Researchers
The Alpha-1 Foundation has invested more than $42 million to support Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) research and programs. Research projects have been conducted in almost 90 institutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. 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.
The specific aims of the Alpha-1 Foundation’s peer reviewed grants program are to promote research that would eventually result in the improved health of individuals with AAT, with a focus on the lung and liver disease of AAT Deficiency. 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.
The Alpha-1 Foundation has three funding mechanisms for extramural research:
In-cycle Investigator Initiated Grants
The Alpha-1 Foundation offers grant awards in the following grant categories: Bridge, Ethical, Legal and Social Issues Relating to AAT Deficiency, Pilot and Feasibility, Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Research, 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). The LOI must be received by the Foundation by September 16, 2011, 5pm EDT. For information about the current in-cycle grants program, click Research Opportunities 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. For additional information about the next in-cycle investigator initiated grants program, please contact David Fernandez, Grants Coordinator, at dfernandez@alpha-1foundation.org or at 305-567-9888 ext 242.
Out-of-cycle Grants
The purpose of this program is to support large, typically clinical grants that do not fit into the in-cycle grant program. Out-of-cycle grants can be Foundation-initiated RFA or Investigator-initiated applications. The investigator should contact the Foundation before considering applying for an out-of-cycle application. For more information, contact David Fernandez, Grants Coordinator, at dfernandez@alphaone.org or at 305-567-9888 ext 252.
Matching Grants
The Alpha-1 Foundation collaborates with various organizations and offers funding opportunities through matching grant opportunities with the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Thoracic Society and the CHEST Foundation. Applications must be directed and submitted to these organizations
Research Agenda
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. The in-cycle investigator-initiated grants program 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
Research Portfolio
The Alpha-1 Foundation’s Research Portfolio lists all awarded peer-reviewed research grants from 1999 to the present. 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
Alpha-1 Research Registry
The Alpha-1 Research Registry is a confidential database of individuals diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) and persons identified as Alpha-1 carriers. It serves as a resource for investigators seeking individuals with Alpha-1 to participate in clinical trials, surveys and other scientific and medical data collections activities. The Registry is also a vital component to other Alpha-1 research endeavors such as the Alpha-1 Coded Testing (ACT) Study. For more information about the Registry Program and the ACT Study, you may visit the website at www.alphaoneregistry.org, email atalphaone@musc.edu or call toll free at 1- 877-886-2383.
Alpha-1 DNA and Tissue Bank
The Alpha-1 Foundation DNA and Tissue Bank at the University of Florida was established in 2002 and has more than 2,300 members enrolled. It is available for researchers to request medical information (the names of donors are not revealed) and samples for research projects. No further enrollment is anticipated at this time, and no new samples are being accepted. Mark Brantly, M.D. is the Principle Investigator of the DNA and Tissue Bank. Researchers needing information on how to obtain samples of DNA and tissues should contact David Fernandez, Grant Coordinator, at dfernandez@alpha-1foundation.org or at 305-567-9888 ext 242.
Other Research Programs
The Foundation supports other research programs such as the ACT Study and Detection Program at the University of Florida, and Clinical Resources Centers throughout the Country. For more information on the research programs, please click the following link: Other Research Programs.
Scientific Meetings and Conferences
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
Alpha-1 International Research Database
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 a Rare Lung Disease Consortium pilot project. The database was 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 International Research Database
The Alpha One International Registry (AIR)
The Alpha One International Registry (AIR) is a multinational research organization, representing a combined research effort of nearly 20 countries formed in March 1996.
This international cooperative effort stimulates medical research through resources that are only available through multinational cooperation. The AIR members are actively studying ways to improve detection of the disease, ways to follow the course of the lung disease, and ways to improve treatment of the disease. Click the following link to access The Alpha One International Registry
