Drs. Steven Dubinett from UCLA and Lecia Sequist from Mass General/Harvard Receive Inaugural 2026 Research Awards for Transformative Work in Early Lung Cancer Detection

New $2M research investment aims to solve a major unmet need in pulmonary medicine: accurately assessing indeterminate lung nodules and accelerating life-saving diagnoses

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer–focused nonprofit organization, today announced its support of two innovative and ambitious research projects designed to fundamentally change how clinicians evaluate indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs), small spots on chest CT scans that may be an early sign of lung cancer.

Each year, more than 1.5 million Americans receive CT scan results showing an IPN. Yet existing non-invasive diagnostic approaches often fall short, leaving patients and providers unable to determine whether a nodule is benign or malignant. As a result, many individuals undergo unnecessary invasive procedures, experience prolonged diagnostic delays, or live with profound uncertainty and anxiety during this critical window of early detection.

Through targeted investment and strategic collaboration, LUNGevity is working with Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) to close this diagnostic gap and accelerate the development of more precise, non-invasive tools that can identify cancer earlier, reduce harm, and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.

While both of these studies represent bold, patient-centered innovation needed to transform how we detect lung cancer, each offers a unique approach for how health care teams assess a person's risk for the disease.

"We know the most effective health care tools must work for both the patient and the clinic. By advancing two strong choices in assessing lung cancer risk, we are opening the door for more people to have access to this information. One project aims to combine radiomics and liquid biopsy to determine a person's lung cancer risk, while the other project builds on advanced AI algorithms to offer a personalized risk assessment," said Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, executive director of LUNGevity Research. "We are proud to partner with Rising Tide Foundation to support the development of tools that can finally bring clarity to millions of patients facing uncertainty after a CT scan." 

The two projects are supported through the 2026 RTFCCR/LUNGevity Early Detection Award, a partnership dedicated to accelerating high-impact early detection research that can be rapidly translated into clinical practice.

Award Recipients

Project: Validation of an Integrated Radiomic and Cell-Free DNA Methylome Biomarker for Risk Stratification of Indeterminate Pulmonary Nodules
Awardee: Steven Dubinett, MD
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Amount: $1 million (over 3 years)

This three-year study aims to develop a powerful diagnostic tool that integrates advanced CT imaging analysis with a blood-based test to predict the likelihood that an indeterminate pulmonary nodule is cancerous. The research team will validate the approach in a cohort of 500 patients across UCLA and Veterans Affairs hospitals, with the ultimate goal of providing clinicians with a reliable, non-invasive method to assess cancer risk in patients with IPNs.

Project: The RESOLVE Study – Risk Estimation Using Sybil for Lung Nodules
Awardee: Lecia Sequist, MD, MPH
Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Amount: $1 million (over 3 years)

This three-year clinical trial will evaluate Sybil, an open-source artificial intelligence model capable of estimating lung cancer risk directly from CT scans, without reliance on human annotation of the images. The study will enroll 340 adults ages 35–75 with low-risk pulmonary nodules, testing the real-world performance of AI-driven risk assessment in a diverse clinical population.

If successful, these studies could:

• Significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies and surgeries
  
  
• Expand access to early detection through non-invasive approaches, particularly for women without common risk factors for lung cancer, who now represent a growing proportion of lung cancer diagnoses
  
  
• Enable faster identification of high-risk patients who require prompt follow-up or early intervention

"Each of these projects is led by a globally recognized expert in lung cancer research and developed with contribution of expert patient partners. They reflect the kind of visionary science that can redefine patient care," said Zoraide Granchi, PhD, senior scientific program manager of the Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research. "We are proud to once again partner with LUNGevity to accelerate patient-focused solutions that bring hope, clarity, and progress to patients and families around the world."

LUNGevity Foundation is grateful to Upstage Lung Cancer for their continued partnership in supporting early detection research.

About Rising Tide for Clinical Cancer Research

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, the Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) is a charitable, non‑profit organization dedicated to advancing patient‑centered clinical cancer research. Its mission is to support innovative clinical trials that lead to less toxic therapies, earlier detection, and improved quality of life for cancer patients, with a strong focus on projects that address real patient needs and deliver meaningful impact on survival and well‑being. 

Learn more at: https://www.risingtide-foundation.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.

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation