Released on: October 30, 2008, 7:21 am

Press Release Author: Michael Notrica

Industry: Healthcare

Press Release Summary: The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative has awarded a one-year,
$50,000 grant to Memorial University Medical Center's (MUMC) Dominique Broccoli,
PhD. The grant will fund Broccoli's sarcoma cancer research project.

Press Release Body: The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative has awarded a one-year,
$50,000 grant to Memorial University Medical Center's (MUMC) Dominique Broccoli,
PhD. The grant will fund Broccoli's sarcoma cancer research project.
Sarcoma is a cancer of the connective tissues, such as nerves, muscles, or blood
vessels. Although rare in adults, it accounts for 15 to 20 percent of all children's
cancers. Sarcoma can occur anywhere in the body and is frequently hidden deep in the
limbs. The subject of Broccoli's research is liposarcoma, one of the most common of
all soft-tissue sarcomas.
"This generous grant will allow our liposarcoma research to continue. We hope to
identify genes that are useful diagnostic and/or prognostic markers. These markers
may predict response to treatment and assist in the search for newer, better sarcoma
therapies," said Broccoli. Broccoli is a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished
Cancer Scholar. She leads the cancer biology and genetics program in the William and
Iffath Hoskins Center for Biomedical Research at MUMC. Broccoli is also a professor
for Mercer University School of Medicine - Savannah Campus.
Bruce and Beverly Shriver, co-founders of the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative, said
they are delighted to fund the work of Dr. Broccoli and hope that her results will
be stepping-stones to finding a cure for liposarcoma. The grant is dedicated to Rose
Burt, a courageous, inspirational, and tireless advocate for sarcoma who had her own
21-year battle with liposarcoma. The funding of this grant is made possible, in
part, by a generous gift from Laura Somerville, M.D., Ph.D.
The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative of Ossining, New York, undertakes activities
that help improve the quality of life for people dealing with sarcoma. Central to
this mission are its goals of increasing public awareness of sarcoma and funding
sarcoma-related research through a rigorous peer-review grant application process.
Memorial University Medical Center (MUMC) is a two-state healthcare organization
serving a 35-county area in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina. The
system includes its flagship hospital, a 530-bed academic medical center; Memorial
primary and specialty care physician networks; a major medical education program;
business and industry services; and NurseOne, a 24-hour call center. Visit our Web
site at www.memorialhealth.com.


Web Site: http://www.memorialhealth.com

Contact Details: 4700 Waters Avenue
Savannah, Georgia 31403