Primary bone sarcomas are rare tumours with a wide spectrum of clinical and biological behaviour. They range from highly aggressive Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma that present in young patients, to often slower growing chondrosarcoma that can transform to higher grade forms in older adults. Curative approaches to locally aggressive tumours such as giant cell tumours of bone, and even rarer types of bone tumours are also challenging to specialist teams. As with many other tumours, histological classification is now being combined with molecular classification of disease subtypes, and in particular with somatic genome based diagnostics. Basic research has progressed quickly because of the new information provided by next generation sequencing technologies and experimental model systems, and these are now beginning to shape the next generation of clinical studies. Ultimately, predictive correlation will enhance the impetus towards improved diagnosis, target validation and stratified or personalised treatment options. Translation into practice will require new approaches to clinical trial design that will exploit the strong international collaboration between researchers in all disciplines that has developed within the field. Whilst large scale clinical trials have standardised care worldwide, I will review the emerging advances in basic biology and translational research studies that will underpin the next wave of hypothesis and treatment advances.