Penn State physician-researcher awarded $400,000 Hyundai Hope on Wheels grant for pediatric cancer research
Golisano Children’s Hospital’s receives $100,000 Impact Award
Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded a $400,000 2026 Scholar Hope Grant to Dr. Sinisa Dovat, professor and vice chair for basic science research in the Department of Pediatrics and Four Diamonds researcher at Penn State College of Medicine.
The grant will fund Dovat’s research testing a two-drug treatment approach for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of childhood cancer with a high risk of relapse and death. His research seeks to identify new treatment strategies that could improve outcomes for children diagnosed with the disease.
The grant was presented Sept. 15 during a special ceremony at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital. As part of the ceremony, Dovat received a commemorative lab coat recognizing him as a 2026 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Scholar Hope Grant recipient and honoring his commitment to advancing pediatric cancer research.
The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Golisano Children’s Hospital also received a $100,000 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Award to support pediatric cancer research and care.
Following the formal ceremony, young patients and their families participated in Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ signature Handprint Ceremony. Children placed painted handprints on Dovat’s lab coat and a Hyundai vehicle, creating a visual symbol of their courage and the collective fight against childhood cancer.
Since 2006, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has awarded $2.8 million in grants to Four Diamonds at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
This year, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is expected to reach $303 million in lifetime donations supporting more than 1,500 childhood cancer research grants at more than 175 hospitals and research institutions nationwide.
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