cancer Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys

Tag: cancer

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Cosimo Commisso awarded $110,000 Lustgarten Foundation grant for pancreatic cancer research

AuthorCommunications
Date

August 27, 2026

Cosimo Commisso, PhD, profile photo

The new award will fund investigation into a method for turning a tumor survival mechanism into a Trojan Horse

Cosimo Commisso, PhD, was awarded a one-year, $110,000 Lustgarten Foundation grant to support his lab’s pancreatic cancer research. The award is part of the foundation’s August 2026 announcement of $22.8 million in new research funding in fiscal year 2026.

The Lustgarten Foundation’s support will aid the Commisso lab’s study of how pancreatic cancer adapts as nearby nutrients vanish. Because they expand quickly, pancreatic tumors demand more energy and other resources than they can acquire from nearby blood vessels.

Rather than limiting their growth to more sustainable rates, these cancer cells adapt by finding alternative ways to scavenge what they need. One scrounging strategy prevalent in pancreatic cancer involves cancer cells reshaping their cell surfaces to snatch extra nutrients from the jelly-like substance between cells or extracellular matrix.

This cellular contortion is a process called macropinocytosis. In previous research, Commisso has shown that blocking it cuts tumors off from needed energy and protein building blocks. This, in turn, suppresses tumor growth by essentially starving the tumor.

The new funding will support the lab’s effort to flip the script on this strategy. Instead of blocking macropinocytosis, the scientists will test turning up the knob on a tumor’s voracious appetite for scavenging to cause it to self-destruct from overconsumption. This approach also may be able to force cancer cells to take in more chemotherapeutic molecules, which can struggle to penetrate the dense and fibrotic tumor microenvironment.

“This project has the potential to turn one of pancreatic cancer’s greatest survival tools into a Trojan Horse,” said Commisso.

“Support from organizations like the Lustgarten Foundation encourages us to ask fundamentally new questions in the pursuit of better therapies.”

With the fiscal year 2026 awards, the Lustgarten Foundation has invested $333 million in pancreatic cancer research across 386 projects at 86 academic institutions since 1998. As the world’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, the foundation drives scientific breakthroughs that are redefining what is possible for patients and bringing the field closer than ever to the goal of transforming pancreatic cancer into a curable disease.

Institute News

From the Lab to the Clinic: Graduate Student Helps Advance Promising Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

AuthorCommunications
Date

August 26, 2026

Patrick Hagan, headshot

When Patrick Hagan joined Sanford Burnham Prebys as a graduate student, he hoped his research would one day help patients. Today, he is helping research that could translate more than a decade of scientific discovery into a potential new treatment for one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

Hagan, a PhD candidate in the laboratory of Nicholas Cosford, PhD, recently received the top award from the San Diego chapter of Nucleate, a nonprofit organization that helps scientists translate promising discoveries into real-world solutions.

Through the six-month accelerator program, Hagan developed ATG Attack, a venture focused on advancing autophagy inhibitors for pancreatic cancer. The project also received a Biocom Golden Membership at Nucleate San Diego’s Demo Day, recognizing both the scientific promise of the work and its potential to improve outcomes for patients.

“Ultimately, the goal is to improve outcomes for cancer patients,” said Hagan. “That’s why I went to graduate school.”

The project builds on more than 10 years of collaboration between Cosford and director of the Salk Cancer Center, Reuben Shaw, PhD. Together, the teams have been developing compounds that inhibit autophagy, a cellular recycling process that many cancer cells depend on for survival.

“Autophagy is one of the ways cancer cells gain resistance to standard therapies,” Hagan explained. “We’ve reached a point where we believe these compounds have the potential to make it all the way to patients.”

The team’s initial focus is pancreatic cancer, a disease with one of the lowest survival rates among major cancers. Many pancreatic tumors are driven by mutations in the KRAS gene and rely heavily on autophagy. In preclinical studies, the researchers have shown that blocking this process can shrink tumors and enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments.

The experience also reinforced the value of Sanford Burnham Prebys’ translational research environment.

Hagan credits Cosford and colleagues throughout the Institute, including members of the Center for Therapeutics Discovery and its Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, with helping shape his approach to drug discovery.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with scientists who are deeply focused on translating discoveries into therapies,” he said. “Our lab operates almost like a small pharmaceutical company. We have chemists creating compounds, biologists testing them and researchers evaluating how they perform in disease models. Everything is focused on moving promising discoveries closer to patients.”

