Scaling CAR-T programs for kids: lessons from real-world clinics
Official title: Mapping Real-World CAR T-cell Implementation to Support Future Scale Out
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11452296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant helps train a clinician-researcher to map how pediatric CAR-T programs are set up in different countries and create tools to make it easier to start and sustain these therapies for children with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $283,091 |
| NIH project number | 1K08CA304362-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11452296 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pediatric patients with cancer, especially those eligible for CAR-T therapy, and healthcare centers considering starting or expanding CAR-T programs.
✕Less likely to help
Centers or regions that already have fully mature CAR-T programs with established workflows may see modest benefits only in knowledge sharing.
What this research studies
Dr. Duffy aims to become an independent clinician-researcher who translates evidence-based CAR-T therapies for children into real-world settings. The project uses the EPIS framework to study five pediatric CAR-T programs across Brazil, India, Singapore, and Vietnam to understand barriers, networks, and effective strategies for program development. It will involve interviews, focus groups, and data collection from multiple sites to identify factors that enable successful implementation. The team will then develop an Implementation Planning Toolkit to help other centers scale CAR-T services in diverse healthcare environments. Overall, the work seeks practical guidance to broaden access to CAR-T therapy for children with cancer globally.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could streamline the setup of pediatric CAR-T programs in resource-limited settings, improving access for children with cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous implementation studies have shown that structured planning and stakeholder engagement improve program adoption, and this project aims to translate those lessons to CAR-T in children.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duffy, Caitlyn — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Duffy, Caitlyn
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.