ANZSA Newsletter - March 2024

Message from the CEO of ANZSA

We hope that all of you had a chance to enjoy summer and we move into Autumn we are pleased to deliver our first newsletter of 2024.  As we mentioned last year, ANZSA will now be delivering four quarterly newsletters, changing from our previous delivery method of two biannual newsletters for the year. This decision was made so that our emails will be less content-heavy, allowing for easier reading and accessibility for our members.

With planning for our Annual Scientific Meeting underway and applications open for our 2024 research fellowship and grant programs, the year is off to a busy start. Already, we have seen many outstanding achievements in advancing sarcoma research and awareness in the greater community.

Thank you for your ongoing support of ANZSA in 2024 as our team focuses on delivering high-quality sarcoma research and clinical trials by working closely with our clinicians, researchers, and consumers.

Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Join us this year for the 2024 ANZSA Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) on the 10th - 11th of October in Brisbane! This years' meeting will feature both in-person and online attendance for all who wish to attend. Our 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting will run alongside the 22nd International Society of Limb Salvage General Meeting 2024, which will be held on the 8th - 11th October 2024.

Event Details:

• When: Thursday 10th - Friday 11th of October 2024
• Venue: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Merivale St, South Brisbane QLD 4101

This is a chance to hear from researchers and sarcoma specialists - from Australia and New Zealand as well as from around the world - about the most up-to-date multidisciplinary research in the sarcoma field. We will also be hosting our first-ever consumer-led summit on Thursday.

Stay tuned for registration, speaker and program details, which will be made available shortly.

Research Fellowship

ANZSA is offering a two-year clinical research fellowship with funding available from July 2024 to undertake a significant sarcoma clinical research project. The Fellowship is funded by The Tie Dye Project and The Kids Cancer Project and must have AYA and/or paediatric patient cohort involvement in the proposed study.

The Fellowship will provide 0.4EFT salary for protected research time and associated on-costs. The applicant must also have a 0.4 EFT clinical appointment in an endorsed ANZSA sarcoma specialist centre.

The Fellowship is AU$60,000 salary support per year plus on-costs and additional limited funds for research costs to improve early detection and therapy for sarcoma. The aim is to build sarcoma research expertise in Australia by supporting a promising junior clinical researcher, under the mentorship of an experienced ANZSA sarcoma researcher, to conduct a sarcoma clinical research study or clinical trial.

While the objective is to support the best possible research into sarcomas, there are some areas of priority that ANZSA encourages for this grant, such as translational studies and projects that can leverage these results into successful large grant applications.

Applications for the ANZSA Sarcoma Clinical Research Fellowship must be emailed to the ANZSA Office by 5pm, Friday, 12th April 2024.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

2024 Sarcoma Research Grants

Applications are now open for the 2024 ANZSA Sarcoma Research Grant!

ANZSA is offering two Sarcoma Research Grants with support from our generous donors to support Sarcoma Research. The grants of up to $50,000 are for direct research costs to improve both early detection and therapy for sarcoma. The grant (commencement date 1st July 2024), is offered for 12 months at the end of which, the proposed work must be completed.

While the objective is to support the best possible research into sarcomas, there are some areas of particular priority that the ANZSA encourages for this grant such as; translational studies and projects that can leverage these result into successful large grant applications.

Expectation

The grant recipient would:

• Become a member of ANZSA
• Report at regular intervals (6 months, 12 months and at completion of the project) to ANZSA
• Present findings at ANZSA scientific meetings
• Acknowledge ANZSA in all presentations, media and publications

The grant is awarded for direct research costs - salary support is not allowed. All applicants should include a budget with their application. Selection criteria include track record and project feasibility, innovation and excellence. Visit our website to access the application form

Applications for a 2024 ANZSA Sarcoma Research Grant must reach the ANZSA Office by 5pm Monday 20th May 2024 via email.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

New ANZSA Consumer Advisory Panel Members

The ANZSA Consumer Advisory Panel continues to grow in 2024, with three new members joining this year. The CAP now has attained another member from New South Wales and New Zealand and a new member from South Australia.

Chaired by ANZSA Board Director, Sarah Cheung, the CAP plays an integral role in supporting, mentoring, advocating and training to the sarcoma community through its committee and consumer advocates.

We are excited to see what the new members will contribute to the CAP. 

QUEST Study Opens in New Zealand

ANZSA are excited to announce that the Quality of Life and Experience of Sarcoma Trajectories (QUEST) study has now open for recruitment at Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand. This is the first New Zealand site to open the study, joining current participating sites in Australia at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Led by Principal Investigator Dr. Susie Bae, this is a longitudinal cohort study that aims to gain an insight into the diagnostic pathway for sarcoma patients in order to help improve this pathway and the outcomes for patients in the future.

The trial has already recruited it’s first New Zealand patient and we are looking forward to seeing what the study results yield in future!

CREST Quality of Life Workshop 2024

Last month, Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP) member Karen Lurati attended the CREST Measuring Quality of Life in Cancer Clinical Trials workshop in Sydney.

The face-to-face workshop saw consumers and community representatives from different Cancer Cooperative Trials Groups (CTGs) gather to discuss ways of measuring, analysing and interpreting quality of life in cancer clinical trials. The workshop aimed to build consumer understanding and confidence regarding PROMS components of CTG concepts and to canvass consumer ideas of further resources CQUEST should develop.

It was great to have Karen there to represent ANZSA and contribute to the ongoing development of CQUEST consumer resources.

Thank you to our donors

ANZSA would like to thank all of our generous donors for their significant contributions and donations towards sarcoma research this year. We rely heavily on these donations to continue our work and we cannot be more grateful for the support we have received so far. Every dollar helps and is invested in high-quality sarcoma research to find a cure and improve outcomes.

Should you have any questions in regards to the content of this newsletter, please reach out to us at contact@sarcoma.org.au.