Since 2014, Slay Sarcoma and Slay Sarcoma Research Initiative (SSRI) have held yearly 5K Run/Walk events to raise awareness and funding for LMS research. Year to date, over $450,625.00 has been distributed to research organizations.


Research Funded by SSRI

Dr. Samir Devalaraj and collaborators’ research “Tumor-Derived Retinoic Acid Regulates Intratumoral Monocyte Differentiation to Promote Immune Suppression” was published in April 2020 in the prestigious scientific journal, Cell.  The results of this work demonstrate one of the mechanisms that sarcoma tumors use to promote the growth of cancer cells. By producing retinoic acid, tumor cells alter the micro-environment in a way that prevents the body’s defense from destroying the tumor. The retinoic acid pathway thereby creates an environment of immunosuppression instead of immune stimulation resulting in tumor growth. This research provides a proof of concept for targeting a novel immunotherapy pathway.

Dr. Malay Haldar, one of the researchers and authors of this publication, was one of the featured speakers at the 2019 Slay Sarcoma 5K Run/Walk at Core Creek Park. Dr Haldar expressed gratitude for the research support that SSRI has provided and emphasized the importance of such support in obtaining NIH funding.

Congratulations to Dr. Haldar and his colleagues. Slay Sarcoma Research Initiative is proud to help fund this important sarcoma research at the University of Pennsylvania and looks forward to more innovative discoveries.


SLAY SARCOMA Research Initiative FUNDED RESEARCH AT
PENN MEDICINE’S Abramson Cancer Center

“Over the last four years, Dr. Robert Giuntoli has been able to develop a productive, collaborative relationship with several individuals at Penn Medicine including Dr. Katherine Nathanson, Dr. Jennifer Morrissette and Dr. Fiona Simpkins. The team of investigators has focused specifically on uterine leiomyosarcoma and additional funding from the Slay Sarcoma Research Initiative will allow them to continue to pursue their goal of developing novel, investigator-initiated clinical trials for women with this disease.”

Click here to read more about Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center LMS Research


December 2023

$50,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2023 fundraising initiatives.

$50,000.00
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


DECEMBER 2022

$36,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2022 fundraising initiatives.

$36,000.00
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


DECEMBER 2021

$35,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2021 fundraising initiatives.

$35,000
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


JANUARY 2020

$42,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2019 fundraising initiatives.

$42,000
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


MAY 2019

$40,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2018 fundraising initiatives.

$40,000
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


MAY 2018

$100,000.00 made directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania from proceeds raised from 2017 fundraising initiatives.

$100,000.00
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


September – October 2017


Project Title: The Development of a Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Patient Derived Xenografts (PDX) Platform for personalized therapies.

$20,000
Dr. Robert Giuntoli II, University of Pennsylvania

Examining the protein expression of beta adrenergic receptors across a large panel of human leiomyosarcoma tumor samples using immunohistochemistry.

$10,000
Brad Bryan, Ph.D.
Texas Tech University Health
Sciences Center at El Paso


March 2017


Proceeds of $10,865 from the October 2016 5K Run/Walk.

$10,865
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


January 2016

$1,135.00 in donations from contributors made directly to the Abramson’s Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Proceeds of $10,110.00 from the 2015 5K Run/Walk.

$11,245
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


September - December 2015

$65,515.00 in donations from contributors made
directly to the Abramson Cancer Center at the
University of Pennsylvania.

$65,515
Abramson Cancer Center
https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer


September - December 2014

Slay Sarcoma’s 5K proceeds donated to LMS Direct Research.

$30,000
LMS Direct Research Foundation (LMS DR)
http://lmsdr.org/grant-awards/