Sarcoma UK funds five new projects to strengthen early career sarcoma research and address sarcoma in adolescents and young adults.

Sarcoma UK has awarded over £600,000 funding to five new research projects that aim to improve diagnosis and treatment, while strengthening research capacity in this challenging field. The newly funded work includes support for early career researchers and targeted research for adolescents and young adults with sarcoma, a group that faces distinct biological and clinical challenges. 

 Two projects funded through Sarcoma UK’s Early Career Sarcoma Research Scheme focus on uterine sarcomas. One project (£74,238), led by Dr Alex Lee at The Christie, will assess how suspected uterine sarcomas are currently recognised and managed across the UK and explore whether advanced imaging and blood-based tests could support earlier and more accurate diagnosis. The second (£74,664) led by Dr Ailsa Oswald at the University of Edinburgh, focuses on uterine leiomyosarcoma and aims to identify tumour features that could help guide the use of targeted therapies. 

Three further projects have been funded through Sarcoma UK’s Adolescent and Young Adult Sarcoma Research Targeted Call. Professor Janet Shipley at The Institute of Cancer Research will study desmoplastic small round cell tumours using advanced three-dimensional models to understand treatment resistance and identify new therapeutic opportunities (£199,018). Dr Sally George at The Institute of Cancer Research will test combinations of existing targeted drugs for sarcomas linked to NF1 mutations, with the aim of identifying approaches that could progress towards clinical trials (£93,994). Dr Emma Woodward at the University of Manchester will investigate whether blood-based tests could improve early detection of sarcoma in young people with inherited cancer risk conditions (£179,348). 

Together, these five projects highlight Sarcoma UK’s commitment to supporting the next generation of sarcoma researchers and investing in targeted research that addresses unmet needs across diagnosis, treatment and care. 

For more information about these projects or to learn how you can support Sarcoma UK’s vital research programme, please visit our website or sign up for our E-news email newsletter.