Letter from the President

Looking Ahead

Dear Friends,

This month MRA has MRA is delighted to be joining Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C), and its scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), to fund an exciting and innovative Melanoma Dream Team Translational Research Grant. This multi-million dollar three year award is designed to accelerate the discovery and application of new therapeutic agents for patients suffering from metastatic melanoma. The Dream Team Model, involving joint efforts among scientists and clinicians across disciplines and institutions, reflects the spirit of MRA's emphasis on collaboration in high-impact, translational research.engaged in several important "firsts," issuing our first retrospective "Progress Report" summarizing the amazing progress that has been made in the four years since MRA was launched by our founders, Debra and Leon Black. Look for annual reports in the years to come as we chronicle the next phases of progress toward better outcomes for melanoma patients.

As 2011 comes to an end, it is with great pride that we reflect on the remarkable progress that the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) and the melanoma research community have made over the past year. In March, an immunotherapy called Yervoy (ipilimumab) became the first drug approved by the U.S. FDA in 13 years for metastatic melanoma. Then the molecularly targeted agent Zelboraf (vemurafenib), an inhibitor of a mutated protein found in about half of melanomas, was approved by the FDA in August. MRA funding has been vital to unlocking the best treatments and continues to offer hope for better therapies and ultimately a cure, but no one person or organization can conquer melanoma alone. A summary of MRA's work since its founding has been published as well. It is titled, 'Accelerating Progress: Moving Toward a Cure for Melanoma.' We are thankful to all who have engaged with us in these endeavors - researchers, supporters, allies, partners, and more.

As the pace of progress quickens, MRA is re-doubling its efforts to accelerate research. With more than $33 million awarded for promising research, MRA has catalyzed tactical and collaborative research efforts to discern new biomarkers of treatment response, uncover drug resistance mechanisms, and improve effectiveness through combination therapies. In addition to improving the knowledge base for better preventative and diagnostic approaches, MRA is dedicated to working with everyone who seeks to defeat melanoma, moving from "the year of melanoma" to "the year of the melanoma cure" as quickly as possible.

We hope you will join us and take action as we launch a new year toward the defeat of melanoma.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Collaborations

Stand Up To Cancer Announcement

MRA is excited to announce the collaboration of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), the Melanoma Research Alliance and SU2C's scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) on a new Dream Team dedicated to melanoma research. Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D. and Patricia M. LoRusso, D.O. will lead the Dream Team project entitled "Personalized Medicine for Patients with BRAF Wild-Type (BRAFwt) Cancer." This Dream Team will investigate the utility of personalized target/therapy identification in patients with BRAFwt metastatic melanoma and will explore the efficacy of molecularly guided therapy involving numerous Food and Drug Administration-approved and investigational agents.

Research

MRA Funded Researchers Uncover New Mechanism of Resistance to Melanoma Drug

CT scans of an abdominal mass (circled in red) in a patient with advanced melanoma. The cancer responded to vemurafenib but progressed after 6 months of therapy. (Image courtesy of Dr. Keith Flaherty, Massachusetts General Hospital; NCI Cancer Bulletin, Nov.29, 2011, Vol.8 / No.23)

Described in a recent publication in the prestigious journal, Nature, MRA-funded researchers have discovered a new way that melanoma cells may become resistant to treatment with vemurafenib (Zelboraf), a targeted therapy that has produced dramatic results for some patients with advanced disease. In some cases, the drug has caused tumors to shrink and even disappear, but the treatment invariably stops working. Elucidating the underlying resistance mechanisms is critical to designing additional treatment approaches to overcome them. Dr. David Solit (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) and his colleagues, with funding by a MRA Team Science Award, have discovered a novel resistance mechanism.

"We hope that this discovery will lead to more effective treatments."
– Dr. David Solit

To learn more view an article in the NCI Cancer Bulletin, 'Researchers Uncover New Mechanism of Resistance to Melanoma Drug' or read the abstract of the publication.

MRA News

MRA is grateful for the amazing guidance, engagement, and expertise shared with us by some of the world's leading doctors, clinicians, and scientists through our Grant Review Committee (GRC), our Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) and a newly established Medical Advisory Panel (MAP). With the support and engagement of these 40 dedicated professionals, MRA continues to move its research portfolio forward toward accelerating progress for patients and everyone at risk.

New Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) Members

We are pleased to introduce our newest additions to the MRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). The SAP advises the MRA leadership team on scientific matters and policies of MRA including research needs and opportunities that may be targeted for funding and planning scientific symposia). Our new members are Dr. Paul Billings (Life Technologies), Dr. Gideon Bollag (Plexxikon), Lynda Chin (University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), and Dr. Richard Gaynor (Eli Lilly). View a current list of the SAP here.

New Panel Created at MRA: Medical Advisory Panel (MAP)

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Paul Chapman (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) will serve as Chairman of MRA's newly established Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) for 2011-2012. The Medical Advisory Panel advises the MRA leadership team on medical matters and policies including medical consultations, clinical research needs and opportunities, clinical regulatory and policy initiatives, and public education about melanoma. To learn more, visit the MAP page.

Survivor Story: It looked as though Holly Dunlap was in for a great 2007 until melanoma reared its ugly head

In early January Holly went to see a new dermatologist, "probably to inquire about some ridiculous beauty treatment I'd read about in the latest fashion magazine," she reflected. Holly's visit was not for health reasons because she had visited a different dermatologist only three months prior to inqire about a disconcerting spot on her right cheekbone. Holly's worries were put to rest when the first dermatologist told her gruffly to "stop Googling skin cancer," without biopsying the spot although it was dark brown and about the size of a pencil eraser and in the preceding 6 months, a very small dark spot had formed in the center - a definite sign that something might be wrong.

When Holly arrived to see her new dermatologist, she did not have time to ask about beauty products. Upon seeing the spot, the dermatologist insisted that she biopsy the spot. Sure enough, the spot was diagnosed as malignant melanoma. Between January and August of 2007, Holly underwent five surgeries that resulted in the removal of a chunk of skin from her cheekbone with the diameter of a silver dollar. To read Holly's story, please visit the Survivor Stories.

MRA YouTube Page Goes Live

MRA has a newly-enhanced presence on YouTube with an updated Channel that now features all MRA videos. Visit the MRA Channel, 'MelanomaResearchAlli,' to view, share, embed, rate and provide feedback on all videos. Please check back frequently, or please subscribe to the MRA Channel to be notified when new videos are available.

