Liposarcomas are rare cancers of the fat tissue. They are treated by surgical excision but often recur and are refractory to chemotherapy and radiation, leading to high mortality. Liposarcomas are caused by gene amplification – leading to dozens of extra copies – of the MDM2 gene. MDM2 functions to degrade other proteins, including the known tumor suppressor protein TP53. However, evidence suggests that the MDM2-TP53 pathway does not underlie liposarcoma. Rather, Dr. Pollack’s novel idea is that MDM2 degrades another as yet unidentified protein critical for the development of liposarcoma. Through the support of the Behar Innovation Awards in Sarcoma Research award, Dr. Pollack aims to discover that protein, which would both further our understanding of liposarcoma, and provide a new therapeutic target for precision medicine.