Volume 11 | July 5, 2023
Our sixth annual FACTOR conference is complete - and it left us inspired and energized! We all agreed that 2023 was the best FACTOR ever, and we intend to keep the momentum going in Cleveland June 20-24 at FACTOR24! If you missed FACTOR and have FOMO, we'll be sharing photos and videos of the scientific panels soon.
A highlight at FACTOR was presenting our OutSmarting Osteosarcoma awards in person to our seven recipients alongside our funders, including our funding partner Fishin' for the Cure. Investing in research and young investigators is one of the ways we seed hope.
July brings us hope and determination during Sarcoma Awareness Month. You can help us (literally) sow sunflower seeds of hope this month by participating in our Seeds of Hope campaign to raise awareness and funds to support research and patient programs. If planting actual seeds is not your thing, then share the aware with an original MIB sunflower T-Shirt you can get here.
Thank you for your readership and, most of all, for Making It Better for children and young adults with osteosarcoma.
With hope,
Ann
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So many memorable moments at MIB Agents FACTOR 2023! 6 super scientific panels...50 spectacular speakers...1 phenomenal patient panel...3 dynamic discussion groups...colossal collaboration. Stay tuned for links to scientific panel videos and more photos!
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Please join us in congratulating our 2023 OutSmarting Osteosarcoma research grant recipients! MIB Agents is thrilled to fund $600,000 in research this year supporting seven investigators, two of which are young investigators. With these 2023 awards, MIB Agents has funded over $1.5 million in osteosarcoma research since our grant program began in 2017.
OutSmarting Osteosarcoma 2023 grant recipients receiving $100,000 each for research:
OutSmarting Osteosarcoma 2023 Young Investigator grant recipients receiving $50,000 each for research:
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A symbol of sarcoma awareness,the bright and cheery sunflower reminds us to always have hope. Just as in the story of the sunflowers that face each
other in darkness, in the osteosarcoma community, we look to each other for light.
This July, support our Seeds of Hope Campaign during Sarcoma Awareness Month. With a $5 donation, you will receive a packet of Sunflower seeds to plant and grow at home or gift to an OsteoWarrior in treatment.
Support our campaign by ordering your Seeds of Hope T-Shirt today!
Order Seeds of Hope Sunflower Packets
Get Your Seeds Of Hope T-Shirt
MIB Agents is proud to collaborate with Fishin’ for the Cure to fund osteosarcoma research through our OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grant program. Fishin’ for the Cure was started in 2008 by OsteoAngel Matthew Ross Siegle and his family and the foundation has supported many osteosarcoma research projects over the years with their tireless fundraising efforts. We asked Matt’s sister and Fishin’ for the Cure co-founder Tracy Russo to tell us more about Matt, and what drives their continued fundraising momentum and success.
If you have a job posting and you would like it included here, please email christina@mibagents.org.
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Watch Past Episodes and See the Upcoming Schedule
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A virtual tumor review board for osteosarcoma, TURBO is open to global clinicians or researchers with an interest in osteosarcoma. Patients and families are welcome to ask their oncologists to present a case on their behalf. Join TURBO to request an invite or submit a case.
Next meeting: July 12th at 5pm ET
Written by osteosarcoma families, and reviewed by osteosarcoma medical experts, Osteosarcoma: From Our Families to Yours is a must for all newly diagnosed families. Filled with information on treatment protocol, terminology, and resources, the handbook is an essential guide on what to expect with tips on how to cope. Available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, the book is available for free download on our website. Patients may also order a free hard copy and physicians may order copies in bulk at no cost. Please email isabel@mibagents.org to learn more.
The Children's Oncology Group (COG) has opened a new clinical trial at 65 institutions - AOST2032: A Feasibility and Randomized Phase 2/3 Study of the VEGFR2/MET Inhibitor Cabozantinib in Combination with Cytotoxic Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Osteosarcoma. Eligible patients must be less than 40 years old, able to swallow tablets, with a new diagnosis of high-grade osteosarcoma. The current phase is only open to patients with metastatic disease.
NCI’s Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) has released a request for information (RFI) from labs capable of conducting molecular profiling using specimens from children and young adults with cancer. Interested institutions need to be able to receive and process a wide variety of materials for molecular profiling. To learn more about specific task areas and to access submission forms, view attachments linked in the Multi-Omics Research Characterization Network Request for Information (HHS-NIH-NCI-RFI-ETSB-0042-49).Use the submission form to provide information about your capabilities and cost structure.
Submissions will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on July 7, 2023.
Fiscal Year 2023 funding opportunities for the Rare Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense (DOD) programs managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) have been released. The FY23 RCRP Concept Award supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking novel concepts in rare cancers. The Concept Award is not intended to support an incremental progression of an already established research project; instead, it allows Principal Investigators (PIs) the opportunity to pursue serendipitous observations. Preliminary data are not required. This award mechanism supports high-risk studies that have the potential to reveal entirely new avenues for investigation. Applications must describe how the new idea will enhance the existing knowledge of rare cancers or develop an innovative and novel course of investigation. Research completed through a Concept Award may generate sufficient preliminary data to enable the PI to prepare an application for future research.The pre-application submission deadline for the Concept Award is July 14, 2023 5:00pm ET and the full application submission deadline is August 25, 2023 11:59pm ET.
Apply for the RCRP Concept Award by July 14
If you have a trial that is currently enrolling osteosarcoma patients, please email christina@mibagents.org.