Letter from the President

Marking a milestone for MRA

Dear Friends,

This month MRA has engaged in several important "firsts," issuing our first retrospective "Progress Report" summarizing the amazing progress that has been made in the four years since MRA was launched by our founders, Debra and Leon Black. Look for annual reports in the years to come as we chronicle the next phases of progress toward better outcomes for melanoma patients.

We also worked with our collaborating colleagues at Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) and AACR to review the finalist proposals submitted for the landmark $6 million SU2C-MRA Melanoma Dream Team. Watch for an announcement of the award next month.

The MRA Board of Directors visited one of the leading melanoma research sites, MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) in Houston, meeting with MRA-funded investigators and the MDACC's new President, Dr. Ron DePinho for a dynamic and exciting roundtable discussion about generating innovative collaborations toward our mutual goal of defeating melanoma.

And we had several wonderful opportunities at the recent FasterCures' Partnering For Cures conference in New York City to expand MRA's reach. We engaged dozens of participants in conversation to explore partnering opportunities and highlighted our novel Partnership Award grant mechanism through an Innovator Presentation. We also featured MRA's Young Investigator Awards program through participation, along with MRA Awardees Drs. Tim Bullock and Pam Sharma, on a panel discussion focused on the Future of Research.

It continues to be an exciting time in the field of melanoma research and we remain grateful for the incredible support we receive from so many individuals, organizations and companies.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Research

The first ever Melanoma Research Alliance Progress Report, Accelerating Progress Toward a Cure for Melanoma: 2008-2011, has been published

The report highlights the accomplishments of MRA's first four years of work, as they were a period of landmark advances in the field of melanoma research and treatment. This report offers a retrospective of the four years since the founding of MRA, including the progress that has occurred as a result of MRA research investments, and a look to the future of melanoma research.

MRA scientists highlighted at melanoma research meeting

Presented by the Society for Melanoma Research, the 2011 International Melanoma Congress hosted an audience of approximately 700 medical and scientific experts from around the globe working in melanoma research. Almost thirty MRA-funded investigators and scientific advisors led sessions and spoke about their research results.

MRA-funded teams identify new melanoma risk genes

With funding from MRA Team Science Awards, two groups report on the discovery of genes associated with increased melanoma risk, pointing to new targets for prevention and treatment. In one study, Nicholas Hayward and Nicholas Martin (Queensland Institute of Medical Research) and Graham Mann (Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney) discovered five new melanoma risk genes using a technique called a "genome wide association study." In contrast to all previously known genes, none of these are associated with fair skin or moles - pointing to new pathways in melanoma susceptibility. This research was published in two papers in Nature Genetics and highlighted in Time magazine. Another team led by Jeffrey Trent (Translational Genomics Research Institute), Goran Jonsson (Lund University), along with Drs. Hayward and Mann report in the journal Nature on a new genetic mutation present in many individuals with a family history of melanoma. This is the third such gene to be implicated in inherited melanoma risk.

Collaborations

Partnering for Cures 2011

MRA's Scientific Program Director, Laura Brockway-Lunardi, led an innovator presentation highlighting MRA's Academic-Industrial Partnership Awards, which facilitate public-private collaborations to advance melanoma research with a high potential for clinical impact. Under this mechanism, MRA and an industry partner jointly support academic research and fast-forward the clinical translation of promising new agents to benefit patients, while maintaining rigorous scientific review and oversight. MRA granted the first two of these new awards in 2011 and reported on the initial outcomes of this program. Presenters included Allan C. Halpern, Chief, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Douglas Canfield, President, Canfield Scientific, Inc.

If we are going to be successful, we have to think outside of the envelope. The research in my lab happened to synergize with an emerging company. We worked together asking what can I provide for you and how can you help my lab. This is beyond what the NIH would do and this is where organizations like MRA step in with a wonderful mechanism of allowing collaboration."
– Timothy N. Bullock, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology Human Immune Therapy Center, University of Virginia


MRA's president and CEO, Wendy Selig, moderated a panel discussion titled, "The Kids are Alright." Panelists included Timothy N. Bullock, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Valentina Fossati, Ph.D., New York Stem Cell Foundation, Sebastian Seung, Ph.D., MIT, Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Brent Stockwell, Ph.D., Columbia University. Doctors Bullock and Sharma are both MRA Awardees. This panel focused on the future of young investigators. Discussion revolved around the next generation of scientists and ways to work together to invite more people to come into the field of science and be successful. The panelists supported encouraging team science - everyone needs to work together to find faster cures.

The Style Network Campaign

The Style Network partnered with MRA to develop and promote a "Fight With Style: Skin Cancer Prevention" campaign to educate the public about skin cancer and prevention by hosting events across country with its Fight with Style Beauty Bus Mobile Makeover Tour. The Tour promoted Style's pro-social initiatives including Skin Cancer prevention and Healthy Living. Created to educate and entertain women of all ages, the Style Beauty Bus was a free, first come, first serve event at malls in 10 different cities around the country. In addition to spa treatments, the event services included a ‘Reveal Imager' photo for each visitor. The Reveal Imager system is a camera used by many medical professionals and estheticians to help people visualize and understand their under-lying sun damage including brown spots and red areas. Information on melanoma and the Melanoma Research Alliance was distributed throughout the tour – including information cards with statistics and prevention tips. The tour ended on October 26th, 2011 after reaching over 14,000 viewers.

MRA News

FDA Approval of Mela's new device MelaFind offers latest tool in the fight to diagnose Melanoma

Successfully detecting melanoma at its earliest stages is the best way to increase survival by catching it before it metastasizes, when it is too often fatal. Thus, approval by the FDA of Mela Science's MelaFind, a noninvasive detection device, is welcome in providing another tool for dermatologists.

Survivor Story: Diane Lee "It only took one mutant mole to give me melanoma"

Diane was not initially worried when a stranger at the gym expressed concern about a suspicious looking mole on her back. Thanks to that stranger, Diane had the mole tested. She had stage III melanoma. Diane reminds us that "it only took one mutant mole to give me [stage III] melanoma" and that nobody is risk free. Throughout her struggles Diane never forgot to find the silver linings and wonderful things in her life. Today she is cancer-free and she rejoices every day that she is alive. Read Diane's full story story on our MRA survivor stories page.

National Cancer Center Institute designates MRA as an approved funding entity

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has officially designated the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) as a NCI-approved funding entity. The NCI certification involves a comprehensive assessment of MRA's peer review process to ensure that it conforms to National Institutes of Health (NIH) standards, including conflict of interest protections.
MRA's designation as a NCI-approved funding entity is important because it means that current and potential comprehensive cancer centers will be able to include MRA research grant funding as part of their research base calculations in order to maintain or earn NCI Cancer Center designations.

New CDC Report Released

The centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with partners in the heath care community are in support of a series of articles in a report that represents advancements in our knowledge of melanoma. Highlights of the report include the following:

• Melanoma skin cancer costs the U.S. economy about $8 billion a year;
• More than 45,000 cases of melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, occurred every year between 2004 and 2006;
• Deaths caused by melanoma accounted for $3.5 billion in lost productivity every year (among men accounting for $2.4 billion of lost productivity and among women accounting for $1.2 billion in lost productivity)
• A person who died of melanoma between 2000 and 2006 died 20 years prematurely, compared to 17 years from other cancers.

MRA Grant Review Committee announced

The MRA Grant Review Committee (GRC) for 2011-2012 has been finalized, including new GRC chair Meenhard Herlyn, Wistar Institute, and Co-chair Glenn Dranoff, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The MRA GRC provides scientific merit-based peer review of research proposals that are submitted to MRA and advises MRA on other scientific matters as requested.

Letter from the President

Marking a milestone for MRA

Dear Friends,

This month marks a milestone for the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA). Four years of remarkable progress have passed since our founding. Thanks to the vision of our leadership, the extraordinary dedication and hard work of the global melanoma community, and innovative collaboration among stakeholders, we have seen an era of discovery and hope that includes two new breakthrough treatments for melanoma patients. MRA has systematically approached our research funding guided by the 17 scientific and clinical questions identified at our 2007 Call to Action meeting. To build on that progress and accelerate achievement of our mission, we have updated our strategy to inform the next phase of research supported by MRA funding.

We welcome everyone's engagement as we address these key questions. As an important reminder for researchers and collaborative partners alike, MRA's Request for Proposals for the 2012 cycle is open, with a deadline of Dec. 1, 2011. This round of grant opportunities includes an expanded partnership option, which we hope will spur innovative collaborations among academic institutions, industry, and other organizations to help prioritize and leverage resources toward the most impactful results.
Thank you to all who are working so tirelessly to defeat melanoma.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Research

MRA releases four-year strategic research plan

It has been nearly four years after the initial Call to Action meeting that launched MRA. In this short time, incredible progress has been made, and MRA-funded research and programs have delved into each of the 17 scientific and clinical questions prioritized by that distinguished group and put forth as a call to action for the entire community. With MRA's revised and updated Strategic Research Plan, we recognize the enormous strides that have been made and highlight the areas of greatest need in the area of scientific discovery. The updated research plan will guide the development of the MRA scientific portfolio over the next granting cycles. The plan was developed with feedback and direction from members of MRA's Grant Review Committee, Scientific Advisory Panel, and the MRA leadership team.

Senate Committee urges more research in melanoma

In the report accompanying the 2012 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, the Senate committee urged the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to direct more research to melanoma. Specific areas identified included risk factors, biomarkers for prognostics and therapy, biospecimen collection, and combination therapies. The committee also urged NCI to facilitate collaborations among sectors, including industry and foundations. Through participation in leading advocacy collaborations, MRA is leveraging these efforts with all partners to help shape the work of the federal government to accelerate research on this deadly disease. As the largest private funder of melanoma research in the United States, MRA is working closely with NCI to enhance coordination and collaboration within the funding community.

Nobel Prize awarded for immunology

The late Dr. Ralph M. Steinman was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work on the human immune response and immunology. Steinman, director of the Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology at Rockefeller University and a senior physician at the Rockefeller University Hospital, discovered a new class of cells, known as dendritic cells. This work, and the study of the role of dendritic cells in the immune system, is an ongoing area of inquiry for melanoma. MRA is currently funding a Team Science Award led by Nina Bhardwaj, M.D., Ph.D., (New York University) and Jedd Wolchok, M.D., Ph.D., (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) that is f ocused on the development of dendritic cell vaccines for melanoma, which is considered one of the most immunogenic of human cancers. MRA sends its condolences to the family of Dr. Steinman, who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer.

Collaborations

Christie's luncheon features Liz Taylor's jewels and honors MRA

On October 11th, Christie's and Wells Fargo co-hosted a luncheon in Los Angeles in honor of the Melanoma Research Alliance. The event included the first viewing in Los Angeles of the traveling exhibit of Elizabeth Taylor's vintage clothing and jewelry that will be auctioned off in December at Christie's in New York City. The Elizabeth Taylor collection was open for public viewing October 13 – 16 at the MOCA Pacific Design Center.

Over 150 event attendees spent the first hour viewing the various pieces of Elizabeth Taylor's estate and discussing their favorite pieces under umbrellas outdoors. The viewing was followed by lunch served on the plaza at the MOCA Pacific Design Center. A variety of individuals spoke during lunch including the Chairman of Christie's Americas, Marc Porter, who introduced MRA and the importance of the ongoing support the company provides to Christian Blank, the Christie's Young Investigator. MRA co-founder Debra Black explained the reasons for which MRA was created while MRA Young Investigator, Dr. Roger Lo from UCLA, gave a brief overview of his research and how MRA has dramatically improved the field for young doctors and researchers. The speaking portion of the luncheon concluded with board member, Maria Bell, sharing her personal experiences with melanoma for the first time publicly.

MRA wants to thank the event hostesses Maria Bell, Beth Friedman, Jami Gertz, Susan Hess, Kelly Fisher Katz, Susie Krevoy, Nancy Marks, Leslie McMorrow, Carolyn Powers, Alison Ressler, Tawny Sanders and Sheryl Sokoloff. We would also like to offer a special thanks to Christie's and Wells Fargo for their collaboration, and thank you to SkinCeuticals for providing much needed sunscreen for the occasion.

MRA News

Surviving melanoma

Despite her diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic melanoma, Roslyn Meyer has never given up hope. She tells herself that anything that gives her a chance to live another year or another month may mean that a cure could be discovered by the time she needs it. Read her story.

