Skin cancer immunotherapy: better vaccines and biomarkers to help melanoma patients
Official title: Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11415547 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Yale-led program tests new drug combinations and biomarker tests to help people with advanced melanoma live longer and better, especially by guiding which treatment works best for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2006 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,741,132 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA121974-19 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415547 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced/metastatic melanoma who are candidates for immune-based therapies or biomarker-guided treatment decisions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not receiving immune-based regimens or whose disease biology does not respond to the studied approaches may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports a translational effort at Yale to develop and test new combinations that boost immune responses against advanced melanoma, with an emphasis on PD-1 inhibitors and strategies that engage both innate and adaptive immunity. Researchers will study predictive biomarkers and digital pathology to tailor treatments to individual patients. The program integrates immunobiology, genetics, and bioinformatics to move discoveries from the lab toward clinical use for patients with metastatic disease. The overall goal is to reduce mortality and morbidity from skin cancer by personalizing therapies and improving long-term survival.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with metastatic melanoma could receive more effective, personalized treatments and potentially longer survival.
How similar studies have gone: Previous advances in immune checkpoint therapies and biomarker-driven treatment selection have improved outcomes in melanoma, supporting this translational approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bosenberg, Marcus W — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Bosenberg, Marcus W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Solar-powered sun protection for outdoor workers
A short project to help outdoor workers prevent skin cancer by using a tailored, story-based video and workplace actions to increase sun protection.
-
CivaDerm: a new four-day skin cancer radiation bandage
A new four‑day radiation bandage for non-melanoma skin cancer aims to treat facial and other areas without multiple clinic visits or big scars.
-
MOSAIC II: MAP Wound Matrix to speed graft readiness after non-melanoma skin cancer surgery
A randomized trial tests a moldable wound scaffold (MAP Wound Matrix) to speed healing and time to graft-ready skin after head and neck cancer surgeries in adults.
-
PASS: A family-based approach to sun safety in schools
A parent-focused program delivered through schools aims to help families protect children from sun exposure and reduce skin cancer risk.
-
Precision skin cancer risk feedback in community clinics
A multisite study tests giving adults personalized genetic risk information to boost sun protection and skin checks in low-resource primary care settings.
-
Sesame: Improving sun protection for melanoma survivors with real-time mobile support
Aimed at adults with a history of melanoma, this project tests a smartphone-based program to help people protect their skin from sun exposure while staying active.
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.