Protected time and project funding play a critical role in supporting early-career investigators as they pursue innovative research. Mohanraj Sadasivam, PhD, a researcher in the lab of Craig T Morita, MD, PhD recently secured this support after being selected for the American Lung Association (ALA) Research Institute Team and earning a Catalyst Research Award to study a novel immunotherapy approach for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Mohanraj Sadasivam to the American Lung Association Research Institute to help us achieve our mission of a world free of lung disease,” ALA President and CEO Harold Wimmer said. “More than 35 million Americans live with lung disease, and as we face new challenges with federal funding shifts and evolving research priorities, lung health research is more important than ever.”
Sadasivam’s project evaluates a new bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) immunotherapy. BiTE therapies demonstrate promise for people with SCLC by directing the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells—however, they can cause serious side effects. The BiTE therapy Sadasivam will study targets DLL3, a protein found on lung cancer cells but not on healthy tissue. DLL3 activates immune cells known as gamma delta (γδ) T cells, which may reduce the toxicity typically associated with conventional T cell therapies while improving treatment effectiveness.
Sadasivam is among only 130 other researchers currently funded by the ALA for promising, innovative, and impactful work. In 2025, the Lung Association invested a total of $22 million in research across the country, supporting projects that address a wide range of lung health challenges including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and more.
“Receiving the Catalyst Award from the American Lung Association is an important milestone in advancing safer and more effective immunotherapies for small cell lung cancer,” Sadasivam said. “I am grateful for this support as it allows us to pursue innovative research that may one day improve outcomes for patients facing this aggressive disease.”
Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the American Lung Association through a Catalyst Research Award. Dr. Sadasivam gratefully acknowledges Dr. Craig T. Morita for mentorship and scientific guidance and Dr. Gloria Lee for valuable insight and support. Institutional and departmental support from the University of Iowa is also acknowledged.