Kay Yow Cancer Fund Awards $1 Million Grant to Advance Blood Cancer Immunotherapy Research - Kay Yow Cancer Fund 2026

Kay Yow Cancer Fund Awards $1 Million Grant to Advance Blood Cancer Immunotherapy Research

• PUBLISH DATE: April 2, 2026
• TAGS: Advancing Research, Blood Cancer, Cancer Research, Grant, immunotherapy, Phoenix, Women's Final Four

Kay Yow Cancer Fund Awards $1 Million Grant to Advance Blood Cancer Immunotherapy Research at Washington University School of Medicine

Raleigh, N.C. (April 2, 2026) – The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has awarded a $1 million grant to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to support innovative blood cancer immunotherapy research led by Todd A. Fehniger, M.D., Ph.D.

This grant represents the Fund’s next $1 million research commitment and reflects the organization’s continued investment in bold scientific discoveries that have the potential to transform cancer treatment.

It will support research focused on advancing next-generation immunotherapy for blood cancers by enhancing the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Building on years of progress in natural killer, or NK, cell therapy, Dr. Fehniger’s team has demonstrated that these therapies can be used safely and effectively in patients with leukemia. Dr. Fehniger treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine.

This next phase of research will focus on improving how NK cells identify cancer cells, removing barriers that limit their effectiveness, and helping them remain active longer in the body. The work represents an important step toward developing a new class of immunotherapy that could be more accessible and widely applicable for patients.

Dr. Fehniger’s project, awarded through the V Foundation for Cancer Research, was reviewed and recommended by their Scientific Advisory Committee—composed of the nation’s top doctors and scientists—through an incredibly selective process that ensures funding goes to the best and brightest cancer researchers with bold ideas that have the potential for long-lasting ripple effects across the cancer research community.

Blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, affect hundreds of thousands of women each year. Immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising areas in cancer treatment, offering the potential to target cancer cells with greater precision while minimizing harm to healthy tissue. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is dedicated to funding innovative research for all cancers affecting women, including those such as blood cancers that are often underrecognized in broader conversations about women’s health.

“Supporting innovative research like Dr. Fehniger’s is central to our mission,” said Jenny Palmateer, CEO of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. “Breakthroughs in immunotherapy are opening new possibilities for patients, and we are proud to invest in work that has the potential to improve outcomes for women facing cancer.”

Dr. Fehniger, a WashU Medicine physician-scientist at Siteman Cancer Center and a leader in immunotherapy research, focuses on developing therapies that enhance the cancer-fighting capabilities of the immune system. His work has contributed to advances in treatments for leukemia and other blood cancers, bringing new hope to patients facing these diseases.

“This funding supports our development of transformative immunotherapies by translating basic scientific advances into the next generation of cancer treatments,” said Dr. Todd A. Fehniger. “For our patients, this means providing new clinical trial treatment options that are safe, aimed at a cure, and cause few side effects.”

Since its founding in 2007, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has awarded more than $11 million to support innovative research and programs that improve access to quality cancer care.

About the Kay Yow Cancer Fund

The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded on December 3, 2007, from the vision of the organization’s namesake, Kay Yow, former NC State University head women’s basketball coach. Coach Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 before succumbing to the disease on January 24, 2009.

The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to raising money for life-saving cancer research, supporting programs that provide access to quality cancer healthcare to the underserved, and uniting people in the fight against all cancers affecting women. To date, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has awarded $11.1 million in the fight against all cancers affecting women. For more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, please visit KayYow.com.

Kay Yow Cancer Fund Contact

Kris Bowen // kris.bowen@kayyow.com