For Hagan, however, the motivation remains personal.

He keeps a Post-it note on his laptop bearing the names of two researchers he knew who died from cancer at a young age. It serves as a daily reminder of why the work matters.

“Research can feel like a series of very small steps,” he said. “But every experiment, every paper and every collaboration has the potential to move the field forward. If something we do helps another scientist, attracts a new partner or ultimately helps a patient, then it’s worth it.”

For Hagan, those small steps are all part of a larger goal: bringing new hope to patients facing pancreatic cancer.

Institute News

Kevin Tharp awarded $450,000 Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance grant to break down tumor defenses

AuthorCommunications
Date

June 16, 2026

Kevin Tharp, PhD
Kevin Tharp, PhD, is an assistant professor in the NCI-designated Cancer Center’s Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

The new award will fund research regarding how to bust through the barrier between tumors and immune cells

Kevin Tharp, PhD, was awarded a three-year, $450,000 Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance grant to study high grade serous ovarian cancer, the most common and deadly form of the disease. 

In collaboration with researchers at the University of California San Diego, Tharp recently published findings in Cell Reports demonstrating a treatment approach in mice that allowed more tumor-fighting immune cells to approach tumors, shifted the behavior of other immune cells to work against tumors, and made immunotherapy more effective.

Tharp will use the new funding to follow up on these findings regarding how high grade serous ovarian cancer circumvents the immune system’s anti-tumor defenses. His team will focus on the physical barrier that tumors build to keep immune cells at bay.

“We know that tumors can wall themselves off with structural collagen proteins that resemble scar tissue, and that the presence of this obstacle determines the effectiveness of anti-cancer immunotherapies,” said Tharp.

“We want to know how and why tumors create this obstruction and understanding this will help us find ways to break through these defenses to make immunotherapies more effective.”

Tharp will conduct this research under the mentorship of Cosimo Commisso, PhD, the deputy director of the NCI-Designated Cancer Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys and a professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program, and David Schlaepfer, PhD, a professor in the department of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

“Too many ovarian cancer patients progress and do not respond to the standard of care, so finding new treatments is an extreme clinical need,” said Tharp.

“There is potential for immunotherapies to treat recurrent and metastatic cancer if we can bridge the divide between tumors and immune cells.”

The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is the oldest and largest ovarian and gynecologic cancer charity in the world. Since its founding in 1994, the alliance has grown into the leading non-government funder of ovarian and related gynecologic cancer research by investing more than $140 million in grants to scientists.

Institute News

Cell stress response bears good news and bad news for liver cancer

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

February 12, 2026

Human liver anatomy structure, 3d illustration. Image courtesy of Shutterstock
A new study shows that liver cell stress can lead to cancer, yet it also can make tumors less resistant to immunotherapy. The findings may lead to new treatments and help physicians determine which patients will benefit from existing immunotherapies. Image credit: crystal light/Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Cell stress response protein implicated in cancer progression, yet it also weakens resistance to immunotherapies

Metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes place extra stress on the liver. Liver cells try to protect themselves from the accompanying surge in dysfunctional proteins by activating factors that help restore an appropriate protein balance.

One of these factors is a protein called activating transcription factor 6 alpha (ATF6α) that was recently shown to drive the onset of liver cancer if left permanently active. In a Nature study published February 4, 2026, an international team of scientists demonstrated that activating ATF6α in mice caused liver disease that progressed to liver cancer.

In data from human liver cancer patients, ATF6α activation was linked with more aggressive tumors, a suppressed immune system surrounding tumors and reduced patient survival.

The researchers also uncovered ways that ATF6α might be used to advance the treatment of liver cancer. Liver cells with ATF6α switched off developed fewer tumors. While high ATF6α activity levels were associated with cancer progression, they also were found to make tumors more susceptible to certain immunotherapies.

These findings suggest the need for future clinical trials to test drugs that directly target ATF6α to treat the disease. Additionally, it might prove advantageous to screen liver cancer patients for ATF6α activity to find those most likely to benefit from existing immunotherapies.

Portrait of Randal J. Kaufman, PhD

Randal Kaufman, PhD, is a professor in the Center for Metabolic and Liver Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys and a co-corresponding author of the study. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

To learn more, read the German Cancer Research Center press release.

