Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is wrapping up another year of innovative pediatric oncology research. In 2024, ALSF was able to fund 118 new research grants. Grants are awarded to up-and-coming scientists, students in training to become researchers, and highly accomplished, late-career investigators with innovative products. 

Dr. Jessica Tsai received an ‘A’ Award to study a mutation that drives the development of a deadline brain tumor called DIPG. Tsai has already made major contributions to the study of DIPG using an ALSF Young Investigator grant she received in 2020. Dr. Tsai has been in the difficult position of delivering devastating news to parents that their child’s brain tumor is rare, research and data are lacking, no standard treatment is known to work, and the prognosis is poor. 

“As I say that out loud as a clinician, my scientist brain asks what the heck? I can’t believe I am saying this,” she said. Tsai knows that research works and with her grant, Tsai’s lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will work to find new approaches to turning off that mutation and hopefully, giving hope to kids so desperate for cures. 

Across the country, other ALSF grantees are working to find cures, too.  ALSF awarded the following grants in 2024:

R Accelerated Award Grants
This grant provides funding to scientists focused on research in pediatric oncology that support ALSF’s mission to find cures and better treatments for childhood cancers. 

Reach Grants 
This award is designed to move research toward the clinic, providing support for an unmet clinical need relevant to the care of patients with pediatric cancer.

“A’ Award Grants
The 'A' Award is designed for the early independent career scientist who wants to establish a career in pediatric oncology research.

Innovation Grants
These grants are designed to provide critical and significant seed funding for experienced investigators with a new and promising approach to finding causes and cures for childhood cancers.

Young Investigator Grants
Young Investigator grants are designed to fill the critical need for startup funds for less experienced researchers to pursue promising research ideas. These grants encourage and cultivate the best and brightest researchers of the future and lead to long-term research projects. 

RARE Grant Program (Research Accelerating RUNX1 Exploration) 
The Research Accelerating RUNX1 Exploration Grant is a two-year award designed to fund research that will lead to the development of therapies for patients with RUNX1-FPD, a rare mutation. 

Pediatric Oncology Student Training (POST) Program
The Pediatric Oncology Student Training (POST) Program is designed for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students who have an interest in pediatric oncology research and would like to experience the field firsthand. Students train with a pediatric oncology research mentor.

Give Now and Help Children with Cancer Right Now.
Your gift to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation funds critical research to discover more breakthroughs in treatment, expand access to clinical trials across the country, and support families as they face a childhood cancer diagnosis.

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