Dr. Haley Newman, an attending physician at the Cancer Center of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has been awarded the Young Investigator Award from Hyundai Hope on Wheels. The recognition comes with a $300,000 grant to support research focused on pediatric cancer.
Currently, risk classification based on clinical and genomic factors has improved outcomes for many pediatric cancers by identifying high-risk patients who need intensified therapy while reducing unnecessary treatment for those at lower risk. However, for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL), no such classifiers are in use in clinical practice.
“Relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma remains a leading cause of cancer death in children,” said Dr. Newman. “Clinically useful risk prediction models are urgently needed to prevent more children from relapsing and dying of T-ALL and T-LBL. Thanks to this grant, we will be able to conduct more research in this space, aiming to enhance risk prediction modeling and improve outcomes for children with T-ALL and T-LBL.”
The research funded by the grant aims to improve understanding of the biological differences between T-ALL and T-LBL and develop validated risk prediction models. It also seeks to address disparities in outcomes by including genetic ancestry as a factor in these models.
“I would like to thank Hyundai for their continued support and commitment to pediatric cancer so that CHOP researchers can develop better treatments to improve outcomes and reduce toxicity,” Dr. Newman added.
“Hyundai Hope on Wheels is proud to support top hospitals like Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia by funding research that advances pediatric cancer care,” said John Guastaferro, Executive Director, Hyundai Hope on Wheels. “We appreciate our partners nationwide for their shared dedication to ending childhood cancer.”
Hyundai Hope on Wheels has contributed over $8 million in funding to CHOP’s Cancer Center.