Xin Li, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), shares first authorship of the study with co-corresponding author Cynthia Lebeaupin, PhD, principal scientist at Pfizer and former postdoctoral researcher at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute.

The other co-corresponding authors are Dirk Haller, PhD, Technische Universität München; Randal Kaufman, PhD, Sanford Burnham Prebys; and Mathias Heikenwälder, PhD, University of Tübingen and DKFZ.

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys hosts inaugural event in the Women in Science Lecture Series

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

October 21, 2025

David Brenner, MD, meets with speaker Susan Tousi, MBA
Sanford Burnham Prebys president and CEO David Brenner, MD, meets with speaker Susan Tousi, MBA, CEO at DELFI Diagnostics, prior to the inaugural event in the Women in Science Lecture Series.

The series highlights the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences

Susan Tousi, MBA, CEO at DELFI Diagnostics, opened the event by discussing the lessons she learned throughout her career journey. At DELFI Diagnostics, she is leading a team focused on improving the detection of lung cancer. The company’s goal is to make lung cancer screening more accessible through a blood test that is analyzed by applying machine learning and next-generation sequencing.

Prior to this role, Tousi served as a senior vice president for more than 10 years at Illumina, Inc., including as chief commercial officer for three years. During her tenure, she contributed to making genomic sequencing more affordable as the cost of sequencing a single genome fell from more than $5000 in 2013 to $200 in 2023. Tousi also borrowed from her experience developing consumer printers for Eastman Kodak and Hewlett-Packard, emphasizing the importance of making Illumina’s sequencing machines easy to use for clients in research labs, hospitals and clinics.

“My time at Illumina was amazing,” said Tousi. “I had the absolute privilege of seeing our genomic capabilities installed in 155 countries around the world.”

Tousi concluded with her optimism about how technology is transforming healthcare.

“I think we are on the precipice of major shifts in technology with the advancement of AI and where we’ve come with genomics, multiomics and the access to large-scale molecular data,” said Tousi. “I think you know these new technologies like blood-based liquid biopsy testing are going to allow us to find disease earlier, to treat it more precisely and monitor its recurrence across many disease areas.

“This can be the dawn of a new beginning in science and the advancement of healthy lives.”

Susan Tousi and Brooke Emerling

From left: Brooke Emerling, PhD, and Susan Tousi, MBA
Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys

Kevin Tharp, PhD, assistant professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, then moderated a fireside chat and audience question-and-answer session with Tousi and Brooke Emerling, PhD, director and associate professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program. Topics included: different gender-based expectations in scientific fields; the importance of mentorship and paying it forward; dealing with the emotional toll of studying diseases more prevalent in women; and programs providing opportunities for future leaders in science and medicine.

The Women in Science Lecture Series features quarterly events and is part of broader efforts at Sanford Burnham Prebys to foster an environment that nurtures the success of individuals from all backgrounds. The series is hosted by the Office of Workforce Engagement & Belonging and highlights the groundbreaking work and unique perspectives of women leaders in the biomedical sciences, while fostering mentorship and collaboration across the Torrey Pines Mesa.

Women in Science lectures are free and open to the public. Registration is open for the next event in the series on February 11, 2026.

Institute News

Sanford Burnham Prebys expert surveys science on how to treat the most common brain cancer

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

October 6, 2025

Glioblastoma brain cancer cells under microscope. Image credit: Anna Durinikova/Shutterstock
Glioblastoma brain cancer cells under a microscope. Image credit: Anna Durinikova/Shutterstock.

New editorial recommends a multimodal perspective examining glioblastoma from tumor biology through to surgery

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer. It also is the most common form of cancer that originates in the brain, making research into new and better therapies even more imperative.

Physician–scientist Theophilos Tzaridis, MD, a postdoctoral fellow at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in the lab of Peter Adams, PhD, recently surveyed promising glioblastoma studies after being invited to serve as a guest editor for a special issue of Frontiers in Oncology and Frontiers in Neurology.

More exact and safe surgeries

Tzaridis highlighted two studies focused on improving surgery for glioblastoma, as it continues to be the primary treatment for the disease. The recent publications discussed how to enhance the use of MRI to map out tumors and surrounding tissue, as well as other innovative mapping and monitoring techniques. These approaches would enable neurosurgeons to create better and safer plans for reducing risk of recurrence and avoiding side effects before starting surgery.

