Justin Milner, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Carla Chibwesha, MD, MSc, an associate professor of global women's health and obstetrics-gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine, have each received a $1 million grant from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Milner and Chibwesha are both members of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Milner's project, "Engineering synthetic T-cell states to treat solid cancers" and Chibwesha's project, "Improving cervical precancer treatment outcomes in women with HIV," will be funded over the next three years.
The two grants are part of a $15 million initiative, the AACR Trailblazer Cancer Research Grant Program, which will support early-stage investigators and mid-career investigators in their efforts to advance the field of cancer biology, promote translational science, and enhance patient outcomes.
The recipients of the AACR Trailblazer Cancer Research Grants were announced during the Opening Ceremony of the AACR Annual Meeting 2026. To read about the other recipients, click here.
