GLENVIEW, IL – In early 2023, Gonzalo Labarca, MD, will begin research using the funds awarded for the CHEST Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation Research Grant in Sleep Medicine.
The grant, jointly supported by the foundations run by the American College of Chest Physicians and by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation (AASM Foundation), funds research that addresses topics that advance sleep medicine and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes, which will have a positive impact on the lung and/or sleep health of a community.
Dr. Labarca’s research, “Phenotyping Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Latin American Women: The Latin American Sleep Network,” seeks to use the sleep apnea-specific hypoxic burden to identify a phenotype for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among Latin American women with an increased risk of adherence and specific comorbidities.
“The significance of this research is that it will provide downstream markers of disease severity that link more directly with clinical consequences and treatment responsiveness,” says Dr. Labarca. “The research will help to identify patients at high risk for adverse outcomes, potentially inform enrollment criteria for future randomized controlled trials, and has the potential to reduce health care costs by avoiding administering a treatment that is unnecessary or ineffective. This new approach has the potential to advance the field of OSA tremendously.”
“The AASM Foundation is excited to collaborate again with the CHEST Foundation on this research grant,” says Anita V. Shelgikar, MD, MHPE, President of the AASM Foundation. “Dr. Labarca’s project will characterize novel OSA metrics across women from Latin America to predict clinically important outcomes and treatment responsiveness. This work will contribute to our understanding of how OSA phenotype recognition can help optimize treatment selection and response for each person.”
This is the second grant awarded as part of our multi-year partnership. The previous grant recipient was mid-career physician, Marta Kaminska, MD, for her project, “Long-term non-invasive ventilation in COPD – impact on health-care utilization.”
“Joint grants like this are exemplary of our continued alignment with our sister societies to improve patient care,” says Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. “Providing excellent care is by far the utmost goal for all in the medical profession, and our collaborations make us that much more effective. I look forward to a prosperous future between our organizations to benefit sleep medicine and those who practice it.”
The 2023 grant cycle is currently open for applications. To be eligible for the CHEST Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation Research Grant in Sleep Medicine, applicants must be a member of either CHEST or the AASM. Qualified applicants for this and other available grants should visit www.chestnet.org/grants or https://foundation.aasm.org/award-programs/ to apply.
About the American College of Chest Physicians and the CHEST Foundation
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion advanced clinical practice, education, communication and research in chest medicine. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 19,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. For information about the American College of Chest Physicians, and its flagship journal CHEST®, visit chestnet.org.
The CHEST Foundation, the charitable foundation of the American College of Chest Physicians, champions lung health by supporting clinical research, community service and patient education. Through CHEST Foundation-supported programs, CHEST’s 19,000+ members engage in advancing the lung health of millions of patients in local communities around the world. More than 95 cents of every dollar raised goes toward advancing the foundation’s mission-based programming. Since its inception, the foundation has provided more than $10 million in funding for clinical research and community service, with a reach that spans more than 60 countries. For more information about the CHEST Foundation, visit chestfoundation.org.
About the AASM Foundation
Founded in 1998, the AASM Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable and scientific organization that was established by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The AASM Foundation has invested in the future of sleep medicine by supporting more than 300 grants totaling $23.6 million in funding. The AASM Foundation’s portfolio includes research awards for all career stages, community awards and training awards. For more information, please visit foundation.aasm.org.
Contact:
American College of Chest Physicians
Laura DiMasi
ldimasi@chestnet.org
AASM Foundation
Sydney Preston
spreston@aasm.org