Investigating how drug-resistant melanoma can become more sensitive to treatment
Official title: Directed Clonal Evolution of Drug Resistant BRAF Mutant Melanoma for Cross-Sensitization to MAPK Hyperactivation
Funded at Broad Institute, INC. · NIH-11110287 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to make melanoma cells that don't respond to current treatments more sensitive to new therapies, especially for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma, by finding out how to target their weaknesses better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Broad Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $78,040 |
| NIH project number | 5F32CA271719-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11110287 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma who have experienced resistance to current therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with melanoma that does not have BRAF mutations or those who have not undergone targeted therapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how melanoma cells that have developed resistance to targeted therapies can be made more sensitive to treatment through a different approach. The study aims to explore the concept of 'context-dependent lethality,' where activating certain pathways in cancer cells may lead to their increased vulnerability. By examining the mechanisms of resistance in melanoma, particularly those involving the BRAF gene, the research seeks to identify new therapeutic strategies that could improve patient outcomes. Patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma may benefit from this innovative approach that aims to overcome existing treatment limitations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment options for patients with drug-resistant melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using similar approaches to overcome drug resistance in cancer treatment, indicating potential for success in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Broad Institute, INC.
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cho, Eunice — Broad Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Cho, Eunice
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Melanoma vaccine built from tiny spherical nucleic acids
A new kind of cancer vaccine using tiny spherical nucleic acids to help the immune system fight advanced melanoma.
-
Injecting immune-boosting medicine into melanoma tumors to help the immune system reject them
This gives an immune-boosting drug directly into melanoma tumors in pet dogs to help their T cells find and destroy the cancer.
-
SIRT6 and melanoma growth and spread
Researchers are seeing if blocking a protein called SIRT6 can help stop melanoma from growing and spreading in people with melanoma.
-
How tumor cell stress and nearby support cells help melanoma spread
This project looks at whether blocking a tumor cell stress response and changing how nearby support cells behave might keep melanoma cells from surviving, spreading, and resisting treatment.
-
PLK4 as a potential drug target in melanoma
Researchers are exploring whether blocking PLK4 could be a new way to treat melanoma and how PLK4 works with other melanoma-driving pathways.
-
A new lentivector to deliver multiple TCRs for melanoma cell therapy
A new gene-delivery approach aims to boost T cell receptors inside patients’ own cells to treat advanced melanoma.
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.