# Patient-Oriented Research and Mentoring in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

> **NIH NIH K24** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $123,253

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The candidate, Sung Won Choi MD MS, is a physician-scientist who has developed a career in patient-oriented
research (POR). She is an active clinical pediatric oncologist who focuses on treating life-threatening blood
diseases with novel immune-based therapies, such as allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Despite
the potentially curative intent of HCT, its broader application has been limited by acute graft-versus host disease
(GVHD). Unfortunately, acute GVHD can negatively impact clinical and health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
outcomes and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Dr. Choi’s research program has focused on designing
innovative clinical trials to mitigate acute GVHD by incorporating biological, clinical, and psychosocial correlative
studies and leveraging modern mobile health technologies to further enhance care delivery. Thus, her research
program provides a unique training opportunity for early stage investigators interested in POR, which is
complemented by the following outstanding resources at the University of Michigan: (1) NHLBI T32 Training
Grant in Hematology (T32 HL007622); (2) Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) | Clinical
and Translational Science Award (UL1TR002240); (3) Clinical Trials Support Unit; and (4) School of Public
Health. This ideal training environment will allow young, clinical investigators to develop and gain new skills in
clinical trials design, qualitative and quantitative research methods, communication and presentation skills,
manuscript and grant writing, professional growth, individual development plans, team science projects, ethical
conduct of research, and protection of human subjects. Indeed, this rich environment has influenced Dr. Choi’s
overall career goal of designing rigorous POR studies, mentoring the next generation of POR investigators, and
together with her mentees, making meaningful contributions to the clinical and HRQOL outcomes of family
caregivers and HCT patients through joint productive activity. In this application, Dr. Choi proposes didactic
courses and group discussions coupled with experiential training in her currently funded research projects: in a
phase I/II clinical trial, to test the safety and efficacy of a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor to prevent acute
GVHD in pediatric HCT (Aim 1); in a mobile health randomized trial, to examine the effectiveness of Roadmap
2.0, a positive psychology intervention in family caregivers of HCT patients (Aim 2). Dr. Choi will also develop
new research directions by generating preliminary data for a future, full-scale just-in-time adaptive intervention
(JITAI) to promote physical and mental HRQOL in family caregivers of HCT patients (Aim 3). This new research
direction is a logical extension of Aim 2. Thus, these projects will collectively provide Dr. Choi’s trainees with
unique experiences in: i) multidisciplinary team science; ii) designing, conducting, and analyzing pharmaceut...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175641
- **Project number:** 1K24HL156896-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** SUNG WON CHOI
- **Activity code:** K24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $123,253
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175641

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175641, Patient-Oriented Research and Mentoring in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (1K24HL156896-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175641. Licensed CC0.

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