The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) announced its $12.6 million commitment to fund melanoma research supporting more than 30 scientists in the United States and across the globe.
The 2024 MRA Grant Award winners, include:
Young Investigator Awardees
The MRA Young Investigator Awards empower the next generation of early career researchers. In addition to funding bold new ideas, MRA’s Young Investigator Award program is also a training ground for researchers through the interaction with a senior melanoma investigator serving as a mentor as they prepare for the future of their science careers.
Delineating T-cell migratory patterns in immunotherapy-treated melanoma
Ressler-MRA Young Investigator Award
Katie Campbell, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
The role of aging in immune-regulated reactivation from metastatic melanoma
Merck-MRA Young Investigator Award
Mitchell Fane, PhD, The Research Institute of Fox Chase Cancer Center
Elucidating metabolic modulators to enhance Treg-TME melanoma immunotherapy
Jill & Jay Bernstein-MRA Young Investigator Award
Ariella Glasner, PhD, Technion Israel Institute of Technology
Overcoming resistance to immune checkpoint blockade therapy with PSGL-1
Bristol Myers Squibb-MRA Young Investigator Award
Jennifer Hope, PhD, Drexel University
Spatial vascular patterns and immune exclusion mechanisms in melanoma
Wayne Stinchcomb Big Orange Foundation-MRA Young Investigator Award
Minah Kim, PhD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Targeting suppressive macrophages to overcome resistance to immunotherapy
Kline Hill Partners – MRA Young Investigator Award
Brian Miller, MD, PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Harnessing tissue-resident lymphocytes as a melanoma biomarker
MRA Young Investigator Award
Joshua Moreau, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University – OHSU
Tumor-Reactive T Cells to Treat Melanoma Leptomeningeal Disease
Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM)-MRA Young Investigator Award
Yolanda Pina, MD, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc
Harnessing the tumor immune microenvironment of brain metastases
ASTRO-MRA Young Investigator Award in Radiation Oncology
Lisa Sudmeier, MD, PhD, Emory University
Targeting BRAF mutated melanoma with CD4+ T cells
MRA Young Investigator Award
Joshua Veatch, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Pilot Awardees
The MRA Pilot Awards provide early support for conceptually novel, exploratory, high risk and high impact projects with the potential to change the face of melanoma research and treatments.
A hyperactive heterodimeric histone methyl transferase in melanoma
MRA Pilot Award
Bassem Al-Sady, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco
Targeting YAP1-TEAD in acral melanoma
The Black Family-MRA Pilot Award
Andrew Aplin, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University
Recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara for acral melanoma immunotherapy
The Black Family-MRA Pilot Award
Liang Deng, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)
Harnessing pDC-derived exosomes for enhanced melanoma immunotherapy
unWINE’d at Del Webb Riverlights – MRA Pilot Award
Aimin Jiang, PhD, Henry Ford Health System
CARkines: A path towards the next generation of T cell therapies
Ressler-MRA Uveal Melanoma Pilot Award
Cristina Puig Saus, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
“Piloting” cellular therapy in uveal melanoma with Lifileucel
ACIS – MRA Pilot Award in Uveal Melanoma
Alexander Shoushtari, MD, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research
Immunotherapeutic cytokine/antibody fusion protein to treat acral melanoma
The Black Family-MRA Pilot Award
Jamie Spangler, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
A molecular driver of exceptional response to immune checkpoint treatments
Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM)-MRA Pilot Award
Hans Widlund, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.
Team Science Award
The MRA Team Science Awards utilize a multidisciplinary team science approach to foster collaborative research projects with the potential of rapid advancement to the clinic. This award also requires the inclusion of a Young Investigator to participate on the research team and interact with a melanoma mentor.
Molecular alterations and therapeutics for high-risk uveal melanoma
MRA Team Science Award
Anne Bowcock, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Characterize antigen-presenting astrocytes to inhibit melanoma brain metastasis
The Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation—MRA Team Science Award
Neta Erez, PhD, Tel Aviv University
Enabling AI for early detection of melanoma in smartphone images
Anna-Maria & Stephen Kellen Foundation – MRA Team Science Award
Allan Halpern, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)
Interrogating the role of CD27-CD8+ T cells in immunotherapy responses
MRA Team Science Award
Frank Hodi, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dissecting neural-like cell states in melanoma brain metastasis
Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation – MRA Team Science Award
Benjamin Izar, MD, PhD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Studying acral & mucosal melanoma’s cellular networks & immune resistance
MRA Team Science Award generously supported by the Black Family
Matthew Krummel, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco
Organoid modeling of melanoma checkpoint inhibitor response and resistance
Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) – MRA Team Science Award
Calvin Kuo, MD, PhD, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
A molecular glue to degrade tumor-surface PD-L1 and improve therapies
Ressler-MRA Team Science Award
Roger Lo, MD, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
Optimizing the immune mediated-destruction of NRAS mutant melanoma
Mary Jo and Brian Rogers- MRA Team Science Award
Keiran Smalley, PhD, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc
Targeting CTLA-4 to optimize the management of melanoma brain metastasis
Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) – MRA Team Science Award
Ryan Sullivan, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General)
Dermatology Career Development Award
The MRA Dermatology Career Development Award supports early career scientists interested in the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and early intervention of melanoma.
The role of the microbiome and treatment response in rare melanoma subtypes
L’Oreal Dermatological Beauty Division – MRA Dermatology Career Development Award
Florentia Dimitriou, MD, PhD, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Deep learning pathology image analysis of neoadjuvant treated melanoma
Anna-Maria & Stephen Kellen Foundation – MRA Dermatology Career Development Award
Nigel Maher, PhD, Melanoma Institute Australia
“When MRA was founded in 2007, melanoma research was stagnant and treatment options were few,” says MRA’s Chief Executive Officer Marc Hurlbert, PhD, in a news release. “Today, a person with advanced melanoma has access to 17 FDA-approved treatments. MRA’s progress is not just benefiting patients with melanoma, it is also transforming the field of oncology. We remain grateful to our supporters who made another groundbreaking year of research investments possible.”
“Melanoma research has made tremendous progress over the last 15 years,” adds MRA Chief Science Officer Joan Levy, PhD. “Even as we’ve made significant, lifesaving advances in understanding and treating melanoma, nearly 50% of patients with advanced melanoma do not respond to current treatments. Our focused research agenda aims to improve treatment options, unravel the complexities of rare melanomas, understand why melanoma metastasizes so rapidly, and develop more tools and technologies for better early detection. At MRA, we remain committed to supporting a global brain trust of scientists who are leading the charge.”
