Research Funded

Improving CAR-T cell immunotherapy in immunocompetent sarcoma models

Ana Banito, Ph.D., Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Cancer immunotherapies have revolutionized how some tumor types are treated. However, evidence for their benefit in sarcoma patients remains limited with only small subsets of patients responding to treatments. Impressive ... Read More

Development of Novel RNA Sensor-Based Treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma

Alan Cantor, M.D., Ph.D., Boston Children's Hospital
Recipient of the: $50,000 2023 Giving Tuesday Research Award

Abstract: Chromosomal translocations creating novel fusion molecules occur frequently in sarcomas. These not only contribute to oncogenesis, but also serve as unique molecular tags distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous cells. ... Read More

Improve functionality and persistence of Chimeric Antigen Receptor redirected T cells in refractory/relapsed sarcoma patients by Beclin1 modulation

Ignazio Caruana, Ph.D., University Hospital of Würzburg (Universitätsklinikum Würzburg)
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Substantial progress has been made in the treatment of paediatric patients affected by oncological malignancies over the past decades. However, children with high-risk, metastatic or relapsed disease continue to have poor ... Read More

Exploiting the therapeutic efficacy of eribulin in leiomyosarcoma through a better knowledge of its complex mechanism of action

Roberta Frapolli, PharmD, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research)
Recipient of the: $50,000 Richard and Valerie Aronsohn Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas, representing up to 20% of all of them. Many LMS originate directly from smooth muscle cells or from their precursor showing a predilection for uterus, la... Read More

Towards an improved Kaposi sarcoma immunotherapy: Investigating the interplay of the oncogenic Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus G-protein coupled receptor with the host chemokine system

Anna Grosskopf, Ph.D., National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a highly vascularized tumor of the skin and viscera that is driven by the oncogenic Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV). Skin KS can cause painful edema while visceral KS of the lungs or gastrointestin... Read More

Characterizing and targeting the oncogenic program in Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma

Matthew Hemming, M.D., Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Approximately 20% of sarcomas are driven by oncogenic translocations, which commonly involve transcriptional regulators. Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a sarcoma most commonly diagnosed in young adults and characteri... Read More

Developing an effective targeted therapy for undifferentiated round cell sarcomas by directly targeting CIC-DUX4 fusion and Myc oncoproteins

Yi-Jia Li, Ph.D., Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope
Recipient of the: $50,000 Technoblade Memorial Research Award

Abstract: CIC-DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is a highly aggressive and metastatic cancer that mainly affects children and young adults, and the prognosis for the affected is very poor with an overall survival of only 14 months. Currently, with... Read More

Prognostic and Predictive Immune Signatures in Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcomas

Elise Nassif, M.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Over the past decade, immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer care across many cancer types by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight tumor cells. However, response to current immunotherapies in undifferentiated pl... Read More

Delineating Strategies to Enhance Immunotherapy Response via Microbial Targeting of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures

Christina Roland, M.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Jay Vernon Jackson Memorial Research Award

Abstract: The body’s immune system has a tremendous ability to fight disease including cancer, with strategies to reinvigorate immune responses against cancer winning the Nobel Prize in 2018 – and multiple immunotherapy drugs ap... Read More

Omic characterization of DSRCT and establishing the role of fibroblasts

Danh Truong, Ph.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Mickey Stachel Memorial Research Fund Award

Abstract: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, usually incurable, pediatric sarcoma that afflicts mostly young males. While the EWS-WT1 fusion protein (FP) is a hallmark of DSRCT, equally pervasive is the dense fib... Read More

Modulating cell state as sarcoma therapy

Ting Zhao, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
Recipient of the: $50,000 Chris Langbein Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Osteosarcoma is pediatric cancer with peak incidence during the adolescent growth spurt. It is the most common bone cancer and is mostly found in the long bones such as the legs. Since the introduction of chemotherapy in t... Read More

Understand and target ATRX mutation in undifferentiated sarcoma

Haoqiang Ying, MD, PhD, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Soft tissue sarcomas are a collection of rare tumor types originated from soft tissues such as muscle, tendon, fat, etc. Among them, undifferentiated sarcomas represent a group of the most common types of soft tissue sarco... Read More

The Role of MYC Amplification in Shaping the Osteosarcoma Tumor Microenvironment

Breelyn Wilky, MD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone tumor in children and adolescents, comprising 3-5% of all pediatric cancers. Overall survival rates for high-grade OS in the pediatric population are only ~60% and have rem... Read More

