The American Lung Association And National Sleep Foundation Partner To Launch The ALA/NSF Pickwick Fellowship Award

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 30 May 2007 - 12:00 PDT

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Today the American Lung Association (ALA) and the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) announced the creation of the ALA/NSF Pickwick Fellowship Award. The ALA/NSF Pickwick Fellowship Award will provide a promising new investigator grant monies to conduct sleep research, specifically as it relates to breathing.

"The American Lung Association is very excited about the new Pickwick Fellowship Award," said Terri Weaver, PhD, RN, Chair of ALA Board of Directors. "It is crucial that the health care community devote research to the area of sleep and respiratory disorders. Respiratory conditions like sleep apnea are serious and have become quite prevalent due to compromised health and lifestyle practices. Ongoing research is critical because there are strong links between respiratory disorders and other serious diseases like high blood pressure, heart attack, congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia and stroke."

The ALA/NSF Pickwick Fellowship Award is modeled after NSF's prestigious NSF Pickwick Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Sleep. Since 1995, the Fellowship has awarded funds to enable young researchers to devote full-time professional effort to mentored research in sleep or sleep disorders. The funding amount for the new ALA/NSF award is for two years, with the second year of support dependent on satisfactory progress in the first year. Applicants must conduct research in a U.S. institution. Application materials are now available via proposalCENTRAL with the deadline for submission on September 4, 2007. Applications will be reviewed by a joint committee of experts from both the ALA and NSF. Application information for the ALA/NSF Pickwick Fellowship Award is available at www.sleepfoundation.org/pickwick and www.lungusa.org.

"NSF is extremely pleased to partner with the American Lung Association on this research award," stated Barb Phillips, MD, MSPH, Chair of the NSF Board of Directors. "NSF already has a strong working relationship with the American Lung Association, and both organizations are committed to ensuring that the necessary research to learn more about the complex relationship between sleep and breathing is ongoing. This new partnership responds to the recommendations of many federal and other reports calling for more research opportunities in sleep for young researchers."

A formal award presentation will take place on March 3rd at NSF's Night of a Thousand Dreams Gala, which will be held in Washington DC during National Sleep Awareness Week®, March 3 â€" March 9, 2008. NSF has designated the week leading up to the return of Daylight Saving Time as National Sleep Awareness Week® (NSAW), when clocks "spring forward" and people throughout the country choose to lose an hour of needed sleep. Launched in 1998, NSAW is an opportunity for communities and organizations around the country to partner in drawing attention to the importance of quality sleep and the treatment of sleep problems for good health, productivity, and safety.

About the American Lung Association

Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, log on to www.lungusa.org.

NSF Background

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving greater understanding of sleep and sleep disorders. NSF furthers its mission through sleep-related education, research, and advocacy initiatives. NSF's membership includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine as well as other professionals in the health/medical/science fields, individuals, and more than 900 sleep clinics throughout North America that join the Foundation's Community Sleep Awareness Partners program.

NSF's financial support comes from a variety of diverse sources, including memberships, sales of educational materials, advertising, investment income, individual donations, subscriptions, and educational grants from foundations, federal agencies, and corporations including pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical companies. Corporate grants are accepted on an unrestricted basis only. NSF alone determines the ideas and content published or promoted in its educational programs. NSF relies on policies and official statements of government agencies, the published consensus of sleep and medical professionals and peer-reviewed, publicized evidence for its public health recommendations. A list of 2007 contributors can be found on NSF's Web site.

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