From left to right - Gary Stein, PhD and Janet Stein, PhD
Osteosarcoma is a rare aggressive bone cancer that most commonly is found in teenagers and young adults. However, because it is rare, there have been limited studies assessing the molecular basis of Osteosarcoma.
UVM Cancer Center members Gary Stein, PhD, Janet Stein, PhD, research faculty Jonathan Gordon, PhD, and collaborator Rami Aqeilan, PhD, from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel were awarded a US-Israel Binational Science Foundation grant to support their longstanding collaboration investigating tumor suppressor-compromised epigenetic control in osteosarcoma. The research team has identified a tumor suppressor (WWOX) that prevents the onset and progression of osteosarcoma. Their current focus is on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms for WWOX-mediated tumor suppressor. The hope is to identify targets for therapy with maximal specificity and minimal off-target effects, increasing the survival of patients with osteosarcoma.