Los Angeles, CA, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lung Cancer Foundation of America (LCFA) is pleased to welcome Radiation Oncologist Dr. Drew Moghanaki to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Moghanaki is the Chief of Thoracic Oncology and a Professor of Radiation Oncology at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California, where he leads efforts in lung cancer treatment and research.
Through LCFA’s ‘Breath of Honor’ campaign, Dr. Moghanaki has championed lung cancer screening among veterans, who face higher diagnosis rates due to exposures that came as a result of their service. Beyond advocacy, he has helped secure over $50 million for early detection and clinical trials within the VA, including initiatives like VA-PALS and the VALOR trial. His leadership will be invaluable to LCFA’s SAB as it works to further its mission of research and awareness.
“As a Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Moghanaki provides an important skill set integral to various treatment opportunities available to lung cancer patients. He has also been working extensively with LCFA in our efforts to increase screening awareness within the Veteran community. His experience and expertise will add invaluable perspective to our mission”, said LCFA co-founder and president Kim Norris.
The SAB volunteers their time and expertise to:
- Further LCFA’s mission through scientific and intellectual leadership
- Consider and advise on proposals for new lung cancer research programs
- Guide and advice on LCFA’s research investment
- Provide grant review assessment
- Help determine research programs and ideas that will further the accomplishment of the LCFA’s mission
- Supports efforts to attract top researchers to the field of lung cancer research
LCFA has funded 22 early career researchers, awarding $4.4 million in research grants. These researchers have gone on to secure follow-on funding from key sources such as the NCI, achieving a 10-times return on LCFA’s initial investment, reaching a total of $43 million as of December 2024. These strategic investments have led to significant breakthroughs that have directly improved patient care and survival rates.
About UCLA Health
UCLA Health is comprised of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (520 beds); the Mattel Children’s Hospital (131 beds); the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA (74 beds); the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica (281 beds); the UCLA West Valley Medical Center (260 beds); UCLA Health Clinics; UCLA Faculty Group; the David Geffen School of Medicine; and a state-of-the-art behavioral health campus coming to the mid-Wilshire area in 2026. Additionally, the Westwood campus includes the Jules Stein Eye Institute and Doris Stein Eye Research Center, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior Neuropsychiatric Institute, and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of over 70 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. Outpatient facilities include a six-story, 380,000-square-foot ambulatory care center housing the Family Health Center for primary care of routine illnesses; clinics providing state-of-the-art outpatient treatments for complex cancers; Internal Medicine clinics; a Surgery Center which enables patients to go home the same day following many types of surgical procedures; and a 104,000 square foot building housing the outpatient, training and research programs of the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital and the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. This building also houses the UCLA Medical Center rehabilitation program. UCLA Health boasts 3,500 clinical and basic science faculty, 1,460 residents and fellows, and 5,100 registered nurses, part of a net total of 34,600 employees. More than 300 UCLA physicians are listed among the best doctors in America, with many ranked as Super Doctors. Altogether, UCLA Health hospitals and clinics have over 3.6 million annual outpatient visits, with over 787,000 unique patients per year, and UCLA Health sustains 38,500 hospital stays and 79,500 Emergency Department visits per year. A unique feature of UCLA is the presence of the Center for the Health Sciences (CHS) complex (one of the largest health-science centers in the country) that includes a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Nursing, School of Public Health, and California NanoSystems Institute on the same campus as the Division of Life Sciences and 7 other professional schools. This centralized complex ensures that all UCLA investigators have offices and/or a lab well within close walking distance.
For more information, please visit the UCLA Health website
About Lung Cancer Foundation of America
LCFA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating lung cancer through research, education, and support programs. Committed to improving patient outcomes and raising awareness, LCFA funds innovative research projects, conducts educational initiatives, and advocates for increased resources for lung cancer research
To learn more about Lung Cancer Foundation of America, please visit LCFAmerica.org
- Dr. Drew Moghanaki
- Lung Cancer Foundation of America