MRA Next Steps Program (MRA)
The Next Steps program by the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) provides milestone-driven funding to bridge preclinical discoveries and clinical translation in melanoma. It supports two priority areas in 2025:
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Characterization of Rare Melanoma Preclinical Models
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Molecular profiling (e.g., multi-omic assays), drug sensitivity/repurposing screens, CRISPR analyses
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Goal: generate and share well-characterized rare melanoma cell lines, PDX, and models
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Advancing Drug Discovery for Acral and Uveal Melanoma
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Targeted discovery against validated proteins (e.g., CRKL, TERT, GAB2, YAP, Gq/11, LZTR, B7H3)
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Goal: identify, optimize, and test new therapeutic entities in preclinical models
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Eligibility
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Investigators at academic medical centers or universities worldwide
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Collaborative teams with expertise in melanoma biology, preclinical modeling, or drug discovery
Funding Details
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Milestone-based awards: 50,000 – 250,000 USD per project
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Duration: 1–2 years
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Applications must include: research proposal, budget, and detailed milestone plan with timeline
RFP Release & Timeline
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RFP Release: Two separate RFPs to be announced in 2025 on the MRA website and via email
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Application Deadlines: To be published with each RFP announcement
How to Apply & Contact
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Questions? Contact Dr. Sara DiNapoli at [email protected]
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Challenging the Status Quo in Colorectal Cancer 2024
December 6-8, 2024
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ESMO 2024 Congress
September 13-17, 2024
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ASCO Annual Meeting
May 30 - June 4, 2024
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Yvonne Award 2024
May 31, 2024
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OncoThon 2024, Online
Feb. 15, 2024
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Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023