Congratulations to Prof. Alexander (Leggy) Arnold who was awarded an R21 award for $416,696 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science for their project “Medical countermeasures to chlorine exposure based on GABA(A) receptor targeting”. The proposed research will demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of one or more gamma aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABA(A)R) modulators in reducing acute lung injury (ALI) caused by inhaled chlorine. The research is significant because it supports the mission of the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) to address the nation’s medical response capabilities during chemical emergencies. Deliberate or accidental release of chlorine represents a serious threat for civilians, chemical industry workers and people involved in transport and distribution of chemicals. Medical countermeasures for chlorine exposure can be employed early in a disaster situation when medical support does not exist. To address this need, we propose to investigate inhaled and injected GABA(A)R ligands that have been shown to reduce lung inflammation and bronchospasm. These compounds act selectively on GABA(A)Rs expressed on peripheral (non-CNS) tissues due to their inability to cross the blood brain barrier.