State Appropriation: $3,000,000

SCOPE

The Iowa Pediatric Cancer Research Program establishes and sustains a comprehensive pediatric cancer research program at the University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. The program is built around three integrated pillars: a Research Projects Program, a Pediatric Cancer Research Laboratory, and a Clinical Trials Program. Together, these components create a coordinated research pipeline that spans laboratory discovery, translational science, clinical application, and improvements in patient care. The program is intentionally connected with the University of Iowa and the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center so that scientific discoveries can move efficiently toward new treatments while clinical observations and unmet patient needs continue to inform research priorities.

The Research Projects Program provides funding for pediatric oncology research, including basic and translational work. Priority areas include immunotherapy, environmental exposures and cancer risk, health outcomes research, gene therapy, and cancer epidemiology. The Pediatric Cancer Research Laboratory provides scientific and research resources for disease-focused programs in hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and brain tumors, while also allowing new programs to emerge as pediatric cancer science evolves. The Clinical Trials Program supports investigator-initiated trials, Children’s Oncology Group, consortium and industry trials, clinical trials operations and management, and quality improvement and research implementation.

REVENUE

The State of Iowa has appropriated $3,000,000 per year to establish and sustain the Iowa Pediatric Cancer Research Program. This recurring state investment is intended to build a durable pediatric cancer research platform that can generate preliminary findings, attract additional extramural support, and expand access to innovative treatments for children with cancer in Iowa and beyond. By supporting research projects, a core laboratory, and clinical trials capacity, the appropriation is designed not only to fund individual research activities but also to position the program for long-term growth through external grants, foundation support, industry-sponsored trials, and national research collaborations.

EXPENDITURES

Program expenditures should align with the three-pillar structure. The Research Projects Program will support investigators pursuing promising hypotheses in pediatric oncology and related translational research areas. Pediatric Cancer Research Laboratory expenses will support research resources, scientific support, technologies, biospecimen collection, and disease-focused research programs in hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and brain tumors, as well as emerging “Paths to Programs” opportunities. Clinical Trials Program expenses will support investigator-initiated trials, participation in COG, consortium and industry trials, regulatory coordination, data management, patient navigation, clinical trials operations, quality improvement, and research implementation activities. Collectively, expenditures are intended to create a continuous cycle in which research projects generate discoveries, laboratory programs refine and validate new approaches, and clinical trials translate promising findings into improved treatment options and outcomes for children and families affected by cancer.