Drs. Elliott Brea, Esther Redin, and Gavitt Woodard Announced as Recipients of LUNGevity's Career Development Awards

Prestigious award supports a strong oncology workforce to create lifesaving lung cancer breakthroughs

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit, is proud to announce the recipients of their 2025 Career Development Awards.

Established in 2012, LUNGevity's Career Development Awards have been a steadfast source of support for junior investigators who are passionate about pursuing a career in lung cancer. To date, LUNGevity has issued 43 Career Development Awards to support scientists as they launch careers in lung cancer research. In addition to critical funding for their research projects, recipients also have access to coveted mentorship opportunities and receive training in effective science communications.

"Today's research is tomorrow's cure," said Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of LUNGevity Research. "If we want to see continued breakthroughs and advancements in lung cancer, we must secure a strong pipeline of researchers dedicated to improving outcomes for people with the disease."

This signature awards program plays an important role in the lung cancer research community by building the future leaders of lung cancer. Past recipients of this award have developed their own independent research programs, received major grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funders, and even succeeded in getting a new treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The 2025 awardees represent the next generation of researchers working on projects that address some of the most critical needs in lung cancer today. Through these awards, LUNGevity continues to fuel innovation and hope, enabling a robust workforce of scientists with the expertise to redefine what it means to be diagnosed with lung cancer.

LUNGevity is proud to announce the following recipients of the 2025 Career Development Awards. One project was selected as the recipient of the EGFR Resisters/LUNGevity Career Development Award, and another project was selected as the Lung Cancer Initiative-LUNGevity Career Development Award.

"Local CAR T as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for CNS Progression in NSCLC"
Elliott Brea, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
EGFR Resisters/LUNGevity Research Award for EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer
$300,000 total – in partnership with EGFR Resisters 

More than half of patients with EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will eventually develop central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Dr. Brea and his research team have already engineered a potent CAR-T cell therapy that targets TROP-2, a protein commonly found on EGFR-positive lung cancer cells and on some healthy cells. To improve treatment specificity and avoid damage to healthy tissue, the researchers aim to improve this approach in two ways. First, they will introduce the CAR-T treatment directly into the CNS tumor site, to reduce contact with healthy tissue expressing TROP-2. The second method is to genetically modify the CAR-T cells to limit their ability to enter healthy epithelial tissue. If successful, this research will revolutionize the way we treat CNS in patients with EGFR-positive lung cancer.

"For many people living with EGFR-positive lung cancer, brain metastasis is one of the most feared and frustrating unmet needs in our community," said Jill Feldman, co-founder of EGFR Resisters, a patient advocacy group dedicated to improving outcomes for people living with EGFR-positive lung cancer. "That's why Dr Brea's research is so meaningful. His innovative research brings hope for better, more effective CNS treatments. We are proud to partner with LUNGevity to fund this vital work."

"Identification of Epigenetic Drivers of Drug Tolerance in EGFR mutant LUAD"
Esther Redin, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Lung Cancer Initiative-LUNGevity Career Development Award
$300,000 total award – in partnership with Lung Cancer Initiative

EGFR gene alterations are found in 15-30% of lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) and are most effectively treated with targeted therapies. These treatments are initially effective at killing most of the tumor cells, but drug tolerant persister cells remain alive, adapt to the presence of the drug, and begin to grow again, leading to tumor recurrence. Dr. Redin's project aims to understand how these persister cells survive treatment and how to effectively eliminate them. By identifying resistance factors, developing eradication strategies, and providing the scientific foundation for clinical trials, this research project lays the groundwork to overcome drug resistance in patients with EGFR-positive lung cancer.

"Drug tolerance is a major concern for patients with lung cancer. Even when treatments are working, patients often worry about what happens when the tumor develops resistance to treatment and begins to grow again," said Paige Humble, CEO of Lung Cancer Initiative. "Dr. Redin's work is a detailed look at the mechanisms of drug resistance that offers a comprehensive approach to overcome drug resistance and bring lasting cures to patients."

"Impact of STK11 Mutations on Immune Cell Infiltration in Lung Cancer"
Gavitt Woodard, MD
Yale University
$300,000 total award -- in partnership with an anonymous foundation

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally, and while immunotherapy has improved survival rates, many tumors don't respond to treatment. Studies suggest mutations in certain genes, such as STK11, predict poor outcomes with immunotherapy treatment. This is likely due to the lack of immune cell activity within the tumor. In this project, Dr. Woodard will study how specific tumor mutations prevent T cells from entering tumors and she will explore ways to enhance T cell migration to improve immunotherapy response. Her work will focus on studying the role of PLA2G10, a protein known to block T cell entry into lung tumors, and its relationship with common lung cancer mutations. The goal of this work is to understand and improve T cell activity in lung tumors to make immunotherapy more effective.

"Making immunotherapy more effective for the hundreds of thousands of people living with lung cancer would be tremendously impactful," said Dr. Basu Roy. "Dr. Woodard's approach offers a clear path to bring us closer to a world where no one dies from lung cancer."

Through these Career Development Awards, LUNGevity and their partners are proud to support impactful research projects centered on the needs of patients that are poised to transform what it means to be diagnosed with lung cancer.

About EGFR Resisters
EGFR Resisters is a grassroots community of over 4,800 patients and caregivers impacted by EGFR-positive lung cancer from 90+ countries, dedicated exclusively to improving outcomes for people with EGFR-positive lung cancer by changing EGFR-positive lung cancer into a manageable, chronic disease. The group uses the strength of its collaborations to drive important research questions and fund novel research and clinical trials. For more information about the EGFR Resisters, please visit www.egfrcancer.org

About Lung Cancer Initiative
Lung Cancer Initiative is a leading nonprofit organization supporting lung cancer research and education and connecting patients, survivors and their loved ones with the medical and research community. LCI's mission is to advance survivorship and provide support through research, education, and access programs. The organization has funded nearly $4 million in lung cancer research and assisted thousands of patients in accessing treatment and support services following a lung cancer diagnosis. For more information about Lung Cancer Initiative, please visit www.lungcancerinitiative.org.

About LUNGevity Foundation
LUNGevity, the nation's leading lung cancer organization, is transforming what it means to be diagnosed and live with lung cancer. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the disease—while promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum.

• Through research, we use an innovative and holistic approach to finding lung cancer earlier when it is most treatable; advance research into new treatments so people may live longer and better; and ensure a diverse, vital pipeline of investigators for the future of the lung cancer field.
• Through advocacy, we foster groundbreaking collaborations to ensure all people have access to screening, biomarker testing, and treatment breakthroughs.
• Through community, we educate, support, and connect people affected by lung cancer so that they can get the best healthcare and live longer and better lives.

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, Patient Gateways for specific types of lung cancer, a toll-free HELPLine for personalized support, international survivor conferences, and tools to find a clinical trial. All these programs are designed to help us achieve our vision—a world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit www.LUNGevity.org to learn more. 

About Lung Cancer in the US

• About 1 in 18 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.
• More than 226,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, with a new diagnosis every 2.3 minutes.
• It is estimated that close to 65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people with no tobacco exposure or only past tobacco exposure.
• More lives are lost to lung cancer than to the next two deadliest cancers (colorectal and pancreatic) combined.
• Only 28% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, but if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves to 65%.

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation