Understanding how melanoma adapts to treatment and evades the immune system
Defining and targeting epigenetic plasticity-driven drug resistance and immune escape in melanoma
This study is looking at how melanoma, a type of skin cancer, can become resistant to treatments and avoid the immune system, focusing on a protein called HDAC8 that changes how melanoma cells behave, with the goal of finding new ways to help people with melanoma respond better to therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10883730 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms by which melanoma, a type of skin cancer, develops resistance to therapies and escapes the immune response. It focuses on the role of a specific protein, HDAC8, in changing the behavior of melanoma cells, making them resistant to treatment. By studying these changes, researchers aim to identify potential targets for new therapies that could prevent or overcome this resistance. The approach includes advanced techniques like ATAC sequencing to analyze chromatin accessibility and gene expression in melanoma cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with melanoma who are undergoing treatment with BRAF-MEK inhibitors.
Not a fit: Patients with melanoma who are not receiving targeted therapies or those with other types of cancer may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment strategies that improve outcomes for melanoma patients by overcoming drug resistance.
How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown promising results in targeting drug resistance mechanisms in cancer, suggesting that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smalley, Keiran — H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Smalley, Keiran
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.