Research funded by the Alpha-1 Foundation (A1F) has greatly improved our understanding of the biological underpinnings and clinical manifestations of Alpha-1 and has identified novel drug targets likely to lead to new therapeutic solutions.
The Alpha-1 Foundation offers opportunities for data sharing among researchers supported by A1F grants and contracts through our DNA and Tissue Bank and Research Registry
2026 In-Cycle Grant Recipients
2 PI Research Grant
Matthew Moll, MD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
“Exposomic and Multiomic Predictors of Progression in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
JWW Career Development Grant
Raymond Wade, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
“Longitudinal Transcriptomics in Respiratory Exacerbations in Alpha and Non-Alpha COPD“
Pilot and Feasibility Grant
Dávid Deritei, PhD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.
“Using Dynamic Networks to Identify AATD Mechanisms Impacting Therapeutic Efficiency“
Katrin Panzitt, PhD
Medical University of Graz
“Rubicon Inhibition as a Novel Therapy for A1AT Liver Disease“
Janos Zempleni, PhD
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
“Designer Milk Exosomes for Delivering Gene Therapy in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
Francesco Annunziata, PhD
TIGEM
“A Dual Therapy for AATD: Combining N-degron mediated ER-phagy and Gene Correction”
Patrick Hume, MD, PhD
National Jewish Health
“Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Polymers and Autophagy Impairments in Human Lung Macrophages”
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Grant
Mikyoung Seo, PhD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.
“Somatic Disease Modifiers in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Lung Cells“
Woei-Yuh Saw, PhD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.
“Multi-omics of Mosaic Loss of Y chromosome and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
Hind Ghazalah, MD
Boston University
“Patient and Physician Understanding and Attitudes Towards Genetic Therapies in Severe AATD”
Christopher Fell, PhD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.
“Programmable Gene Integration for Mutation-Agnostic Therapy of AATD”
Research Grant
Joseph Chambers, PhD
Cambridge Institute for Medical Research – University of Cambridge
“Identifying the Molecular Mechanism of ER Dysfunction in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
Martin Wagner, MD
Medical University of Graz
“Activation of the PXR-TFEB-Autophagy Network to Treat Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency”
Brian Vestal, PhD
National Jewish Health
“Spatial Quantification of Radiographic Emphysema in the A1BC Cohort”
Bin Zhang, PhD
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
“Levels of Intracellular Accumulation of PiZ Mutant and Liver Disease Severity”
Riccardo Ronzoni, PhD
University College London
“Beyond the Z Variant: Alternative Polymers in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
Amy Attaway, MD
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
“Sarcopenia Risk and Mechanisms in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency“
Shah Hussain, PhD, MBA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
“Modeling Early Airway Pathogenesis: Aging-Associated RASC Dysfunction in AAT Deficiency”
Annamaria Fra, PhD
University of Brescia
“Role of Macrophages in Clearance and Inflammatory Response to Extracellular AAT Polymers”
Massimo D’Agostino, PhD
University of Naples Federico II, Naples
“Translocation Inhibitors to Counteract ATZ Toxic Accumulation”
Leonard Riley, MD
University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc.
“AI-Enhanced Quantitative CT Lung-Structure Function Analysis to Improve Detection of AATD”
Huiliang Wang, PhD
University of Texas at Austin
“Inhalable and Non-Viral DNA Nanocomplex for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency”
