How uveal melanoma cells send signals that help them spread
Official title: Dissecting Inter-Compartmental Tumor-Host Communication Driving Early Dissemination in Uveal Melanoma.
Funded at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · NIH-11343371 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows adults with uveal melanoma and tracks signals in eye fluid and blood to find early signs that the cancer may be spreading.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | May 5, 2026 |
| Project end | April 1, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $573,286 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA311805-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11343371 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults (21+) newly diagnosed with uveal melanoma who can consent to tumor, eye-fluid, and blood sampling and attend follow-up visits in Los Angeles.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with already visible metastatic disease, those under 21, or those unwilling/unable to provide samples or travel for follow-up are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would join a group of over 100 adults newly diagnosed with uveal melanoma and give samples from the tumor, the eye's aqueous humor, plasma, and blood at several visits. Researchers will study tiny particles (extracellular vesicles), soluble proteins, and rare circulating cells using molecular analyses and advanced imaging. They will compare signals from inside the eye to those in the blood over time to map how tumor communication changes before spread is visible. The team will combine all data to define communication “states” that might explain why some tumors spread early.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could produce tests that detect early spread and point to ways to stop metastasis before it becomes untreatable.
How similar studies have gone: Some elements like genetic markers and extracellular vesicle analysis have shown promise in other cancers, but comprehensive cross-compartment signaling maps in uveal melanoma are largely novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Liya — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Xu, Liya
Related research
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Improving treatment response in uveal melanoma by targeting Syk with new translational models
A Mayo Clinic team is exploring whether blocking the Syk protein can make uveal melanoma more responsive to PARP inhibitors in patients who have this eye cancer that often spreads.
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A safe, minimally invasive test to predict uveal melanoma metastasis risk from eye fluid
A new test using a sample from the eye’s aqueous fluid could predict if uveal melanoma is likely to spread, without needing a risky biopsy.
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Targeting stress defenses in eye melanoma that spreads to the liver
Researchers are working to weaken tumor cells' defenses against oxidative damage so liver metastases from uveal (eye) melanoma in adults become more vulnerable to treatment.
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A new test using eye fluid to predict the risk of uveal melanoma spreading
This study is looking for a gentler way to check if uveal melanoma, a type of eye cancer, might spread by testing proteins in the eye's fluid instead of using painful needle biopsies, helping doctors make better treatment choices while keeping patients safe.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.