The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and its charitable arm, The Thoracic Surgery Foundation are collaborating with AstraZeneca to establish the Reversing Health Disparities in Lung Cancer Research Award. The purpose of the award is to provide support to investigators conducting health disparity research related to lung cancer.
Examples of Research Topics for Consideration include, but are not limited to:
- Interdisciplinary minority health and other health disparities and equity research, including basic, clinical, translational, behavioral, health services and social sciences research to advance understanding of disease/disability development and progression.
- Research that improves approaches for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
- Potential pathways to disparities in health outcomes, environmental exposures, genetic variations and/or other underlying biological factors, ethnic and familial factors.
- Developmental influences across the life span, specific health behaviors, and discrimination in health processes, psychosocial and socio-cultural influences, and socioeconomic (SES) related factors such as differential access to health care. Health processes include the technical and interpersonal activities pertaining to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment that go on between patient, their families and practitioner.
This grant is for cardiothoracic surgeons, or research or physician scientists in a cardiothoracic surgery research group who are seeking initial support and recognition for their original research project. Awards of up to $50,000 per year for up to two years are granted to support the work of early-career cardiothoracic surgeons, research or physician scientists. The awarded funds must be used solely for the direct expenses related to the proposed research project, including salary, services, and supplies; no additional funds will be provided. The award is not to be used to cover indirect expenses, fringe benefits, or expenditures that are not related to the project.
Preference will be given to either clinical- or laboratory-based investigations that are judged likely to generate data that will, in turn, facilitate subsequent funding support for the applicant. In making the awards, emphasis will be placed on originality; clear, concise presentation of a logical project; high probability of successful project completion; and importance of the work toward the advancement of lung cancer research focused on treatment and eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity in underserved populations. If two years of funding are requested and awarded, a progress report must be approved by the chairperson of the TSF Research Committee prior to release of payment for the second year.