MRA to present at 2011 Partnering for Cures

Wendy K.D. Selig, MRA's president and CEO, will host a panel, "The Future of Research: The Kids Are Alright," during FasterCures' 2011 Partnering for Cures, to be held Nov. 6-8 in New York. The meeting brings together hundreds of leaders for medical research's most forward-thinking, outcomes-oriented, and patient-focused event. Selig's panel will address how the research field is going to attract and keep young people in the system and how the next generation will change the research establishment of tomorrow. During Partnering for Cures, Laura Brockway-Lunardi, Ph.D., MRA's scientific program director, will host an Innovator Presentation that features Allan C. Halpern, M.D., of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Douglas Canfield of Canfield Scientific, Inc., who will discuss MRA's Academic-Indu stry Partnership Awards, a novel approach to research funding that facilitates public-private collaborations to advance melanoma research with a high potential for clinical impact.

MRA Congratulates California on New Tanning Bed Restrictions

California's decision to ban those under 18 from using tanning beds is a welcome step in the right direction for a needless exercise that is a known and significant health threat. It is well documented that indoor tanning contributes to skin cancer, including melanoma, which can have fatal consequences. Read MRA's statement for more information.

Letter from the President

Telling the story of melanoma

MRA's Brochure Cover

This month at the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), we are asking supporters to help us spread the word about melanoma. Through our partners, our Web site, and social media, we are telling the stories of individuals involved with MRA as well as people who have been affected by melanoma.

We were delighted to be one of the featured organizations on a recent episode of the Dr. Oz Show about cancer. In addition, we worked with the American Association for Cancer Research this month to communicate two stories of melanoma survivors in an effort to put a personal touch on the progress that has been made in cancer research.

We are also sharing the story of MRA by publishing a brochure about how MRA is fast forwarding a cure for melanoma. It features the ways in which MRA is working toward a cure through research, fostering collaboration to amplify our reach, and leveraging progress through policy change.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, check out the stories on our Web site, and share our brochure with your contacts. Together, we are spreading the word about the progress that has been made in melanoma and the work that lies ahead until we reach the day when no one suffers or dies from melanoma.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

AACR Cancer Progress Report 2011 features melanoma

To mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) published its Cancer Progress Report. The report examines progress in cancer research, personalized cancer medicine, and the promise of realizing current opportunities. The report also features the stories of Andrew Messinger and Roslyn Meyer, melanoma survivors who discuss their experiences with clinical trials and treatments.

MRA researchers present on progress

Eleven MRA-funded scientists presented their melanoma research at the "15th Perspectives in Melanoma" meeting held Sep. 16-17, 2011, in New York. Topics ranged from melanoma prevention to clinical trials testing new treatments for metastatic disease. The meeting reflected not only the progress that is being made – in large part through MRA support – but also the many questions that need to be answered to truly conquer melanoma.

Researchers aim to identify which tumors are at high risk for metastasis

In a study published in the journal Cancer Cell, Lynda Chin, M.D., and her team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, through research partly funded by MRA, report identifying genes that drive the metastatic process. Within the six oncogenic genes (those that can transform normal cells into melanoma cells), they found tumors with hyperactive ACP5 were more likely to metastasize. This finding suggests the existence of reliable biomarkers for determining a tumor's probability of becoming metastatic. Such genes are valuable not only for prognostic tests, which indicate the likely course of a disease, but also as targets for therapies that can disrupt the metastatic process in cancer cells. Read the article from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Researcher stories

According to Hensin Tsao, recipient of a 2010 MRA Team Science Award, studying melanoma skin cancer "really is medicine, mystery, and mission all wrapped up in one. Every time we think we understand the disease, something unexpected emerges, which drives us back to the laboratory for more." Read more about his work.

Collaborations

MRA partners with Corporate Allies to raise awareness about sun safety

MRA is pleased to partner with a new Corporate Ally, the organic sun care company COOLA, to spread awareness about skin protection. To learn more about how COOLA is helping MRA achieve its mission, check out their Facebook page.

The Style Network is also partnering with MRA to raise awareness about the importance of skin care by hosting events across the country with its Beauty Bus. Be sure to check out upcoming Beauty Bus events if you are in Tampa, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, or Los Angeles.

MRA News

Dr. Oz urges viewers to donate to MRA

Melanoma was one of the five fastest-growing types of cancer featured on the Sep. 20 episode of The Dr. Oz Show. During the segment, Dr. Oz covered risk factors and encouraged viewers to complete self-exams. He also urged viewers who want to be part of the solution to log on to his Web site and donate to the Melanoma Research Alliance, whose funding has been critical in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of melanoma.

MRA debuts brochure about its work

MRA has published a new brochure that covers the ways in which it is fast-forwarding a cure for melanoma, including its vision, impact, research, collaborations, advocacy, global presence, and legacy. Please forward this link to your contacts who may be interested in learning how MRA is targeting an urgent problem and improving patient outcomes.

MRA's Selig quoted in Washingtonian

Wendy Selig, MRA's president and CEO, called the approval of Zelboraf a "breakthrough accomplishment" in the Washingtonian's Well+Being blog. She also emphasized that, because half of patients don't have the mutation Zelboraf targets, there "remains an ongoing urgent need" for the 70,000 annual melanoma diagnoses.

Surviving melanoma

Even while facing a tough prognosis of melanoma, Andrew Messinger accepted the fact that things can change very quickly. Treatments that offer what is seemingly only incremental survival might actually be the ticket to longer term success, as they got him to the treatment that is ultimately working. Read his story.

Letter from the President

Our work continues year-round

MRA's research investment has yielded $17 in leveraged funding

We applaud the recent approval of vemurafenib (Zelboraf), a breakthrough in fighting melanoma. However, because this new treatment is not effective for all patients, finding additional new targets remains an ongoing urgent need. MRA has already invested $6 million in research aimed specifically at identifying resistance mechanisms and testing combinations with BRAF inhibitors and other agents. We are further encouraged by the fact that our grants have proven so effective at leveraging additional funding. Our four-year research investment of more than $30 million has yielded more than $17 million in additional funding. We recently released our 2012 Request for Proposals, which outlines our upcoming funding opportunities. Our investment continues to grow each year.

As Labor Day approaches and we pack up our beach towels, many people might think that they are no longer at risk for melanoma. With the incidence of melanoma continuing to rise, we want to remind people to take steps to protect their skin year-round from the dangers of sun exposure – regardless of age, race, or ethnicity. Throughout the year, MRA works with our allies to spread the word about protecting skin from UV exposure and staying vigilant about recognizing changes in their skin. Check out the Style Network Beauty Bus, which will raise awareness of melanoma and funds for MRA, when it visits one of 10 cities near you beginning later this month. At the same time, researchers funded by MRA are continuing to engage in cutting-edge studies to improve prevention, detection, and treatment tools in the fight against melanoma.

Help us enhance our impact by joining our fight and spreading the word about MRA and our work to find a cure.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Research

MRA releases 2012 Request for Proposals

MRA has released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for translational melanoma research funding beginning in 2012. The request includes a call for applications for Established Investigator, Young Investigator, Pilot, and Partnership Awards. In addition to the new Industrial Partnership mechanism, the RFP announces opportunities in partnership with other nonprofit funders.

MRA applauds FDA approval of breakthrough new treatment for fighting melanoma

MRA hailed the FDA's approval of vemurafenib (Zelboraf) as a crucial advance for patients in the fight against melanoma. Roche's vemurafenib is designed as an inhibitor of a mutated form of the BRAF protein, one that is found in about half of all cases of melanoma. This type of selective targeting of a mutated protein responsible for tumor growth has shown dramatic results.

Researchers aim to identify which tumors are at high risk for metastasis

In a study published in the journal Cancer Cell, Lynda Chin, M.D., and her team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, through research partly funded by MRA, report identifying genes that drive the metastatic process. Within the six oncogenic genes (those that can transform normal cells into melanoma cells), they found tumors with hyperactive ACP5 were more likely to metastasize. This finding suggests the existence of reliable biomarkers for determining a tumor's probability of becoming metastatic. Such genes are valuable not only for prognostic tests, which indicate the likely course of a disease, but also as targets for therapies that can disrupt the metastatic process in cancer cells. Read the article from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Findings address overcoming drug resistance in melanoma patients

Through research partly funded by MRA, Roger Lo, M.D., Ph.D, and a team at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center tested combination therapies to overcome drug resistance to BRAF inhibition. The findings, published in the August 2 issue of Cancer Research, offer a rational strategy to guide clinical testing in pre-identified subsets of patients who relapse during treatment with BRAF inhibitors. Once the right combinations of drugs were used together, the inhibitors consistently triggered tumor cell death in a highly efficient and consistent manner. Read the article from Science Daily about the findings.

Collaborations

MRA welcomes new allies

MRA welcomes three new partners to its growing allies program – COOLA, Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital, and Parasol. COOLA offers high-performance sun care products that are made of pure, eco-conscious products. The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital serves girls through wide-ranging activities in 4,900 troops with the help of dedicated volunteers. And Parasol provides SPF 50+ clothing for effortless sun protection.

Parasol raises awareness and funds for MRA

Parasol, the new SPF clothing company, hosted a luncheon in Southampton on July 27 for more than 60 women to raise awareness of skin cancer and melanoma in particular, introduce people to its new protective clothing line, and raise funds for MRA.

Style Network partners with MRA to raise awareness across country

In partnership with MRA, the Style Network will launch a 10-city tour beginning Aug. 27 to educate people about ways to reduce their risk of melanoma while helping to generate resources for research toward a cure. The 34-foot Beauty Bus will travel the country for two months providing helpful and life-changing information about skin cancers, which are among the most common and preventable forms of cancer.

MRA News

Surviving melanoma

After battling cancer three times, Harry Rhoads, Jr. went back to the doctor's office for a routine checkup. The doctor found a tumor in his lymph node – his fourth one. He thought, "Is this never going to stop?" Read Harry's story.

Help MRA boost its Facebook presence

Help MRA expand its impact on Facebook by "liking" us. It takes just a few seconds of your time, and you'll be rewarded with regularly updated information on ways to avoid sun damage and news of the most up-to-date scientific research.

Letter from the President

Accelerating Progress

MRA has awarded more than $30 million since 2008

With the announcement this month of our latest round of grants, MRA has now awarded more than $30 million in our first four years of grant-making. We are proud to be the largest private funder of melanoma research; at the same time, we realize that recent success in the field is only part of the answer. Every day, we focus on our mission - to accelerate progress toward treatment and a cure for melanoma. The recent publication of Pathways, Progress, and Partnerships: Highlights from the Melanoma Research Alliance Third Annual Scientific Retreat details the impressive progress that is being made by MRA-funded researchers. As the report illustrates, melanoma researchers and clinicians, working with MRA funding in labs around the world, are dedicated to understanding how better to prevent, detect, and treat this terrible disease. We hope that MRA's most recent grant awards and the retreat report offer you hope as well as a continued commitment to defeating melanoma.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

MRA Awards $5.6 Million in Research Grants

The Melanoma Research Alliance announced new research awards of $5.6 million, which will fund wide-ranging projects including developing novel diagnostic and prognostic systems, discovering new drug targets, and testing combination therapies. The award categories include Team Science Awards, which bring together researchers within and across institutions and scientific sectors, Established Investigator Awards, and Academic-Industry Partnerships.

MRA Retreat Report Highlights Progress of Funded Research

Third Annual Scientific Retreat Report

At MRA's Third Annual Scientific Retreat, held earlier this year in Washington, DC, MRA hosted discussions of cutting-edge melanoma research results and key policy issues. MRA-funded investigators, including early career scientists, established investigators, and interdisciplinary teams, reported on the progress of their work. MRA has now published a report that summarizes the highlights of the 2011 meeting, illustrating the progress that has been made as a result of collaborative partnerships to forge pathways toward success in the fight against melanoma.that Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has submitted a New Drug Application for vemurafenib (RG7204, PLX4032) to the FDA for treating patients with BRAF V600E mutation-positive metastatic melanoma, and that Roche submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency for the same indication. Vemurafenib, a "BRAF inhibitor," is designed to selectively target a mutated form of the BRAF protein found in about half of all cases of melanoma.

Journal Publishes Commentary from MRA Researchers and Staff

In a commentary in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, MRA researchers and staff summarize the opportunities and challenges facing researchers to develop combination therapies, a topic discussed in depth at the 2010 MRA scientific retreat. The researchers emphasize the importance of determining the dose, efficacy, and toxicity of each agent alone and in combination in preclinical models, as well as the negative effect that limited access to commercial and investigational agents has had on early combination therapy development. They also describe three typical strategies to design clinical trials for combination therapies.

Collaborations

Corporate Allies Raise Awareness among Millions of Customers and Help MRA Raise $348,000

During Melanoma Awareness Month in May, our corporate allies raised awareness among up to 19 million members of the public and helped MRA raise $348,000. Claire's, SkinCeuticals, and The Sports Authority, conducted a range of activities to engage their constituents, create awareness, and generate financial support for MRA.

MRA News

PhRMA Blog Features Interview with Debra Black

The Catalyst, the blog from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) recently interviewed Debra Black, co-founder and chair of MRA, about surviving melanoma, founding MRA, and the challenges ahead.

CureToday Blog Mentions SU2C-MRA Dream Team

CureToday, the blog of Cure Magazine, focused on Stand Up To Cancer's (SU2C) recent efforts to stand up to melanoma. The blog mentions the SU2C-MRA Dream Team, which will jointly award at least $6 million over a three-year period to fund melanoma research.

Letter from the President

'Year of Melanoma'

Wendy K. D. Selig President and CEO

For the second year in a row, melanoma research advances were a highlight of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, held earlier this month in Chicago. In fact, in an interview with Businessweek, George Sledge, Jr., M.D., president of ASCO, declared, "This clearly is the year of melanoma." At the Melanoma Research Alliance, we are delighted by the progress that is finally being made - progress that has energized the entire community to accelerate the pace toward defeating this deadly disease.

Earlier this year, the immunotherapeutic ipilimumab received FDA approval based on the first demonstration of improved survival in a randomized melanoma trial. The recent findings announced at ASCO showed that vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor that works by a completely different mechanism than ipilumumab, also confers improved overall and progression-free survival in patients with advanced metastatic melanoma compared to standard chemotherapy. Vemurafenib and ipilimumab exemplify the two major kinds of drugs with activity against melanoma (targeted therapies and immunotherapies).

At last - momentum in melanoma research is growing.

We have been proud of the role that MRA-funded research is playing on the front lines of this progress. Thirteen MRA-funded investigators and members of the scientific leadership discussed new findings in melanoma research at ASCO, we received a record number of proposals for individual awards for our 2011 cycle, our corporate allies program is flourishing, and our online presence is expanding, allowing us to reach more people with vital information about reducing risk of melanoma and the need for enhanced research support. We are grateful to our growing list of partners, whose engagement is vital to continued advances against this deadly disease.

Together, we look forward to one day declaring "the year of the melanoma cure."

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Research Breakthroughs Unveiled at ASCO Meeting

Tens of thousands of oncologists from around the world gathered at the ASCO meeting to consider the latest news in cancer research and clinical discovery. Of the six plenary sessions, two featured high-profile melanoma results, with much more focus on melanoma through educational and poster sessions. Until recently, patients with inoperable metastatic melanoma had very few treatment options, but we are now witnessing the launch of an era of unprecedented therapeutic opportunities.

Collaborations

Corporate Allies Raise Awareness and Support

During Melanoma Awareness Month, our corporate allies conducted a range of activities to engage their constituents, create awareness, and generate financial support for MRA. We thank Claire's, SkinCeuticals, The Sports Authority, and Wellnest for their efforts to support our shared mission of defeating melanoma. Montage Hotels & Resorts is continuing its campaign through the month of June. We are grateful to all of our allies for their support.

New PSA Warns about Dangers of Tanning Beds

Style Network-MRA public service announcement

Style Network-MRA public service announcement warns viewers about the dangers of tanning beds. The video is aimed at people who think they are making health choices yet still partake in the risky behavior of tanning.

Poll Shows Limited Knowledge of Skin Cancer

During Melanoma Awareness Month, The Style Network released the glaring results of a nationwide poll of 1,000 women, which highlighted their limited knowledge of skin cancer. Among the surprising findings from the poll, nearly half of the women surveyed had never been to a dermatologist, and only 14 percent had visited their doctor out of concern for skin cancer. MRA is a partner with The Style Network in its "Fight with Style" campaign to promote skin cancer prevention and detect the disease.

MRA News

TIME Article Calls MRA one of 'Stars of Venture-Charity Model'

In the June 2 issue of TIME magazine, MRA is called one of the "stars of the venture-charity model." The article focuses on the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations.

Debra Black Featured on The Martha Stewart Show

Martha Stewart with Karen Burke and Debra Black

The May 23 episode of The Martha Stewart Show on the Hallmark Channel featured MRA Founder Debra Black and New York-based dermatologist Karen Burke, M.D. Debra Black used the opportunity, which reaches an important audience, to raise awareness about the dangers of melanoma and discuss her own diagnosis, which led to the founding of MRA.

Topalian Quoted in Washington Post about Melanoma Breakthroughs

MRA's chief science officer, Suzanne Topalian, M.D., was quoted in the Washington Post on the latest breakthroughs in melanoma research. The article examines the eagerly anticipated results of vemurafenib, which were unveiled at the ASCO meeting.

MRA Welcomes New FDA Regulations on Sunscreen Products

While continuing in its pursuit of a cure through funding cutting-edge research, MRA also encourages the public to be aware of the dangers of melanoma and to take simple steps to reduce their risk. We welcome the news from June 14 that the FDA has addressed the way in which the agency will require sunscreen products to be tested and labeled.

Story of Melanoma Survival

Lindsey Cei

In November 2007, an optometrist noticed a "freckle" in Lindsey Cei's eye during a routine eye exam. When she heard that she had melanoma, her heart sunk into her stomach. She was 24 years old and in great health. Read Lindsey's story.

Letter from the President

Raising Awareness through Partnerships

Wendy K. D. Selig President and CEO

By now, you are probably aware that May is Melanoma Awareness Month. We have tried to raise awareness by sharing stories of melanoma survivors, educating about our research program, and collaborating with corporate allies. All of these initiatives are successful because of partnerships that allow us to amplify our voice and bring even more resources to melanoma research.

This month, we are excited to further our relationship with Stand Up To Cancer by issuing a call for Letters of Intent for a Melanoma Dream Team. The Melanoma Dream Team itself is an excellent example of partnership because it encourages collaboration across disciplines and with other Dream Teams.

We also raised awareness this month by bringing together a prestigious panel for the Milken Institute's Global Conference. We used melanoma as a case study to explore how we will save lives from cancer. The day after our panel, we partnered with three of our corporate allies to host a reception and dinner.

In addition to these formal partnerships, we thank all of you who raise awareness about melanoma in your own way - from sharing your melanoma stories to attending events to communicating with us through social media.