The PDGF/PI3K/AKT Axis in Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma: Functional Characterization and Implications for Anticancer Therapy

Lu Wang, MD, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Recipient of the: $50,000 Therese McCarthy Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a high-grade, malignant, primitive mesenchymal tumor. It accounts for 2%~4% of all chondrosarcomas and mainly affects adolescents and young adults. Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma has a strong tren... Read More

The sarcoma tumor microbiome as a therapeutic target

Gabriel Tinoco, MD, The Ohio State University
Recipient of the: $50,000 Jay Vernon Jackson Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Background: Sarcoma is a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that consist of distinct histological and molecular subtypes, each with unique clinical, therapeutic and prognostic features. Despite immunotherapy showing p... Read More

Examining oncofusion-driven transcript and protein isoforms that underpin fitness relationships essential for Ewing sarcoma tumor formation and metastasis

Poul Sorensen, MD, PhD, BC Cancer
Recipient of the: $50,000 Happy Jack/Giving Tuesday Research Award

Abstract: Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is the second most common childhood bone malignancy, primarily affecting children, adolescents and young adults. The mutational landscape of the EwS genome is relatively quiet and is primarily defined b... Read More

Modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment by targeting STAT3 and CD47-SIRPa axis for the treatment of osteosarcoma-lung metastasis.

Pradeep Shrestha, PhD, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Technoblade Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Despite the multimodal treatment approach with aggressive chemotherapy and surgery, 30-35% of Osteosarcoma (OS) patients develop lung metastases and the survival rate for these patients is <20%. Novel therapeutic strate... Read More

Understanding the determinants of cell fate decisions in pediatric rhabdomyosarcomas

Beat Schaefer, PhD, University Children's Hospital Zurich
Recipient of the: $50,000 Marcia Brodsky Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas (aRMS) are highly aggressive pediatric sarcomas, associated with the skeletal muscle lineage. These tumors are believed to originate from differentiation defects during myogenesis, the process of... Read More

Sarcoma Immunotherapy by Attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium Engineered for Tumor Specific Production of Immunomodulators.

Daniel Saltzman, MD, PhD, Regents of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Recipient of the: $50,000 Richard and Valerie Aronsohn Memorial Research Award

Abstract: A significant impediment to the development of curative cancer therapy is the dose-limiting toxicity of therapeutic anticancer treatments. We have developed tumor-targeted bacterially delivered anticancer immunotherapy to ... Read More

Oncolytic virotherapy: An alternative immune based strategy leveraging cancer testis antigens in synovial sarcoma

Steven Robinson, MBBS, MAYO CLINIC, ROCHESTER, MN
Recipient of the: $50,000 Adrienne Smith and John Pritchard Memorial Award

Abstract: Synovial sarcoma (SS) is an aggressive cancer that disproportionately affects young adults. The ability to target immune checkpoints has contributed to the overall decline in predicted cancer mortality rates. However patie... Read More

Identifying DNA damage repair-related vulnerabilities in leiomyosarcoma

Gloria Ravegnini, PhD, University of Bologna
Recipient of the: $50,000 Richard and Valerie Aronsohn Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is one of the most common subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma. Classically, LMSs are characterized by an aggressive clinical course, a heterogeneous genetic profile and a very poor response to cytotoxic ch... Read More

Dual targeting of CDK4/6 and PI3K/mTOR in high-risk osteosarcoma

Karen Pollok, PhD, Indiana University
Recipient of the: $50,000 St. Louis Cure Sarcoma 6k Research Award

Abstract: In children, adolescents, and young adults (AYA), osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of bone cancer. Approximately 25-50% of OS patients have metastatic lesions at the time of diagnosis and no standard second-line t... Read More

Integrative multi-Omic analysis of PEComa: biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets

Andrea Napolitano, MD, PhD, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Recipient of the: $50,000 Sarcoma Foundation of America Research Award

Abstract: Perivascular Epithelioid Cell tumours (PEComas) are a group of ultra-rare mesenchymal tumours most commonly occurring in the 4th and 5th decade with a strong female predominance. Most PEComas have specific driver mutations... Read More

Analysis of Cancer Health Disparities in Osteosarcoma by scRNA-seq

Susan Miranda, PhD, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Recipient of the: $50,000 Amira Yunis Memorial Research Award

Abstract: Osteosarcoma is a cancer that starts in the bone, and affects mostly children, especially during puberty. Osteosarcoma has a ~33% higher incidence in African Americans (AA) (6.8 per million persons per year) than in whites... Read More