Sarcoma Research Grant Program
Every year, ANZSA is proud to fund 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 that were established by friends and families, in memory of their loved ones who have passed on due to sarcoma.
Upon realising the challenges in sarcoma research and treatment due to resources and awareness, these foundations decided to make a difference for future sarcoma patients through fundraising campaigns.
Visit our page to learn more and apply for the 2025 Sarcoma Research Grants.
GPA Andrew Ursini Sarcoma Research Grant 
Hannah’s Chance Foundation Sarcoma Research Grant 
Johanna Sewell Sarcoma Research Grant
Leon Stone Sarcoma Research Grant 
Rainbows for Kate Sarcoma Research Grant
Xavier Krikori Sarcoma Research GrantGPA Andrew Ursini Sarcoma Research Grant
2012 | Jason Cain | Monash | $50,000
Investigating the effect of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, LBH589, on chemotherapy sensitisation and residual disease in pre-clinical models of osteosarcoma
2013 | Jason Cain | Monash | $50,000
Investigating the effect of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, LBH589, on chemotherapy sensitisation and residual disease in pre-clinical models of osteosarcoma
2013-2014 | Susan Neuhaus | Royal Adelaide Hospital | $50,000
Improving outcomes in curable sarcoma
2016 | Christine Hawkins | La Trobe University | $75,000 (over 3 years)
Testing the efficacy and safety of SM-164 for osteosarcoma treatment
Hannah’s Chance Foundation Sarcoma Research Grant
2013 | Brendan Joss | Hollywood Private Hospital (WA) | $30,000
A multidisciplinary team approach to improving long term outcomes in sarcoma survivors
2017 | Hayden Snow | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $30,000
Characterising the immune microenvironment in adipocytic and non-adipocytic sarcoma, its impact on prognosis and the effect of radiotherapy
2018 | Jeremy Lewin | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $30,000
Applying radiomics to predict outcomes in patients with high grade retroperitoneal sarcoma treated with preoperative radiotherapy
2019 | Cristina Vargas | Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Sonic, and University of Sydney | $40,000
Metastatic and recurrent soft tissue sarcomas – investigation of DNA methylation changes and their contribution to sarcoma progression
Johanna Sewell Sarcoma Research Grant
2011 | Kate McBride | University of Sydney | $50,000
To map p53 pathway mutations in Australian Sarcoma Kindred Study index cases and examine the relationship with outcomes in these patients
2012 | Mary-Anne Young | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $25,000
Research participants’ and healthcare professionals’ views of the feedback of genetic test information following participation in the International Sarcoma Kindred study (ISKS)
2013 | Gillian Mitchell | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $50,000
A pilot surveillance study in Li Fraumeni syndrome
2013 | Damian Myers | St Vincents Melbourne | $25,000
‘Quantum Dots’ with combined structural and functional imaging to investigate osteosarcoma biology and potential therapies.
2014 | Daniel Gough | Monash Institute of Medical Research | $50,000
Defining the role of STAT3 as a tumour suppressor in osteosarcoma
2015 | David Goode | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $50,000
Validating putative novel sarcoma risk genes via targeted DNA sequencing
2016 | Jeremy Hensen | University of New South Wales | $50,000
New drug combination with ATR-CHK1 axis inhibitors for osteosarcoma
2017 | Lucy Coupland | John Curtin School of Medical Research | $50,000
Novel therapies for osteosarcoma: RNA Pol I inhibitors
2018 | Anneke Blackburn | Australian National University | $50,000
Dichloroacetate (DCA) in Osteosarcoma: A non-toxic agent targeting cancer metabolism
2019 | Willem Joost Lesterhuis | Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia | $50,000
Local peri-operative immunotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma
Leon Stone Sarcoma Research Grant
2013 | Mannu Walia | St Vincents | $34,000
Deciphering the role of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in osteosarcoma
2014 | Liliana Endo-Munoz | Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland | $36,000
Defining the role of STAT3 as a tumour suppressor in osteosarcoma
2015 | Christine Hawkins | La Trobe University | $25,000
Pre-clinical evaluation of IAP antagonists in osteosarcoma
2016 | Kenneth Hsu | The Kids Research Institute, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead | $20,000
Developing genetically modified T-cells for the treatment of paediatric tumours
2018 | Jonathan Karpelowsky | Judging a cell by its cover – osteosarcoma circulating tumour cells testing | $20,000
Judging a cell by its cover – osteosarcoma circulating tumour cells testing
2019 | Belinda Kramer | The Kids Research Institute, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead | $20,000
Mass cytometry to characterise sarcoma targeted CAR T cells and inform clinical trial design
Rainbows for Kate Sarcoma Research Grant
2011-2013 | Kathleen Pishas | University of Adelaide | $25,000 (pa)
Treatment of Ewing sarcoma family of tumours through the pharmacological activation of p53
2013-2015 | Xiaochun Wang | University of New South Wales | $25,000 (pa)
Multiple targeted therapies in human sarcomas
Xavier Krikori Sarcoma Research Grant
2011 | Damien Myers | St Vincents Melbourne | $25,000
Suppression of osteosarcoma tumour invasion and metastasis: Monitoring therapeutic outcomes using advanced imaging techniques
2014 | Katheen Pishas | Hanson Institute, University of Adelaide | $20,000
Exploiting a novel therapeutic target in Ewing sarcoma
2014 | Katheen Pishas | Hanson Institute, University of Adelaide | $20,000
Dedifferentiation of MDM2 amplified low-grade liposarcoma: Comparative genomics and transcriptomics to determine the mechanisms of tumour progression and precision targets
2016 | Timothy Chittleborough | Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre | $20,000
Profiling desmoid tumours in FAP patients and exploring new strategies to prevent and treat desmoid tumours using a novel mouse model
2017 | Toby Trahair | Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital | $26,000
New therapies for ALK-rearranged inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) and epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (eIMS)
2018 | Federica Saletta | The Children’s Hospital at Westmead | $20,000
Development of liquid biopsy assays to test minimal residual disease in Ewing sarcoma and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma patients
2019 | Evan Ingley | Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research | $20,000
Exploiting a novel therapeutic target in Ewing sarcoma