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 Vanessa Valencia, Manager of Grants Administration, at vvalencia@alpha1.org, or at (877) 228-7321 ext.242

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, American Lung Association and the CHEST Foundation. For additional information about these matching grant opportunities, please contact Vanessa Valencia, Manager of Grants Administration, at vvalencia@alpha1.org or at (877) 228-7321 ext. 242

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

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.

The Alpha-1 Research Registry is a confidential database of individuals diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) or 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 collection. 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, email alpha1registry@alpha1.org  or call toll free, (877) 228-7321 ext. 327.

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, MD, is the Principle Investigator of the DNA and Tissue Bank. Researchers needing information on how to obtain samples of DNA and tissues should contact Randel Plant, Senior Director of Research Administration, at rplant@alpha1.org, or at (877) 228-7321.

Other sources of Alpha-1 lung tissue, plasma, DNA and phenotypic data include the Lung Tissue Research Consortium (LTRC) of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Alpha-1 Biomaterials Exchange. The LTRC is a resource program of the NHLBI that provides human lung tissues to qualified investigators for use in their research. The Alpha-1 Biomaterial Exchange is an open resource to both academia and industry that works by matching one investigator (in need of biomaterial) with another investigator (supplier of biomaterial).

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, see Other Research Programs.