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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
December 5, 2025




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*Jill Del Greco: 614-644-0957
Jayce Phillips: 614-644-0957






Governor DeWine Visits Children's Hospitals to Highlight New Pediatric Cancer Research Investments

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara Wente and Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, to visit children's hospitals in Cincinnati and Cleveland, where they highlighted the hospitals' selection as recipients of the state's new Pediatric Cancer Research Grant.

The visit follows Thursday's statewide announcement [ [link removed] ] at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, where Governor DeWine announced a total of $5 million in grant funding for five grant recipients.

Established as part of the state fiscal year 2026-2027 state biennial budget, this grant will support the work of five Ohio-based healthcare and non-profit research organizations on innovative projects aimed at improving diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes for children and young adults diagnosed with cancer.

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Governor DeWine joined leaders with Cincinnati Children's to talk about pediatric cancer research. [ [link removed] ]

Governor Mike DeWine joined leaders from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to highlight funding the hospital received for pediatric cancer research.

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This morning, Governor DeWine joined leaders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to highlight the funding the hospital received to further pediatric cancer research. The funding will help expand the hospital’s Engraft Learning Network, a collaboration led by Cincinnati Children’s that links transplant and cellular therapy centers across Ohio to improve outcomes for children undergoing bone marrow transplants or cellular therapy. By sharing real-time data, best practices, and family input, the network works to reduce complications such as infection and organ injury. The funding will strengthen statewide coordination, enhance quality-improvement tools, and provide better education and support for families throughout treatment.

“We are deeply grateful to the state of Ohio for investing in the fight against pediatric cancer. This support will help grow Engraft—a groundbreaking learning health network that’s the first of its kind in pediatric cancer and transplant and cellular therapy. Led by Cincinnati Children’s, Engraft unites transplant centers across Ohio and the nation, alongside nonprofit partners, patients, and families, all working toward one shared goal: improving survival, reducing complications, and giving children and young adults the best possible quality of life after transplant,” said Chris Dandoy, associate professor in the Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency at Cincinnati Children’s. “Together, we are building a culture of safety, innovation, and compassion—where every child undergoing transplant or cellular therapy receives world-class care. Ohio’s commitment is setting a national example for how shared learning and true partnership with families can transform outcomes and reimagine the future of medicine.”

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DeWine announces pediatric cancer research grant at the Cleveland Clinic. [ [link removed] ]

Governor Mike DeWine joined leaders at the Cleveland Clinic following the announcement that the hosptial is a recipient of Ohio's Pediatric Cancer Research Grant.

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On Friday afternoon, Governor DeWine visited Cleveland Clinic, which will use grant funding to support the development of a highly targeted self-amplifying RNA vaccine for Ewing sarcoma and desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT) — two aggressive pediatric cancers with very poor survival rates after relapse. The therapeutic vaccine trains the immune system to recognize tumor-specific fusion proteins and will be tested in a trial, both alone and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, to assess safety, immune activation, and early signs of tumor control. This project aims to offer a more precise and less toxic treatment option for children and young adults, while also strengthening Ohio’s capacity for next-generation pediatric cancer vaccine research.

"Advancing scientific discovery through research has been a hallmark of Cleveland Clinic’s mission since our founding in 1921," said Tom Mihaljevic, MD, Cleveland Clinic CEO and President, holder of the Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair. "This funding will support the much-needed research and development of a new therapeutic vaccine to treat highly aggressive cancers affecting children and young adults. It is critical that we find treatments that are more effective, more tolerable, and offer a better chance at a cure. We are grateful to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth for their commitment to fostering medical innovation and supporting transformative projects like this one."

In addition to the grants awarded to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic, funding was also awarded to Dayton Children’s Hospital, Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, and the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. For more information, visit governor.ohio.gov [ [link removed] ].

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*Additional Media Contact

**Ohio Department of Children and Youth
*Jodi Norton Trimble, Chief Communications Officer
614-582-0827
[email protected]

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