complete list of 2020-2021 Research Program awardees. The application process for the next cycle of grant opportunities will open July 20, 2021. For more, visit the website here.
About the ATS Research Program
The American Thoracic Society and its Research Program are improving respiratory health worldwide by supporting young investigators in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The ATS Research Program, established in 2004, bolsters new investigators as they strive to launch independent research careers dedicated to innovation in patient care.
The Research Program’s initial investment of $21.9 million has resulted in over $491 million in subsequent funds from the federal government to our awardees. That’s a return on investment of $22 per dollar awarded.
