Understanding How Early Melanoma Changes and Spreads
Dissecting Phenotype Switching in Early Stage Melanomas
This research aims to understand how melanoma cells change and spread very early in the disease, using advanced models to find new ways to fight this cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171615 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Melanoma is a serious cancer, and we know that it can spread to other parts of the body even when it's still small and localized on the skin. To better fight melanoma, we need to understand the changes that happen in these early tumors and how the body's immune system responds. This project uses special humanized mouse models, which are mice given human immune cells and human melanoma cells, to mimic how early melanoma develops in people. By also using UV light, similar to how human skin is exposed, we can watch how these tumors grow and change over time. We hope to discover the molecular signals that cause melanoma cells to switch their behavior and spread, and how the immune system tries to stop them.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit future patients diagnosed with early-stage melanoma.
Not a fit: Patients with advanced, widespread melanoma may not directly benefit from this specific early-stage research, though it could inform future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to detect and treat melanoma before it spreads, improving outcomes for patients.
How similar studies have performed: This project uses novel humanized mouse models, representing a new approach to studying early melanoma progression compared to previous models.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schober, Markus — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Schober, Markus
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 below.