Breaking New Ground: The OSI’s 2024 Research Grant Recipients
Optimism surrounds osteosarcoma research as the OSI awards $1.1 million in cancer research funding to three innovative projects.
This year, the Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI) awarded $1.1 million in osteosarcoma research funding to three groundbreaking projects during its 2023–2024 grant cycle. After an extensive review process, the OSI’s committee of experts selected two translational studies and one high-risk/high-impact study.
Understanding Translational vs. High-Risk/High-Impact Cancer Research
Beginning in 2019, the OSI began awarding cancer research grants in three categories: translational research, clinical trials, and correlative science.
This year, under the guidance of Lee Helman, MD, an osteosarcoma expert who has been studying the biology and caring for pediatric patients with sarcomas for over thirty years, the OSI added a new, fourth category: high-risk/high-impact research.
Lee Helman, MD, Institute Director
“Current therapy for patients with osteosarcoma has not improved over the past 40 years. I believe that with our improved understanding of the genetic drivers of this disease, we have an unprecedented opportunity to make significant progress in treating patients using this information,” Dr. Helman says. “I also believe we have the opportunity to engage the immune system to help us develop new approaches for treatment. And I believe the OSI can help accelerate our progress in making this a reality.”
“The outcome we are looking for is to have more patients survive osteosarcoma,” Dr. Helman says. “I think each of these grants has a very good chance of getting answers to some important questions that we can then build on to make that happen.”
Supported by the Osteosarcoma Institute and Ethos Discovery, the MIMIC trial evaluates a new method of removing lung metastases in dogs, providing insights that can directly inform human osteosarcoma treatment and drug development.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI), and others are coming together to shape the future of osteosarcoma clinical trials.
Veterinary oncologist Chand Khanna, DVM, PhD, explains how osteosarcoma in dogs is helping researchers unlock new possibilities for treating human patients.
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We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming FDA/OSI Workshop taking place on Friday, October 10, 2025, at Lincoln Square, 555 Eleventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20004. A virtual attendance option is also available.
This hybrid workshop welcomes participation from all individuals and organizations engaged in the research and development of new therapies for patients with osteosarcoma, including patient advocacy groups, physicians, academic and clinical researchers, biopharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, non-profit organizations, and others involved in osteosarcoma.
The workshop is open to the public. Patients and families are also strongly encouraged to attend.