Researchers
The Alpha-1 Foundation’s research activities have grown substantially each year since the organization’s inception in 1995. The Foundation has invested nearly $31 million to support Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) research and programs in 60 institutions in North America and Europe. The level of research activity in AAT is at an all-time high and holds much hope for the future for individuals diagnosed with AAT Deficiency.
Research Opportunities The specific aims of the Alpha-1 Foundation’s in-cycle peer reviewed grants program are to promote research that would eventually result in the improved health of individuals with AAT. The program supports basic science and clinical research, improved understanding of the pathogenesis of the clinical manifestations of AAT, the development and testing of treatments for the disease, bioethics and social research, and the promotion of education of members of the medical community regarding AAT. Specifically, the Alpha-1 Foundation offers grant awards in the following grant categories: Bridge, Pilot and Feasibility, Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Research, Ethical, Legal and Social Issues Relating to AAT Deficiency Reuesrt For Application (RFA), Scientific Meeting Sponsorship and Travel Grants. The Foundation operates on one in-cycle review per year. The first step in submitting a grant application is to submit a letter of intent (LOI). Click on the Research Opportunities link for detailed information on each of the grant categories as well as the Timeline, Instructions, Forms and Frequently Asked Questions regarding the submission of an LOI, and potentially, a grant application. In addition, the Alpha-1 Foundation collaborates with various organizations and offers funding opportunities through matching grant opportunities. Links to these organizations can be found at the Research Opportunities link above.
In addition to the in-cycle opportunities, the Alpha-1 Foundation offers out-of-cycle peer reviewed grant opportunities. The Foundation supports this out-of-cycle program to promote research that would eventually result in the improved health of individuals with AAT Deficiency. These out-of-cycle research opportunities can take the form of a Foundation-initiated, Investigator-initiated or sponsored RFA or can be sponsored by an outside funding source and administered by the Foundation. Out-of-cycle opportunities may be competitive (e.g. RFA) or non-competitive. Typically for all out-of-cycle opportunities, the process of application and scientific review involves a LOI, followed by a full research application if the LOI is deemed meritorious by the Foundation. Both the LOI and grant application are subject to accelerated scientific peer review by the Foundation. Click Research Opportunities for detailed information about the out-of-cycle program.
The Alpha-1 Foundation has established research priorities that are important to its mission of proceeding as rapidly as possible toward a cure for AAT. The research priorities are broad categories that are of immediate and long-term interest to the Alpha-1 Foundation. Investigator-initiated research is the main element in the Alpha-1 Foundation’s research portfolio and the Alpha-1 Foundation invites new ideas from the research community. To view the Alpha-1 Foundation’s current research agenda, click here: Research Agenda
The Alpha-1 Foundation’s Research Portfolio lists all awarded peer-reviewed research grants from 1999 to the present. This includes support for basic science and clinical research, including the pathogenesis of the disease and the development and testing of improved treatments. The research portfolio also includes grants that involve the development of a variety of gene therapies intended to cure AAT in both the lung and liver, as well research that involves the ethical, legal and/or social implications of a diagnosis of AAT. The Alpha-1 Foundation’s broad range of investigators represents the ongoing expansion of the AAT research network and the heightened interest among a wide range of scientific disciplines to investigate aspects of AAT.
In addition, the Alpha-1 Foundation supports a wide range of Program Grants at various academic institutions throughout the United States. The Alpha-1 Foundation encourages investigators and physicians to use the resources available through its program grants. There is contact information within each of the programs’ descriptions.
For a list of the scientific meetings and conferences sponsored or attended by the Alpha-1 Foundation, please click the following link: Scientific Meetings and Conferences.
A searchable database has been created containing comprehensive information on a worldwide network of researchers, titles of research projects in Alpha-1, locations of Alpha-1 focused research centers and testing centers with particular expertise in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency genotyping. You will also find links to related research resources such as Patient Registries, Scientific and Lay Organizations, Publications and Funding Sources. The database was created as Rare Lung Disease Consortium pilot project. Funded in part by a grant from the Alpha-1 Foundation, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center and supported by Grant No. U54 RR019498 awarded by the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health. Click the following link to access the database: Alpha-1 Research Database