We are proud to expand our list of partners and to deepen the collaborations that already exist. With our friends, partners, and corporate allies, we are working toward a day when no one suffers or dies from melanoma.

Raising Awareness through Partnerships

Wendy K. D. Selig President and CEO

By now, you are probably aware that May is Melanoma Awareness Month. We have tried to raise awareness by sharing stories of melanoma survivors, educating about our research program, and collaborating with corporate allies. All of these initiatives are successful because of partnerships that allow us to amplify our voice and bring even more resources to melanoma research.

This month, we are excited to further our relationship with Stand Up To Cancer by issuing a call for Letters of Intent for a Melanoma Dream Team. The Melanoma Dream Team itself is an excellent example of partnership because it encourages collaboration across disciplines and with other Dream Teams.

We also raised awareness this month by bringing together a prestigious panel for the Milken Institute's Global Conference. We used melanoma as a case study to explore how we will save lives from cancer. The day after our panel, we partnered with three of our corporate allies to host a reception and dinner.

In addition to these formal partnerships, we thank all of you who raise awareness about melanoma in your own way - from sharing your melanoma stories to attending events to communicating with us through social media.

We are proud to expand our list of partners and to deepen the collaborations that already exist. With our friends, partners, and corporate allies, we are working toward a day when no one suffers or dies from melanoma.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Research

SU2C and MRA Call for Letters of Intent for Melanoma Dream Team

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), along with the American Association for Cancer Research, call upon the cancer research community to submit Letters of Intent [add link] for a new Dream Team dedicated to melanoma research. The SU2C-MRA Melanoma Dream Team Translational Cancer Research Grant will provide funding of a minimum of $6 million over a three-year period for a cancer research project that will accelerate the application of new preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic agents to the clinic. Those interested should submit Letters of Intent detailing their best ideas for cutting-edge melanoma research projects to SU2C@aacr.org by 12 p.m. (noon) ET on June 20, 2011.

MRA Welcomes New Drug Application for Drug to Treat Metastatic Melanoma

MRA welcomes the news that Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has submitted a New Drug Application for vemurafenib (RG7204, PLX4032) to the FDA for treating patients with BRAF V600E mutation-positive metastatic melanoma, and that Roche submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency for the same indication. Vemurafenib, a "BRAF inhibitor," is designed to selectively target a mutated form of the BRAF protein found in about half of all cases of melanoma.

Collaborations

Corporate Allies Launch May Campaigns

During Melanoma Awareness Month, our corporate allies are conducting a range of activities to engage their constituents, create awareness, and generate financial support for MRA. Long-term ally Montage Hotels & Resorts has supported a number of events and launched a special campaign, while SkinCeuticals, also a long-term supporter of MRA through the SkinCeuticals-MRA Young Investigator Award, has launched an innovative social media campaign. We are also grateful to our new allies, Claire's, The Sports Authority, and Wellnest who are reaching out to their customer base to raise awareness and generate funds for melanoma research. We thank all of our corporate allies for their efforts to support our shared mission of defeating melanoma.

MRA Hosts Reception, Dinner in Beverly Hills

This month MRA hosted a successful cultivation reception and dinner in Beverly Hills, following the completion of the Milken Institute Global Conference. MRA is grateful for the support from Montage Hotels, Graff, and Double Cross.

'Don't Fry Day' Raises Awareness about Skin Safety

As a proud member of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, MRA supports Don't Fry Day, a campaign to encourage sun-safety awareness. The Friday before Memorial Day, May 27, 2011, was consciously chosen for Don't Fry Day as many American's consider the long Memorial Day holiday weekend to be the 'unofficial start of summer.' The campaign promotes awareness by providing tips and resources for students and the general public. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is the united voice of more than 45 organizations, associations, and agencies dedicated to reducing skin cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States.

MRA News

Global Conference Panel Features Melanoma as Case Study

The Milken Institute Global Conference included an MRA panel, "Exploring the Frontiers of Medicine: How We Will Save Lives from Cancer" on May 3, 2011. The session was moderated by Wendy Selig. The panel used melanoma as a case study to discuss innovative approaches to saving lives. Panelists were Amy Harmon, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, The New York Times; Jill Kargman, author, "Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut"; Gregory Lucier, chairman and CEO, Life Technologies; John Mendelsohn, president, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and Jonathan Simons, president and CEO, Prostate Cancer Foundation.

2006 Miss America Shares Story of Survival

When Jennifer Berry Gooden's biopsy showed that she had melanoma, she thought, 'Wait, isn't melanoma the cancer people get when they are around 70 or 80 years old?' She was 25 years old and had been crowned Miss America only three years earlier. Read her story.

Letter from the President

Collaboration is at our Core

Wendy K. D. Selig President and CEO

This has been an exciting month for the field of melanoma, as ipilimumab (or anti-CTLA-4) was approved by the FDA - the first treatment for metastatic melanoma in more than a decade. We are pleased that two MRA-funded researchers, James Allison, Ph.D., and Jedd Wolchok, M.D., Ph.D., were involved in this work, and many other researchers are building upon these findings to study additional biomarkers of drug response and to combine ipilimumab with other agents.

In addition to this breakthrough, MRA announced individual research awards to 15 innovative investigators who may be on the cusp of the next advancement in melanoma research.

Also this month, you may have noticed that we are unveiling a fresh, sophisticated new logo that we have incorporated into our Web site and will incorporate into existing and new materials. We have also secured a new, easier URL that reflects MRA's mission: www.curemelanoma.org.

As we approach May, Melanoma Awareness Month, we become even more mindful that we are not alone in our fight to treat and cure melanoma. From partnerships with foundations and donors funding research grants to alliances with companies who are raising awareness about the dangers of melanoma, collaboration is at the core of our activities for this month and throughout the year.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

MRA Announces $3.3 Million for Individual Research Awards

MRA has announced $3.3 million in research grants to 15 investigators pursuing innovative research to better diagnose, stage, and treat melanoma. To date, MRA has awarded multi-year grants totaling nearly $25 million supporting 65 projects to 101 principal investigators at 50 institutions in nine countries. This round of funding includes unique collaborations that amplify MRA's reach in the field of melanoma and leverages an additional $500,000, in addition to MRA's commitment of $2.8 million.

SU2C and MRA Announce Plan for Jointly-Funded Melanoma Dream Team

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and MRA announced plans to fund a collaborative resea rch "Dream Team" focused on melanoma. Together the two organizations will commit a minimum of $6 million over a three-year period to translational research. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Stand Up To Cancer's scientific partner, will issue a call for ideas in May. The announcement was made during AACR's annual meeting in Orlando, which drew more than 17,000 participants from the cancer research community.

