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'A' Award Grants

The 'A' Award is designed for the early independent career scientist who wants to establish a career in pediatric oncology research. The ideal candidate has an original project, can demonstrate outstanding career development support from the institution, and has a strong future commitment to pediatric cancer investigation. These awards are open to MD, MD/PhD and PhD applicants who are within ten years of their terminal degree and five years of their first faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor at the time that their application is submitted. The 'A' Award offers up to $200,000 per year for four years.

In 2022 the 'A' Awards do not allow for applicants to have NIH funding as it has previously.  However, we are pleased to launch the R Accelerated Award for researchers who have received a pediatric cancer focused NIH R01 Award or equivalent (eg ACS) within the last five years and have an original project which will accelerate the discovery of more effective, less toxic therapy for children with cancer. Read more about this opportunity and view the guidelines.

>> Download the 2025 'A' Award Grant Guidelines

Mechanisms of PAX3-FOXO1 and HES3 Cooperation in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and has no targeted treatment options. The most aggressive forms of rhabdomyosarcoma are caused when pieces of two chromosomes break off and fuse together and create an abnormal protein called PAX3-FOXO1. This new protein turns on and off hundreds–if not thousands–of genes, transforming a normal cell into a cancer cell.  The exact mechanism of how PAX3-FOXO1 accomplishes this is unknown and insight into this process is hindered by the lack of models.

Principal Investigator Name: 

Genevieve Kendall, PhD

Project Title: 

Mechanisms of PAX3-FOXO1 and HES3 Cooperation in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Year Awarded: 

2018

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

Role of Primary Cilium Signaling and Dynamics in Medulloblastoma Initiation and Progression

Background: Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor affecting children and comprises ~33% of pediatric brain cancers. Medulloblastoma is a tumor originating in the cerebellum and most of these tumors arise from unregulated proliferation of cerebellar granule cells. Current treatment strategies have not changed much over the years and are associated with high morbidity and mortality associated with recurrence. Thus, there is an urgent need for more effective and targeted therapies that reduce toxicity and prevent recurrence.

Principal Investigator Name: 

Saikat Mukhopadhyay, MD/PhD

Project Title: 

Role of Primary Cilium Signaling and Dynamics in Medulloblastoma Initiation and Progression

Year Awarded: 

2016

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

The Role of Inherited MLL3 Single Nucleotide Variants and Fetal Epigenetic Programming in Infant Leukemogenesis

Background: My goal is to improve treatments for infant leukemia patients and genetic counseling efforts for their families. To realize this goal, we will develop mouse models to study the interactions between MLL translocations (the most common mutation in infant leukemia) and inherited genetic variants that potentially predispose to infant leukemia – in this case variants in the MLL3 gene. Mice are the optimal model for these studies because they are genetically tractable and mouse blood development closely approximates human blood development. 

Principal Investigator Name: 

Jeffrey Magee, MD/PhD

Project Title: 

The Role of Inherited MLL3 Single Nucleotide Variants and Fetal Epigenetic Programming in Infant Leukemogenesis

Year Awarded: 

2016

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

Uncovering the Dysregulated RNA Binding Protein Network in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Genetic alterations and epigenetic mechanisms can alter the balance of normal blood development resulting in hematological malignancies. Acute myeloid leukemia represents approximately 20% of all childhood leukemias. Despite a better prognosis for childhood leukemia compared to adults, 30% of children eventually fail to respond to therapy. An altered differentiation program that is accompanied by uncontrolled cell growth defines these leukemias.

Principal Investigator Name: 

Michael Kharas, PhD

Project Title: 

Uncovering the Dysregulated RNA Binding Protein Network in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Year Awarded: 

2016

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

Engineering the CAR T Cells to Overcome Tumor Derived Immune-Inhibition in Glioblastoma

Background: Outcome for children with glioblastoma (GBM) is extremely poor. It is highly resistant to conventional methods of cancer treatment and less than 16% of children survive more than five years after diagnosis. In addition, aggressive combined therapy causes significant harm. Recent advancements in cancer immunotherapy have enabled us to genetically engineer patients' own T cells to express artificial molecules called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that specifically recognize the GBM-associated protein, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).

Principal Investigator Name: 

Meenakshi Hegde, MD

Project Title: 

Engineering the CAR T Cells to Overcome Tumor Derived Immune-Inhibition in Glioblastoma

Year Awarded: 

2016

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Background

Approximately 50% of children with neuroblastoma have an aggressive and high-risk form of the disease. Despite intensive surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the survival rate for these patients is unacceptably low (<40%). This need for fundamentally new approaches to combat NB motivates the objectives of this project.

Principal Investigator Name: 

John Wilson, PhD

Project Title: 

Inside-Out Immunotherapy: Combating Neuroblastoma via Nanoparticle-Directed Reprogramming of the Tumor Microenvironment

Year Awarded: 

2015

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Background

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is one of the most aggressive pediatric brain cancers. We do not understand why it is so aggressive. Unlike many cancers, it has only one recurrent mutation (in the INI1 gene). Our group has identified in ATRT increased expression of a gene called LIN28, which can regulate many other genes. When we suppress LIN28, ATRT cancer cells die.

Project Goal

Principal Investigator Name: 

Eric Raabe, MD, PhD

Project Title: 

Targeting the LIN28 Pathway in ATRT

Year Awarded: 

2015

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

Targeting protein synthesis in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer that affects around 500 children in the US every year. While many children initially respond well to treatment, unfortunately, over 30 percent experience the cancer coming back, which in many cases is fatal. Recent research has shown that not all leukemia cells are the same. There's a small group of cells within the cancer called leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are unique and can survive treatment, leading to the cancer returning.

Principal Investigator Name: 

Courtney Jones, PhD

Project Title: 

Targeting protein synthesis in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Year Awarded: 

2024

Cancer Research Category: 

Category of Grant: 

Medical, Nurse Researcher, Quality of LIfe: 

Institution: 

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