# Career Enhancement Program

> **NIH NIH P50** · BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE · 2020 · $117,509

## Abstract

The primary aim of the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) is to attract and train exceptional
investigators at City of Hope and University of Alabama Birmingham in conducting outstanding
lymphoma translational research. Both junior and established researchers who desire to focus
or refocus on lymphoma may participate. Two individuals are supported every year, for up to
two years. Recruitment of investigators who wish to pursue a career in lymphoma research may
also take place. SPORE has budgeted direct costs of $50,000 per year, with additional yearly
contributions from City of Hope and UAB of $100,000 and $25,000, respectively. Investigators
can use funds for salary support for protected research time, personnel and supplies, and
meeting and training expenses. Drs. Stephen Forman, Alexandra Levine, and Smita Bhatia,
collectively representing extensive mentoring experience, lead the CEP. They will direct the
process of selecting trainees, providing advice and feedback, and coordinating an annual
review. Program announcements are widely disseminated through various media to ensure
awareness. A sustained, concerted effort will be made to attract women and minority
candidates. Applicants are reviewed on the basis of their qualifications, the scientific merit and
feasibility of their proposed project, and the potential for meaningful interaction with the other
projects and cores within the SPORE. Trainees are to select mentors among senior faculty or
SPORE members; the Career Enhancement Committee must approve the choice and is
available for assisting the matching process. Trainees submit a written progress report twice
annually, detailing relevant work to date and manuscripts and presentations that arose from
their research. Awardees present their research at the annual SPORE retreat. The External
Advisory Board evaluates progress and seeks solutions to points of concern if necessary.
Previous CEP recipients have been greatly productive. Dr. Xiuli Wang conducted highly
promising research on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells redirected with dual specificity
for cytomegalovirus and CD19; this investigation has been promoted to a full project within the
current SPORE. Dr. Elizabeth Budde performed studies that led to a CAR T cell trial directed
against CD123 in acute myeloid leukemia, and she is now the clinical lead in Project 4 of the
SPORE. Dr. Alex Herrera, now a basic SPORE leader in Project 3, has made significant
progress studying biomarkers and outcome in patients who undergo cellular therapies; two main
translational research projects are ongoing. We anticipate that the new class of investigators will
continue the tradition of performing cutting-edge, transformative lymphoma research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998912
- **Project number:** 5P50CA107399-13
- **Recipient organization:** BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen J Forman
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $117,509
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2004-09-02 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998912, Career Enhancement Program (5P50CA107399-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998912. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*