Researchers receive grants to study lung disease

Three medical school faculty members have been awarded American Lung Association grants for the study of lung disease and lung health. The grants total $150,000, a combination of national and local funding, which includes proceeds from the 13th annual ALA Springfield Golf Classic that benefits the Richard H. Moy Pulmonary Research Fund.

Patricia Hopkins-Price, research assistant professor of pulmonary medicine, was awarded a two-year grant to study the role of obesity on asthma. The total budget for the grant is $80,000. The study will look at obese people with asthma who are participating in a weight-loss program to see if their asthma improves as they lose weight. The research may lead to the development of new treatments and preventative interventions for asthma.

Dr. Janak Koirala, assistant professor of infectious diseases, was awarded a one-year grant to study mycobacterium avium complex, a common infection that affects patients with chronic lung disease and HIV. The study will look at ways to improve the immune function in patients. The total budget of the grant is $35,000. The research could lead to development of new treatments that will help patients more effectively fight lung infections.