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ROBERT G. OWENS MEMORIAL LEUKEMIA RESEARCH GRANT

Kids Beating Cancer

Named in honor of John’s grandfather, the Robert G. Owens Memorial Leukemia Research Grant aims to bring today’s leukemia discoveries to tomorrow’s cures. Our vision is to move pediatric cancer knowledge forward by developing new treatments for pediatric leukemia. The Robert G. Owens Memorial Leukemia grant funds basic-science pediatric leukemia research in a two-step format totaling up to $200,000 over two years. The aim of this award is to fund pediatric leukemia research, excluding AML.

Apply for the John Voight Memorial Leukemia Research Grant if your project is geared toward translational AML.

Tier 1: $100,000
- Goal: support basic-science pediatric leukemia research
- Research type: basic-science research
- Cancer type: leukemia
- Length: 1 year
Tier 2: $100,000
- Eligibility: Award 1 recipient with successful data
- Length: 1 year

Application Timeline

A letter of intent must be received by the submission deadline indicating interest in applying for the Robert G. Owens Memorial Leukemia Research Grant. If invited, a full proposal must be submitted by the specific cycle deadline that meets all Kids Beating Cancer guidelines and criteria to be accepted and reviewed by the Kids Beating Cancer Scientific Advisory Board. All Letters of Intent and applications must be received via Proposal Central.

Letter of Intent Submission Due Date: July 3, 2026
Invitation to Apply notification: September 4, 2026
Proposal Submission: October 16, 2026
Grant award notification: December 2026 – January 2027

AI Based Application Success Predictor

🧒 1. Strong Focus on Pediatric Cancer (Non-Negotiable)

Projects must directly address:
- Childhood cancers
Strong emphasis on:
- Patients undergoing bone marrow / stem cell transplantation

👉 Adult oncology or indirect pediatric relevance → low success probability

🩸 2. Emphasis on Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy (Top Predictor)

Core mission includes:
- Advancing blood and marrow transplant (BMT) care
High-priority areas:
- Transplant outcomes
- Donor matching
- Post-transplant complications

👉 BMT-focused proposals have the highest success rates

🎯 3. Clear Clinical Impact & Survival Benefit (Critical)

Successful proposals:

Demonstrate:
- Improved survival or treatment success
Focus on:
- Cure rates
- Reducing relapse
- Improving transplant success

👉 Key question:
“Will this help more children survive cancer?”

🔄 4. Translational & Clinical Research Focus

Preference for:
- Directly applicable research
Includes:
- Clinical protocols
- Translational immunotherapy
- Supportive care strategies

👉 Pure basic science is less competitive unless clearly linked to treatment

⚡ 5. Addressing High-Risk or Relapsed Pediatric Cancers

Priority given to:
- Hard-to-treat cases
Includes:
- Relapsed leukemia
- Rare pediatric malignancies

👉 High unmet need = higher success probability

🚀 6. Innovation in Treatment Approaches

Encourages:
- Novel therapies
- Improved transplant techniques
- Immunotherapy approaches

👉 Innovation must be clinically actionable

👩‍⚕️ 7. Clinical Environment & Investigator Capability

Strong preference for:
- Investigators affiliated with:
  - Pediatric oncology centers
  - Transplant programs

👉 Access to patients and infrastructure is critical

🤝 8. Collaboration with Clinical Programs & Networks

Successful proposals often involve:
- Multidisciplinary teams
- Clinical collaborators

👉 Team-based care and research strengthen proposals

🧪 9. Feasible, Patient-Focused Study Design

Funding is typically:
- Small to moderate scale
Projects must be:
- Practical
- Deliverable within timeframe

👉 Overly complex proposals are often rejected

📊 10. Direct Benefit to Patients & Families

Unique emphasis on:
- Holistic care and patient support
Includes:
- Quality of life
- Access to treatment

👉 Family-centered outcomes are valued

📊 Summary: Key Predictors (Ranked)

Highest impact factors:

Pediatric cancer focus
Bone marrow transplant relevance
Clinical survival impact

Moderate predictors:
4. Translational relevance
5. High-risk cancer focus
6. Innovation

Supporting factors:
7. Clinical environment
8. Collaboration
9. Feasibility

💡 Insider Insight

Compared to other pediatric cancer funders:

Kids Beating Cancer is:
👉 highly clinical + transplant-focused
👉 strongly oriented toward immediate patient benefit

👉 Key evaluation question:
“Will this improve survival and outcomes for children undergoing cancer treatment—especially transplant?”

✔️ What wins:

BMT/immunotherapy-focused research
High-risk pediatric cancer projects
Clear survival or outcome benefit

❌ What struggles:

Pure basic science
Non-clinical or indirect impact
Weak feasibility

Specialties

Cancer

Pediatrics

Eligibility Requirements

Research must be original, novel and focus on pediatric leukemia, with an emphasis on AML.
Authors must submit original work that has not been previously published; or, if previously submitted abstracts from recent prominent research conferences, such as ASPHO, ASH, ASCO, or AACR, there must be a noted significant change or advancement to the research to be eligible.
Applicants MAY be involved in other research grants, but there must be clear documentation of mechanisms to avoid scientific and/or budgetary overlap.
Research institutions must be based in the United States and must have nonprofit or academic status.
Applicants must have an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD or equivalent and be appointed as faculty (or equivalent) at an academic institution. Post doctoral researchers are eligible to apply.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Kids Beating Cancer

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 1720 Lee Road, Winter Park, FL 32789 Tel: 407.894.2888 Toll-Free Number: 866.800.HOPE (4673)

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