Targeted treatments and immunotherapies

Scientists have sought to add treatment options for glioblastoma beyond surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Some other cancers can be treated with targeted therapies that exploit a unique characteristic of certain tumors, but this approach has yet to yield long-term successes for glioblastoma patients. Tzaridis brought forward a case report of a patient whose tumors were nearly completely cleared by a targeted therapy after chemotherapy was unsuccessful. He suggests that future studies are warranted to identify patient subpopulations that can benefit from these treatments.

Theophilos Tzaridis, MD. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Theophilos Tzaridis, MD, a postdoctoral fellow at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Immunotherapies that supercharge the immune system to better detect and eliminate cancer have transformed the treatment of many blood cancers and solid tumors. It has not, however, yet born fruit as an effective treatment for glioblastoma. Tzaridis spotlights a study discussing the potential use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cells in glioblastoma rather than the more common CAR T-cell therapies.

The blood brain barrier and brain cancer biology

In addition to demonstrating how research is contributing to improving existing treatments and finding new potential therapies, Tzaridis emphasized the importance of continued studies of brain cancer cell biology and the obstacle to treatment posed by the blood brain barrier. He highlighted two studies focused on overcoming the blood brain barrier along with another two studies regarding cellular models and the use of extracellular vesicles to package and deliver treatments.

“With a multimodal perspective from addressing challenges in neurosurgery to improving our understanding of tumor biology and achieving therapeutic delivery into the brain, we have the best chance of improving survival of patients with this devastating disease,” said Tzaridis.

Institute News

Xueqin Sun awarded $600,000 V Foundation grant to study one of the most common and deadly brain cancers

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

September 29, 2025

Xueqin (Sherine) Sun, PhD. Photo credit Sanford Burnham Prebys
Xueqin (Sherine) Sun, PhD. Image credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys

The new award will fund research regarding a hidden weakness in glioblastoma tumors that could lead to a new treatment

Xueqin (Sherine) Sun, PhD, was awarded a three-year, $600,000 V Foundation for Cancer Research grant to study glioblastoma, one of the most common and deadly brain cancers.

Sun will use the award to follow up on her lab’s research regarding a hidden weakness in glioblastoma tumors that could lead to a new treatment. Her team will focus on tumor protein 53, or p53, which normally prevents tumors by detecting DNA damage so it can be repaired, or the cell can self-destruct.

“Think of p53 as the body’s security guard that protects against cancer,” said Sun. In glioblastoma tumors, however, p53 often is unable to do its job.

In nearly three out of every four glioblastoma tumors, another protein called bromodomain-containing protein 8 (BRD8) locks up p53, preventing a key piece of the body’s natural defense mechanisms from fighting back against the growing threat.

“We discovered a way to break apart BRD8, which could free up p53 and let it fight the cancer again,” said Sun.  

The Sun lab will test this approach using lab-grown glioblastoma cells and mini-brain tumor models created from patient samples.

“Our goal is to advance this approach that may lead to new therapeutic strategies for patients facing this devastating disease,” said Sun.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, North Carolina State University basketball coach, ESPN commentator and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The V Foundation has funded nearly $400 million in cancer research grants in North America.

Institute News

From lab insight to patient impact: Physician–scientist Theophilos Tzaridis on advancing treatments for pediatric brain tumors

AuthorCommunications
Date

September 18, 2025

Theophilos Tzaridis, MD. Photo credit Sanford Burnham Prebys

Recipient of the Fishman Awards: Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Fishman Award Theo Tzaridis discusses his work on pediatric brain tumors, why rigorous preclinical science matters, and how donor support accelerates discoveries.

Established in 2024, the Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Fishman Award is unique in nature because it recognizes a Sanford Burnham Prebys postdoc for their outstanding biomedical research contributions and demonstrated track record of research excellence.

What’s your current role and focus at Sanford Burnham Prebys?
I’m a physician–scientist studying pediatric brain tumors. I focus on diffuse midline glioma (DMG). I joined Rob Wechsler-Reya’s group at the institute and benefited from him as an amazing mentor and his expertise in mouse modeling of brain tumors tremendously. After Rob moved institutions, I joined Peter Adams’s lab. Peter’s aging and cancer perspective gives my immunotherapy work a fresh lens and he is a truly spectacular mentor. We’ve built a DMG “niche” in the lab and I’ve deepened my in vivo skills, which are essential for translating ideas toward the clinic.

