Melanoma Research Alliance

Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma Expands to London! Each year since 2011, the most influential leaders in leveraged finance and private equity come together in New York for a cause that transcends business: fighting melanoma. Through LFFM New York, this community has raised over ￡21 million for research, fueling critical breakthroughs in melanoma and across the field of oncology. The New York event has become more than a fundraiser – it’s a sold-out, influential gathering where over 100 firms unite, blending philanthropy with powerful networking opportunities that drive both impact and connection. This extraordinary achievement is a testament to the commitment of sponsors who understand the power of purpose-driven collaboration. ? Now, for the first time, Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma is coming to London . The Melanoma Research Alliance is thrilled to announce that on 29 January 2025, LFFM will host its inaugural event at The Wallace Collection. ? Thank you to our 2025 Co-Chairs and Event Hosts for all of the work they have done so far to make LFFM London a success: ? Co-Chairs – Sean Costello (Fitch Ratings), Roxana Mirica (Apax Partners), Valeria Mollova (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), and Leo Wouters (General Atlantic) Event Hosts – Peter Atkinson (HPS Investment Partners, LLC), Ian Barratt (Kirkland & Ellis), Juan Campos (Hg Capital), Michael Carruthers (Blackstone Credit), Conor Daly (CIFC Asset Management), Philip Edmans (Inflexion), JOHN EMPSON (CVC Credit), Colin Harley (White & Case LLP), Todd H. (HPS Investment Partners, LLC), Tara Moore (Golub Capital), Akshat Khaitan (KKR Capital Markets), Simona Maellare (UBS), Dipish Rai (Termgrid), Neel Sachdev (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP),?Chris Scott (The Carlyle Group), Stephen Smith (Sona Asset Management), and Rich Trobman (Latham & Watkins) ? To learn more about sponsoring LFFM in London or New York, please contact Janine Rauscher at [email protected] or at +1.202.336.8944.

MRA is excited to announce our new online discussion series, MRA Meet-Ups, where we will regularly connect with the melanoma community to discuss important topics, share insights and experiences, and ask questions! We invite you to join our very first MRA Meet Up Series online panel discussion on Wednesday, November 20 at 2:00 PM ET for an important and empowering session, "Be Your Biggest Advocate: Navigating a Melanoma Diagnosis". This session will feature a panel of experts and share insights on how patients can advocate for themselves during a melanoma diagnosis journey. Panelists include: Evan Lipson, MD – Oncologist, Johns Hopkins Medicine Megan Schollenberger – Medical Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Johns Hopkins Kelly McWhinney – Patient Advocate Dana Deighton – Moderator, MRA Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and connect with experts and peers. Register today to secure your spot – limited seats are available! #melanoma #community #MRAMeetUp https://lnkd.in/gJHRuqTG

On this Veterans Day, MRA wishes to recognize the brave individuals who have served and sacrificed for our country. As the largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research worldwide, we are keenly aware of the important intersection between military service and melanoma. Military service involves a unique set of challenges and occupational hazards ranging from immediate safety to long-term wellbeing, and one challenge often overlooked is the increased risk of melanoma and other skin cancers. When it comes to melanoma, research has found that veterans are not only at higher risk for melanoma but are also more likely to have advanced-stage disease when it's detected. Of the most common cancers diagnosed among veterans, melanoma is fourth. Melanoma diagnoses are also increasing among active-duty service members with the greatest incidence rates seen in the Air Force, Navy, and the Marines. Sun exposure and lack of protection from UV rays, potential exposure to carcinogens and other chemicals, and overall demographics of the veteran population may also play a role in this increased risk. https://lnkd.in/gZDdrAJe

Although treatment options for advanced melanoma have improved, many patients still will not benefit from currently approved therapies. Limited treatment options are available for such patients, representing a clear unmet medical need for patients today. Oncolytic viruses?are a form of immunotherapy that use viruses to infect and destroy cancer cells. This type of immunotherapy is under investigation to treat advanced melanomas and may be useful when initial anti-PD-1 immunotherapy stops benefiting patients. A new oncolytic virus called RP1?is currently being tested in a Phase 3 clinical trial called?IGNYTE-3. To learn more about?RP1?and this clinical trial, we talked to two of the study’s principal investigators: Omid Hamid, MD, Co-Director of the Melanoma Center and Phase I Immuno-Oncology Program at The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute, Inc., a Cedars-Sinai Affiliate and Tawnya Bowles, MD, Surgical Oncologist and Senior Medical Director of Oncology at Intermountain Health. https://lnkd.in/gkhvYTfd

