1. Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer
Directors:
Ruth Halaban, PhD
Mario Sznol, MD
Robert Tigelaar, MD
Funded by:
National Institutes of Health
The Roslyn and Jeremy Meyer funds Yale Dermatology Department

2. Milstein Meyer Center for Melanoma Research
Jeremy Meyer and Roslyn Milstein Meyer
“Couple with a Cause”
Gift of $2 Million/year renewable for additional 4 years

3. The SPORE Program Translation Research in Skin Cancer Melanomas
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Adequacy of the plan and/or track record to evaluate the translational research productivity of existing projects and cores, discontinue activities of low productivity, initiate new activities in response to important translational research opportunities, establish collaborations, and utilize the advice of internal and external advisers.

4. The SPORE Program Three cores that support SPORE activities
Four translational projects
Developmental Research Projects
Career Development Projects

5. Translational Research Team SPORE Expansion7
Roslyn Milstein Meyer
Susan Cambria
Robin Bessin
Robert Heffernan 6 5
Number of Investigators
Patient advocates 1 2 3 4
Paid investigators 4 3 2 1 Y e a r 1 Y e a r 2 ( S u b m i s s i o n )

6. Translational Research Team
1 Dermatology
2 YCCC/Oncology
3 Pathology
4 Surgery
5 Genetics
6 Immunobiology
7 Epidemiology
8 Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
9 Therapeutic Radiology
10 Laboratory Medicine and Genetics
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Cell Biology, New York University, NY

7. “The Melanoma Landscape”
Comprehensive understanding of:
Critical changes that drive melanomas
Immunobiology of melanomas
The causes for drug resistance
New targets for therapy, single and combination
Markers for prognosis and therapy

8. SPORE Biospecimen Bank
Normal skin and cells
Tumors
Tumor cells
Blood from healthy individuals
Blood from patients
Specimen Tracking and Annotation caTissue

9. Specimens’ Collection in the Tissue Bank
700
600
500
Total Number of Specimens
400
300
200
100
Submission
Year 1
Year 2
Current
Year 2 1/2

10. Serological Profiling of Melanoma Patients
Marker A
Marker B
Concentration (ng/ml)
Weeks of Treatment

11. Global “Omics” Test Genetic and epigenetic variations Mutations
Gene expression
Kinases and signal transducers
MicroRNA
Mike Snyder Director of the Yale Center for Genomics and Proteomics
Joanne Weidhaas Assistant Professor Therapeutic radiology

12. Global Epigenetic Differences Between Normal and Malignant Cells
Melanoma
Loss
Gain

13. Differences in Gene Expression Between Normal and Malignant Cells
Melanoma
Normal
Gain
Loss

14. Interactions Between the SPORE and Clinicians
Help in testing for mutations in tumors for targeted therapy
For example: selection of patients to therapy with PLX4032 (Plexxikon Inc.) and Imatinib (Gleevec, Novartis Pharmaceuticals), activated BRAF and KIT inhibitors, respectively.

15. Educational Activities
Invited speakers
Research in Progress meetings
Workshop for all SPOREs in Skin Cancer
Outreach with patient advocates

16. Best-Case Scenario Tumor excised Draw blood Results
Comprehensive analyses:
Mutations
Activated targets
Drug response
Identify best therapy
Which therapy?
Results 2 4 6 8 1
DRUG
A+B A B
None
Surviving cells
Yes,
this is the
best for you