2026 LUNG AMBITION AWARDS SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN

$100,000 CAD available to Canadian researchers addressing key gaps in lung cancer care

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - The 2026 Lung Ambition Awards – a Canadian-based lung cancer research award program – is now open for submissions. For the fourth time, the program will grant $100,000 to research teams working to improve the lives of people with lung cancer. All Canadian clinicians and researchers working in the lung cancer space (across the multi-disciplinary spectrum) are encouraged to apply.

A joint initiative between Lung Cancer Canada, The Lung Ambition Alliance and AstraZeneca Canada, the Lung Ambition Awards are designed to support research that addresses key gaps in lung cancer care and improves the patient pathway. Awards will be granted in any of the following key areas:

• Enhancing early detection – including research into methodologies like screening, incidental pulmonary nodules and blood-based testing, particularly for those individuals not meeting current screening criteria.
• Improving the timeliness and/or coordination of care – including ways in which institutions or healthcare systems can improve care along the patient pathway.
• Addressing disparities to improve equity – including identification of systemic barriers and ways to overcome them.

"Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest types of cancer in Canada and despite this, lung cancer research receives only a fraction of the research dollars of other cancers. This is in part due to stigma that compromises fundraising efforts," said Dr. Rosalyn Juergens, medical oncologist and President of Lung Cancer Canada. "Programs like the Lung Ambition Awards not only give the lung cancer community hope but offer a tangible way to focus efforts that improve patient outcomes."

Continued Support for Lung Cancer Research

Earlier this year, the Lung Ambition Awards partners announced the program would be extended for another three years. This commitment will invest more into Canadian lung cancer research, build on the program's established success and contribute to better patient outcomes.

Since the program launched in the fall of 2022, a total of $300,000 has been granted to six Canadian teams pursuing research across the continuum of lung cancer care, tackling the disease from end to end. This includes screening and early detection, diagnostics, surgery and metastatic disease.

• Dr. Anna McGuire of Vancouver General Hospital won a 2023 Lung Ambition Award of $50,000 for her team's research to advance lung cancer screening, focused on non-smoking risk factors.
  
  
• Dr. Alison Wallace of Dalhousie University won a 2023 Lung Ambition Award of $50,000 for her team's research to improve female patients' quality of life when undergoing lung cancer surgery.
  
  
• Dr. Fei Geng of McMaster University won a 2024 Lung Ambition Award for $50,000 for his team's work to revolutionize lung cancer screening via a new blood-based test aiming to detect more cancers earlier.
  
  
• Dr. Natasha Leighl of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre won a 2024 Lung Ambition Award of $50,000 for research that incorporates liquid biopsies (a simple blood draw) into care for patients with advanced lung cancer.
  
  
• Dr. Antoine Desilets of Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal won a 2025 Lung Ambition Award for $50,000 for research comparing DNA found in liquid biopsies with DNA from traditional tumour biopsies to test the sensitivity, specificity and concordance of the liquid biopsy.
  
  
• Dr. Emilian Olteanu of the BC Cancer Agency won a 2025 Lung Ambition Award for $50,000 for research testing the effectiveness of using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in lung cancer diagnosis.

Videos of each Lung Ambition Award recipient discussing their work can be found here.

"To achieve our goal of eliminating lung cancer as a cause of death we are working with organizations that share our ambition," said Marc Zarenda, Therapeutic Area Lead, Lung Cancer, AstraZeneca Canada.  "After three years of the Lung Ambition Awards, innovative Canadian research projects from leading centres across the country have been funded and we are excited to see what the next three years of the program brings."

As the program secretariate, Lung Cancer Canada will manage and administer the granting of the awards. AstraZeneca Canada has committed to fund the research award in the amount of $100,000 per year for six years.

Submissions for the Lung Ambition Awards will be accepted from November 3, 2025 to February 20, 2026. The review of submissions and selection of winners will be adjudicated solely by Lung Cancer Canada's Research Committee, and two winners (awarded $50,000 CAD each) will be chosen based on scientific merit, feasibility, and relevance to the Canadian lung cancer community. The Lung Ambition Award winners will be announced in Spring 2026.

Complete information about the Lung Ambition Awards and application guidelines can be found at www.lccresearch.ca.

About Lung Cancer in Canada

Lung cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and is the leading cause of death from cancer in this country.ⁱ In Canada, roughly two-thirds (70%) of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in stages III or IV where the disease has already spread locally or metastasizedⁱⁱ, resulting in poorer survival outcomes and the treatment goal is no longer curative (REF=1 Figure 11).ⁱⁱⁱ

In Canada, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 22% - significantly lower than prostate (91%), breast (89%) and colorectal (67%) cancers.^iv Despite its devastating impact, on average lung cancer receives a small fraction of the research dollars of other cancers, in part due to stigma that compromises fundraising efforts.^v

About the Lung Ambition Awards Partners

• Lung Cancer Canada is a registered national charity that serves as Canada's leading resource for lung cancer education, patient support, research and advocacy. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Lung Cancer Canada has a wide reach that includes both regional and pan-Canadian initiatives. Lung Cancer Canada is a member of the Global Lung Cancer Coalition and is the only national organization in Canada focused exclusively on lung cancer.
  
  
• AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a focus on the discovery, development, and commercialization of medicines that transform lives. AstraZeneca's core areas of scientific focus are Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic (CVRM) disease; Oncology; Rare Disease; Respiratory & Immunology; and Vaccine & Immune Therapies.
  
  
• The Lung Ambition Alliance is a global coalition, with cross-discipline partners in more than 50 countries dedicated to accelerating innovation and driving meaningful improvements for people with lung cancer. With the bold ambition to one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death, the Alliance is focused on three core areas: increasing screening & diagnosis; delivering innovative medicine; and enhancing the quality of care for lung cancer patients.

For more information about the Lung Ambition Awards, please contact Winky Yau at winky@lungcancercanada.ca

SOURCE Lung Cancer Canada