MRA is proud to announce the appointment of Sara E. DiNapoli, PhD as the new Director of Scientific Programs! In her role, she will oversee MRA’s global grants program, ensuring that MRA funding addresses areas of unmet scientific and patient need while fostering innovation in the field. Her leadership at the intersection of science, strategy, and collaboration will be instrumental in driving MRA’s research efforts forward. Dr. DiNapoli joins MRA from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where she most recently served as Test Development Manager for the Diagnostic Molecular Pathology Laboratory. At MSK, she led the clinical validation and implementation of next-generation sequencing assays, which are critical tools in advancing precision medicine. She successfully coordinated cross-functional teams of laboratory technologists, bioinformaticians, molecular pathologists, operations managers, and software engineers to drive these cutting-edge initiatives forward. Sara holds a PhD in Pharmacology from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, where she studied cutaneous melanoma using zebrafish models, and a BA in Biology from New York University. She brings a wealth of expertise in molecular pathology, clinical validation, and scientific program management, as well as a strong commitment to advancing melanoma research. Join us in welcoming Dr. DiNapoli to the MRA team!

ICYMI! Dr. Elizabeth Buchbinder of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is answering questions through Friday Oct 4 about the rare melanoma subtypes on MRA’s Melanoma > Exchange community! Ask her your questions: https://lnkd.in/gSb29c_W

Tomorrow marks 6 months since I lost my good friend to melanoma, and I still find myself doing things deliberately to keep his memory alive. Yesterday I got up early to hike the Rock of Gibraltar. Yes, I could have taken the cable car to the top of the monolithic limestone at the entrance to the Mediterranean, but I needed to ascend the 1,400’ mountain on foot. I wanted to use the solo time to intentionally think about Chad -- his nicknames, his cutting humor, and his willingness to drop his guard, confide and listen to what mattered most to me. It seems unfair that Chad was the one plucked from our high school friend group at such an early age but it’s also a reminder that I am not the one in charge. On the flip side, it makes me smile to think about the hundreds of people like you who decided to help by donating to my 1,000-mile walk for Melanoma Research Alliance. I am 75% of the way there and I am confident that, with your help, we will get to the $100,000 goal by 12/31/24. Together we are bringing honor to Chad and the more than 100,000 people who will get diagnosed with this unpredictable disease this year. To nominate someone that you know who has been impacted by melanoma or to donate, please use this link to my page https://lnkd.in/gYQBaEPY

Acral, mucosal, pediatric, and uveal melanomas – what we collectively call rare melanomas – represent an area of profound unmet medical need. We know far less about these melanoma subtypes, including what causes them, how they progress, and how to effectively treat them. From investing more than $20 million through over 50 awards specifically focused on rare melanomas, to creating community-driven resources like the Acral and Mucosal Melanoma Model Catalogs, and launching MRA’s RARE Melanoma Registry - MRA is a leader in moving critical research into rare melanomas forward. On Rare Cancer Day, learn more about what MRA is doing to advance rare melanoma research. #RareCancerDay #melanoma #research www.curemelanoma.org

Acral, mucosal, pediatric, and uveal melanomas – what we collectively call rare melanomas – represent an area of profound unmet medical need. We know far less about these melanoma subtypes, including what causes them, how they progress, and how to effectively treat them. From investing more than $20 million through over 50 awards specifically focused on rare melanomas, to creating community-driven resources like the Acral and Mucosal Melanoma Model Catalogs, and launching MRA’s RARE Melanoma Registry - MRA is a leader in moving critical research into rare melanomas forward. On Rare Cancer Day, learn more about what MRA is doing to advance rare melanoma research. #RareCancerDay #melanoma #research www.curemelanoma.org

Today is World Cancer Research Day. This year #WCRD focuses on the importance of innovation under the motto “Innovation In Cancer Research Drives Progress Toward Health Equity”. At MRA, championing innovative research is at our core. Since our inception in 2007, we have proudly invested more than $160 million through 475 grant awards worldwide. We support the world’s best, most promising science and research needed to provide better outcomes for all patients. Therapies conceived, tested, and approved first in #melanoma are now used to successfully treat many other types of cancer and are being tested in dozens more. With your support of melanoma research, we can move towards a future without cancer. To learn more about MRA's impact and the work we do, visit CureMelanoma.org. #WorldCancerResearchDay