FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2026
Media Contact:
Shannon Phillips
Abshire Public Relations
770-833-5325
pr@abshirepr.com
For many childhood cancers, progress has transformed what was once considered impossible. For others, children are still waiting.
SAVANNAH, Ga. — CURE Childhood Cancer is investing $5.7 million in research grants aimed at changing the outlook for children facing some of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers. The 2026 funding will support 18 projects at leading institutions across the country, advancing new therapies, precision medicine approaches, and treatment strategies designed to improve outcomes for children with limited options today.
The investment comes at a time when childhood cancer researchers continue to face significant funding challenges despite extraordinary scientific opportunity. More than 200 proposals were submitted for consideration, reflecting both the urgency of the need and the remarkable innovation taking place across the field. All proposals underwent rigorous review by CURE’s Peer Review Committee, comprised of practicing pediatric oncologists and academic researchers.
“Our goal is not simply to fund excellent science,” said Kristin Connor, CEO of CURE Childhood Cancer. “We are intentionally investing in opportunities that have the potential to improve outcomes for children facing the cancers that remain the most difficult to cure. These are the children and families who need progress most urgently.”
CURE’s 2026 research grant portfolio targets some of pediatric oncology’s greatest challenges, including relapsed and treatment-resistant leukemias, aggressive brain tumors, neuroblastoma, sarcomas, and other high-risk childhood cancers. Selected researchers are developing next-generation immunotherapies, advancing targeted treatment strategies, overcoming drug resistance, and moving promising discoveries closer to clinical testing. Together, the portfolio reflects a deliberate focus on accelerating progress in areas of greatest need and where research has the potential to reach children most quickly.
While childhood cancer survival has improved significantly over the past several decades, outcomes remain unacceptably poor for many children diagnosed with high-risk or relapsed disease. For these families, better treatments cannot come soon enough. The therapies helping children today exist because researchers were given the resources to pursue bold ideas years ago.
“Every breakthrough begins as an idea,” Connor said. “Our responsibility is to identify the most promising opportunities and help move them forward. We cannot predict which project will lead to the next major advance, but we know progress only happens when great science has the chance to become something more.”
Through this year’s investments, CURE is accelerating discoveries that could ultimately lead to new therapies, new clinical trials, and new hope for children facing cancer.
“Every child deserves better options,” continued Connor. “And every child deserves the chance to benefit from the progress still to come.”
CURE’s 2026 Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative includes the following studies:
Translation to Clinic Awards (Two-year grants of $330,000 each)
Baylor College of Medicine
- Eveline Barbieri, MD, Ph.D. – Targeting neutral lipogenesis in MYCN-driving neuroblastoma
Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope
- Bin Zhang, MD, Ph.D. – Developing novel miR-142-armored anti-CD19 CAR T cells to target B-ALL
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Jessica Pollard, MD – Phase I study of Azacitidine and Venetoclax for children, adolescents and young adults with high-risk myeloid disease
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Soheil Meshinchi, MD, Ph.D. – Development and translational evaluation of CLELC2A-directed ADCs for KMT2A-r acute myeloid leukemia
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Linda Resar, MD – Targeting resistance to menin inhibitors in KMTA2A-r acute myeloid leukemia
Massachusetts General Hospital
- David Langenau, Ph.D. – Metastasis and cell state plasticity in rhabdomyosarcoma
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- David Daniels, MD, Ph.D. – Advancing local drug therapy for pediatric diffuse midline glioma through precision infusion and drug efflux modulation
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Iannis Aifantis, Ph.D.– Targeting antigenic escape to strengthen immunotherapies in pediatric leukemia and lymphoma
Seattle Children’s Hospital
- Mignon Loh, MD – Moving affinity-tuned t cell engagers for dual targeting of leukemia closer to clinical trials
Texas A&M University Health Science Center
- Yun Huang, Ph.D. – Molecular targeting of MiT fusion proteins in translocation renal cell carcinoma (tRCC)
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
- Kathleen Sakamoto, MD, Ph.D. – Targeting CREB:CBP interaction for treatment of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia
The Regents of the University of California, San Diego
- Shweta Joshi, Ph.D. – Overcoming macrophage-mediated resistance to boost chemotherapy in neuroblastoma
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Samuel John, MD – Dual targeting lymphoid and myeloid antigens by a novel switch adaptor protein for LS acute leukemia
Yale University
- Juan Vasquez, MD – Preclinical efficacy of novel ph-sensitive peptide-drug conjugate in pediatric sarcoma and biomarkers of response
Early Investigators (Two-year grants of $220,00 each)
Baylor College of Medicine
- Gengwen Tian, MD, Ph.D. – Enhancing GD2.CAR-NKT anti-tumor efficacy against neuroblastoma and tumor microenvironment through targeting PRDM1 and ZBTB7B
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Francesca Alvarez Calderon, MD, Ph.D. – Engineering TCR-T Cells to overcome trafficking barriers in Ewing sarcoma
Emory University
- Kelsey Jonus, Ph.D. – Development of targeted cell therapy approaches for ATRX mutant neuroblastoma
Seattle Children’s Hospital
- Catherine Carbone, Ph.D. – Rewiring neuroblastoma immune circuits with tumor arrays
About CURE Childhood Cancer
Founded in 1975, Atlanta, Georgia-based CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research while supporting patients and their families. With cancer as the second leading cause of death in children, CURE dedicates millions annually to specific research projects aimed at curing cancers that affect children. Through innovative programming,CURE Childhood Cancer also provides crisis-oriented support to patients and their families, addressing their most critical and urgent needs. For more information visit www.curechildhoodcancer.org.