Asthma Canada and CAAIF Award $150,000 in Asthma Research Funding

Researchers from Queen’s University and University of Alberta Awarded Asthma Research Grants

TORONTO,, ONTARIO, CANADA, November 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Asthma Canada and the Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation (CAAIF) are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Research Grants for Asthma Innovation & Impact. Providing up to $150,000 to drive cutting-edge discoveries, these research grants have been awarded to Dr. Anne Ellis of Queen’s University and Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis of the University of Alberta.

The goal of these grants is to drive innovation in asthma research, spark new treatments, improve quality of life for people with asthma, and strengthen the link between research and patient care.

“Asthma research has been neglected and underfunded for years,” said Jeffrey Beach, President & CEO of Asthma Canada. “These research grants are a key component of Asthma Canada’s five-year strategy to accelerate research breakthroughs and help improve the lives of the 4.8 million people in Canada living with asthma.”

“This is an important milestone for asthma research in Canada,” said Dr. Susan Waserman, President, CAAIF. “However, we must build on this momentum. Continued investment in research is essential to expand on this success and improve outcomes for people living with asthma.”
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(1) Asthma Innovation Grant Recipient: Dr. Anne Ellis, Professor, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University, for her research project entitled: TEZepelumab in Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Study (TEZARS): An Open-Label Exploratory Mechanistic Pilot Study

Allergic rhinitis affects up to 80% of people with asthma, and both conditions are linked to high levels of TSLP, an immune-activating protein. Dr. Ellis’s study will test whether tezepelumab, which blocks TSLP, can reduce nasal symptoms and inflammation in people with both asthma and allergic rhinitis. This work bridges basic immunology and clinical research, advancing Canada’s leadership in translational allergy research and providing critical insights to guide future clinical trial design in this population.

“This funding has allowed us to expand upon the important biomarker outcomes we wished to ideally obtain from this study but had insufficient funds to do so,” said Dr. Anne Ellis. “It will also guarantee that we make it to the finish line for recruitment and study completion.”
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(2) Asthma Impact Grant Recipient: Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis, Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, for his project entitled: Monocytes Orchestrate Airway Inflammation in Human Asthma

Asthma involves lung inflammation driven by immune cells such as eosinophils. Dr. Vliagoftis’s study will investigate the role of monocytes, which may be the first cells to arrive in the lungs during asthma flare-ups and recruit eosinophils, with the goal of identifying ways to block their accumulation and develop new treatments.

“Thanks to Asthma Canada's generous support, this award will enable my laboratory to advance our innovative research on the role of monocytes in human asthma, bringing us closer to potential new therapeutic options,” said Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis.

“The Department of Medicine values partnerships with organizations like Asthma Canada that champion the advancement of respiratory health research. This grant strengthens our shared commitment to improving the lives of people affected by asthma,” said Dr. Narmin Kassam, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta.
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Asthma Canada and CAAIF thank all applicants for their submissions. Competition for these grants was exceptionally strong, with high-quality proposals received from across Canada.

Over the coming year, additional funding opportunities will open, including the Early Career Research Awards in Asthma (deadline: December 3, 2025, 11:59 p.m.), offering up to $100,000 to support early-stage independent researchers. In early 2026, the Graduate Student Research Awards in Asthma will open, providing two PhD awards ($30,000 each) and two MSc awards ($15,000) to support the next generation of asthma researchers. More information is available on Asthma Canada’s website.

About Asthma Canada:
Asthma Canada is the only national healthcare charity solely dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with asthma and respiratory allergies. For 50 years, Asthma Canada has proudly served as the national voice for people in Canada living with asthma. Our mission is to help people living with asthma lead healthy lives through education, advocacy, and research. Our vision is a future without asthma. For more information, please visit asthma.ca.

About the Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation (CAAIF):
The Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation (CAAIF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 to improve the quality of life of Canadians by supporting allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology research. Our mission is to invest in high-quality Canadian research to better prevent and treat allergy, asthma, and immunologic diseases. For more information, please visit allergyfoundation.ca.

About Asthma in Canada:
• Over 4.8 million people are living with asthma in Canada
• Including over 900,000 children under 19 and over 900,000 adults over 65
• As many as 465,000 people living with asthma in Canada have severe asthma
• Including over 45,000 children under 19
• Asthma is Canada’s third most common chronic disease
• Over 300 families lose a loved one to asthma each year
• $4.2 billion is the expected annual cost of asthma to the Canadian economy by 2030
• 317 people are diagnosed with asthma every day in Canada
• 80,000 visits are made to the emergency room each year because of asthma attacks
• Some people in Canada are hit harder by asthma; it is 40% more prevalent among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities than the general population.

About Asthma Canada’s National Research Program
Asthma Canada proudly invests in the future of asthma research through three impactful funding streams: the Research Grant for Asthma Innovation & Impact, the Graduate Student Awards in Asthma, and the Early Career Research Awards in Asthma.
Since its creation, this program has provided over $800,000 in asthma research funding to more than 30 researchers across Canada and aims to have secured over $2 million by 2030.

Pauric Keegan
Asthma Canada
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