MRA Welcomes Approval of Ipilimumab to Treat Melanoma

MRA applauded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to approve ipilimumab for treatment of metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab, which will be sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb as Yervoy, is the first drug approved for metastatic melanoma in 13 years and is the first drug ever to demonstrate improvement in overall survival for this disease. This approval underscores progress that is being made, but that the battle to find treatment and cures for melanoma, one of the fastest-growing cancers, has yet to be won.

Banbury Center Conference Convenes Experts to Find Cure

On March 22, 2011, a select group of scientific innovators and clinical thought leaders convened at the Banbury Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for a three-day symposium on "Curing melanoma and other cancers by targeted therapies." This timely gathering was only the second melanoma meeting ever held in this prestigious venue, and it was made possible by the collaborative support of the MRA and the Hazen Polsky Foundation. Representatives from diverse but interacting fields including cancer genetics, epigenetics, metabolism, and immunology were brought together from the academic, government, and pharmaceutical sectors of scientific discovery.

Collaborations

MRA Hosts Stewardship Dinner

Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer) and Christie's leadership who highlighted their support of a 2011 Young Investigator Award. MRA is also grateful for the support from Montage Hotels and Gaja wine.

MRA Partners with Author and Melanoma Survivor Jill Kargman to Spread Awareness

MRA announced that Jill Kargman, New York Times best-selling author and melanoma survivor, will serve as a spokesperson for the organization. May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and Kargman will share her experience and humor to build awareness of this form of cancer. Kargman was shocked when her dermatologist told her she had melanoma and wants to inform people about their risk.

MRA News

MRA Adds Five New Board Members to its Fight against Melanoma

MRA announced the addition of five new members to its board of directors, including former U.S. Senator Connie Mack (R., Fla.), whose family has been touched repeatedly by melanoma. The new members, who represent entertainment, business, and the arts, join a diverse board that is focused on eradicating the disease. The group includes: Maria Bell, head writer and co-executive producer for The Young and the Restless; Susan Hess, vice chair of the Whitney Museum of American Art; Connie Mack, senior policy advisor to Liberty Partners Group LLC in Washington, D.C.; Nancy Marks, portrait artist and children's book author; and Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner of Leonard Green & Partners, LP.

By the Numbers

MRA Grants by Award Type

Letter from the President

Bringing Together the Top Minds in Melanoma

Wendy K. D. Selig President and CEO

As we kicked off the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) Third Annual Scientific Retreat, it was energizing to look across the room and see more than 150 leaders in melanoma research, including top scientists from around the world; senior leadership from foundations, agencies, and industry; and other key stakeholders and health leaders. The retreat reflected the excitement and progress in melanoma research and the impact of MRA on accelerating its pace. Participants shared early findings of cutting-edge research, identified future directions, discussed ideas, and looked for synergies and partnerships. Look for a report in May that will summarize the highlights and key themes from the retreat.

With this issue of MRA Monthly, we hope to continue and expand on the conversations from the retreat and keep our friends, researchers, and partners apprised of the latest at MRA and in the field of melanoma research.

Wendy K.D. Selig
President and CEO

Our Founder's Story

Debra Black Founder and Chair

"In 2007, I was diagnosed with Stage II melanoma despite being under the care of a top dermatologist. For several years I had been told the bleeding spot on the bottom of my foot was a wart. After several skin grafts and a difficult physical and emotional recovery, I was horrified to discover the prognosis for advanced stage melanoma had not improved over the past 40 years. Melanoma incidence is rising - it is the fastest-growing cancer - and survival for those with advanced disease is static at 15 percent. If melanoma isn't caught early, it can be fatal - one person dies from melanoma every hour in the United States. I have been one of the lucky ones - but too many others are not so fortunate. My husband, Leon, and I couldn't believe the statistics, so we decided to take action.

The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) was born with the help of our visionary friend Mike Milken and incubated by the Milken Institute. Our goal is to accelerate the science to transform outcomes for this disease. We believe that venture philanthropy, coupled with a global and strategic scientific agenda, can spur innovative research needed to develop and improve the outlook for patients with melanoma, as well as those at risk.

Every day I feel blessed to have discovered my melanoma before it spread to other parts of my body, although there is always risk with melanoma. MRA is committed to transforming the field of melanoma toward the time when no family has to worry about this devastating disease. At MRA, we are dedicated to working with everyone that shares our vision of eliminating suffering and death from melanoma. We thank our many wonderful friends, allies, and partners for their support. Leon and I are pleased to support all of the operating costs of the organization, so that 100 percent of every dollar publicly raised by MRA goes directly to fund melanoma research. We hope you will join MRA in pursuit of our mission to defeat melanoma."

Research

2011 MRA grant cycle

We are in the middle of MRA's 2011 grant cycle and are reviewing a record number of applications. The next deadline for applications is March 15, 2011, for MRA's Academic-Industry Partnership Awards. These awards are designed to facilitate interactions between the academic and industrial research sectors, and will be co-funded by MRA and an industrial collaborator whose involvement is essential to the project.

Watch the two parts of a video of MRA's Suzanne Topalian, chief science officer, and Laura Brockway-Lunardi, scientific program director, discussing Academic-Industrial partnerships in an Innovator Presentation at the Partnering for Cures meeting in New York.

Collaborations

MRA welcomes corporate allies

Collaboration is at MRA's core - from the team approaches to research that we fund to the way we find partners who can help us realize our vision. We welcome several new organizations to our growing list of Corporate Allies, including AdvaMedDx, Birds Nest Foundation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Life Technologies, and Lilly.

By the numbers

12.3 million

Additional research funding leveraged from other sources by MRA investigators. The majority of this funding was granted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health through a highly competitive merit-based process.

About Melanoma Research Alliance

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and it is also one of the cancers whose incidence is increasing fastest in this country. In 2007, melanoma touched the lives of Debra and Leon Black when Debra was diagnosed with the disease. With melanoma incidence rising dramatically and survival for those with advanced disease remaining static at less than 15 percent, the Blacks worked with Mike Milken to launch the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) under the auspices of the Milken Institute. The goal is simple: accelerate progress toward a cure. MRA finds and funds cutting-edge translational research worldwide and is the largest non-government funder of melanoma research in the United States.