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RESEARCH
Xavier Krikori Sarcoma Research Grant Summary
At KGX, all monies raised by are donated to the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA), also formerly known as the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group (ASSG).
The Kicking Goals for Xav Foundation has been a long time supporter of sarcoma research through their generous donations to theAustralia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association, the peak body for sarcoma research in Australia and New Zealand. The KGX Foundation has chosen to donate their funds to sarcoma research by supporting specific, targeted annual sarcoma research grants. The ANZSA Sarcoma Research Grant scheme ensures that only high quality research projects are awarded the grants, via the rigorous peer review grant process. The KGX Foundation has funded important and impactful research projects across a range of research priorities and sarcoma tumour types. The support of the KGFX Foundation has been critical to being able to deliver these research results and contributes to our joint missions of improving outcomes for sarcoma patients and their families.
Dr. Denise Caruso
Executive Officer
Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association
The ANZSA (established in 2008) is heavily reliant on community support to continue their research and work towards reducing the personal and community impact of sarcoma.
For more information about Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA)
visit their website via link below
Sarcoma Research Grant Program 2019
Every year, ANZSA funds Australian researchers through its Sarcoma Research Grant Program with the aim to improve early diagnosis, treatment options, outcomes and quality of life for sarcoma patients.
Since the formalisation of the ANZSA Sarcoma Research Grant Program in 2011, the organisation has awarded more than 30 local researchers with grants worth over $1.2 million.
The ANZSA Sarcoma Research Grant Program is funded by generous sarcoma charitable foundations similar to Kicking Goals for Xav, that were established by friends and families, in memory of their loved ones who have passed on due to sarcoma.
We are trilled to announce that through all the support of our KGX community throughout 2018 a research grant of $20,000 has been funded with ANZSA for 2019 - The Xavier Krikori Sarcoma Research Grant 2019. For more information about the program visit ANZSA
DR FREDERICA SALETTA
2018
Development of liquid biopsy assays to test Minimal Residual Disease in Ewing ’s sarcoma and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma patients
This work aims to develop a test to find Ewing sarcoma cells in the blood. This would effectively be a biopsy without surgery. By using a blood sample to look for specific markers of Ewing sarcoma (gene mutations) with extremely high sensitivity, several improvement to treatment could be made. The d evelopment of liquid biopsy approaches to identi fy ear ly disease recurrence/treatment resistance mutations is currently revolutionizing the clinical managem ent of melanoma and lung can cer, and this work should do the same for Ewing sarcoma.
DR TOBY TRAHAIR
2017
New therapies for ALK - rearranged inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) and epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (eIMS)
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) and epithelioid inflammatory myo fibroblastic sarcoma (eIMS) are rare tumours arising in the abdomen or chest that most commonly occur in children and young adults. 50% of them carry a genetic rearrangement ( ALK) that can be targeted for therapy . Although these are very rare tumours this work can be used a model for other sarcomas. Although the introduction of ALK inhibitors has improved the outcome for these patients some patients experience rapid treatment failure. Prior to the development of the targeted inhibitor the ALK mutation, there were no s tandard therapies for IMT / eIMS apart from complete surgical resection. Research into this rare sarcoma type has been hindered by the lack of laboratory reagents which we are able to address with the ALK - rearranged eIMS laboratory models which we have gen erated.
DR
TIMOTHY CHITTLEBOROUGH
2016
Dr Timothy Chittleborough
Profiling desmoids tumours in FAP patients and exploring new
strategies to prevent and treat desmoids tumours using a novel mouse
model
The aim of this project to was to investigate the causes of desmoid tumours following surgery as well as to find potential molecular targets for novel treatmen ts. Desmoid tumours are sarcoma related tumours that arise from surgery and have considerable impact on morbidity and mortality. The project aim was t o create a model which facilitates the study o f desmoid growth (desmogenesis) and identification of factors that may influence thi s. This study involve d molecular profiling of tumour tissues and identification and targeting of novel targets for desmoids. From clinical experience, we beli eve that tension on tissue, dry l aparoscopic air and cool temperature individually m ay influence the growth rate of desmoids. Desmoids have also been observed to be particularly vascular, and the investigators hypothesize that these tumours may expr ess vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFR) and Epidermal growth factors (EGFR) and hence be potential targets
to these newer agents .
DR KATHLEEN PISHAS
2014
Dr Kathleen Pishas
Exploiting a novel therapeutic target in Ewing sarcoma
The aim for this study was to improve chemotherapy efficacy but using another new drug to prime the cancer c ells for death. T he p53 tumour suppressor plays a pivotal role in the protection of cells from becoming cancerous . The primary focus of this research has been to investigate the potential of p53 activators such as Nutlin - 3a and low dose Actinomycin D ( standard chemotherapy drug) as a novel systemic therapeutic approach for the treatment of sarcomas using Ewing sarcoma cell lines and tumour cells.
DR DAMIAN MYERS
2010
Suppression of osteosarc oma tumour invasion and metastasis: Monitoring therapeutic outcomes using advance imaging techniques
This work focused on developing novel imaging techniques in order to detect and determine tumour growth at very early stages, earlier t han conventional techniques.
