# Pediatric Oncology Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $82,883

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY – Pediatric Oncology (PO) Program
The Pediatric Oncology (PO) Program of the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) discovers, develops and
translates novel therapeutic approaches to improve cure rates and reduce acute and long-term toxicities in
children with cancer. Established in 1992, the Program has the overall goal to change the standard of care for
children with cancer in the US and across the world. Scientific aims are: 1) Characterize molecular
mechanisms of childhood cancers and predisposition for risk evaluation and precision therapies; 2) Further
develop innovative cell therapies for hematologic malignancies to improve cure rates and minimize the use of
allogeneic stem cell transplantation; and 3) Identify targets in high risk and relapsed solid tumors and develop
new therapies for these challenging tumors. The Program is led by Stephan Grupp, MD, PhD, Professor of
Pediatrics, Chief of the Cell Therapy and Transplant Section and Medical Director of the Cell and Gene
Therapy Laboratory, and Kai Tan, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics. Dr. Grupp is a world leader in
cellular therapy, immunotherapy and translational research. Dr. Tan is a leading researcher in cancer
genomics and systems biology. They provide translational and transdisciplinary leadership for 35 Program
members, who form a dynamic community of investigators from three Departments in the Perelman School of
Medicine. The Program has integrated basic, translational, and clinical research components, with a diverse
group of investigators who have expertise in cancer genomics, cell biology and signal transduction, tumor
immunology and immunotherapy, drug development, clinical pharmacology, epidemiology, clinical research,
cancer control, survivorship, and behavioral oncology. Members collaborate within Pediatric Oncology, and
with the Cancer Control, Cancer Therapeutics, Tumor Biology, Hematologic Malignancies, and Immunobiology
Programs. Clinical investigations are robust, with 1,156 accruals to interventional trials and 2,946 to non-
interventional trials in the current funding period. Members engage in research that is relevant to major
pediatric cancer issues within our catchment area, and are highly engaged in educational activities across
Penn and beyond. Most notably in the current funding period, PO members worked collaboratively with
members of other Programs to develop CD19-targeted CAR-T cells (tisagenlecleucel), taking the first CAR-T
therapy to FDA approval for children and young adults with ALL. Other accomplishments include advances for
targeted therapy of pediatric leukemia, discovery of novel cancer pathways in neuroblastoma and gliomas, and
two new FDA approved drugs for pediatric solid tumors. Program members also play major leadership roles in
the national pediatric cooperative groups. Program members have $15.1M in annual grant funding (direct), of
which $9M is peer-reviewed and $6.3M is NCI-funded. The Program holds 21 R01 equivalents. There we...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10773000
- **Project number:** 5P30CA016520-48
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHAN A. GRUPP
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $82,883
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-01-15 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10773000

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10773000, Pediatric Oncology Program (5P30CA016520-48). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10773000. Licensed CC0.

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