Plan for Pitt 2025

Group of students and researchers standing together with U.S. representative, Conor Lamb, at the front of a classroom

Abstract

Sarcomas are rare cancers of the connective tissues that afflict both adults and children. The successful treatment of sarcomas requires a multidisciplinary approach and teamwork between medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and others. Advances in sarcoma basic scientific research have been disappointing, largely due to the rarity of these diseases and the difficulty of obtaining precious clinical samples.

Pittsburgh is a center of excellence for sarcoma care. The Pittsburgh Sarcoma Research Collaborative (PSaRC) is a multidisciplinary team of physicians and scientists from across the University of Pittsburgh community with the common goal of developing a world-class sarcoma translational research program.

Specifically, the goals of our Pitt Chancellor’s Seed Project are to:

Build the PSaRC membership, infrastructure, and collaborations. We will accomplish this through high-level scientific meetings that communicate our discoveries, and those of other leaders in sarcoma research.
Leverage our clinical volume to translate scientific advances into the clinical setting, thus bridging the bench to the bedside. We will expand our existing sarcoma patient registry and tissue bank. This will provide PSaRC investigators with the vital raw materials to conduct innovative studies.
Partner with Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma, a community patient advocacy group, to educate Pittsburgh about our work and engage community support for these projects.

By meeting these goals, we will develop the PSaRC into a world-class engine of sarcoma research. We will enable needed breakthroughs through communication, collaboration, clinical samples, and community involvement.

Follow PSaRC on Twitter and learn what they are up to

Fireside Chat with Dr. Robert Maki and Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma
"Fire Side" chat with Dr. Robert Maki and Pittsburgh Cure Sarcoma at the
1st Annual Pittsburgh Sarcoma Research Collaborative (PSARC) Sarcoma Symposium:
Building Bridges Between Pittsburgh's Sarcoma Experts

Dr. Ferris (Left) and Dr. Maki (Right) at the PSaRC Symposium

Women in Sarcoma Science at the PSaRC Symposium