What drew you into oncology and neurology?
Even in high school I was fascinated by how a cell can go “crazy”, grow uncontrollably and form a tumor. Medicine let me pair that curiosity with real patient impact. My MD thesis work in Heidelberg, Germany, suggested an old chemotherapy could reactivate a tumor suppressor which paved the way for a clinical trial. During my neurology residency in Bonn, Germany, I helped plan, analyze, and published results from  a clinical trial that became the first positive glioblastoma study in 14 years. Those experiences were very rewarding and cemented my focus on translational research.

You mentioned that your approach to immunotherapy starts with “back to basics.” What does that mean?
Many brain tumor trials borrowed targets from other cancers without confirming those targets exist in the brain tumor microenvironment. We went back to basics, systematically profiled immune checkpoint molecules present in DMG and found CD155 (also called the poliovirus receptor) consistently expressed across models and patient samples. That points to smarter targeting rather than one-size-fits-all strategies.

How has the Institute’s environment shaped your work?
The culture at Sanford Burnham Prebys is genuinely team oriented. Core facilities (flow cytometry, mouse) are exceptional partners in experimental design. We also engage in a cross-institution “Brain Tumor Club” on the Mesa and contribute data to a molecular tumor board that informs real treatment decisions. In one case, marker data I generated supported a physician’s plan to pursue a personalized immune therapy known as CAR T-cells for a child which was an incredibly meaningful moment.

Any notable collaborations beyond campus?
Yes. Our in vivo expertise enabled joint studies with Emory University, including work on small molecules for pediatric brain tumors. We have also collaborated with Columbia University and the Dana Farber Institute. These multi-site projects help validate findings independently which is critical in pediatrics where patient numbers are limited.

How did the Fishman Awards affect your trajectory?
The Fishman Career Development Award I received in 2023, and the Cynthia Schwartz Shenkman Research Excellence Fishman Award I recently received provided fuel at key moments. The Fishman Career Development Award sent me to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference in 2024, where I met a company carrying the only clinical-grade antibody to my target; after an MTA, we’re now testing it here. I also attended the La Jolla Immunology Conference and received a best oral presentation award which is validation that stretching into complex immunology is worth it. Importantly, the Fishman Award application process itself which includes writing, presenting, getting feedback, built resilience and sharpened my vision.

Where do you want to take this next?
I aim to lead an independent lab tightly linked to a clinical trials unit. Success requires basic scientists and clinicians at the same table from day one, plus rigorous preclinical “homework” to identify the subgroups most likely to benefit before launching trials. It’s harder, but in the long run it saves precious time and resources and gives patients better odds.

What is life like outside the lab?
I’m a dad of two, so there is hardly time for anything, but we try to do hikes and some beach time. San Diego’s landscapes are a gift. Before kids I did theater; these days, I read when I can, and we take short family adventures (Anza-Borrego is a favorite).

Is there anything you’d like supporters to know?
Your support is more than funding, it’s belief. At a time when the value of science may be questioned, you’re helping researchers communicate clearly, collaborate widely, and move ideas toward children who can’t wait. The Fishman Awards exemplify that: they strengthen science and the storytelling that brings people along. Thank you.

Institute News

PERCEPTION proves a predictable NCI milestone

AuthorScott LaFee
Date

May 9, 2025

false-colored scanning electron micrograph of a breast tumor spheroid
A false-colored scanning electron micrograph of a breast tumor spheroid (cluster of cells). The spheroid has been treated with the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin, which is causing some cells to die (yellow). Healthy cells are colored pink and violet. Image courtesy of Khuloud T. Al-Jamal, David McCarthy and Izzat Suffian, Wellcome Collection.

PERCEPTION is the acronym for PERsonalized Single-Cell Expression-Based Planning for Treatments In Oncology, an artificial intelligence-based tool that, in findings first reported last year, was able to predict tumor response to targeted therapy using single-cell datasets.

The work, published in Nature Cancer, is the result of first study author Sanju Sinha, PhD, assistant professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, with senior authors Eytan Ruppin, MD, PhD, and Alejandro Schaffer, PhD, at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues.

Recently, the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research highlighted PERCEPTION in its 2024-2025 annual Milestones report.

The researchers said PERCEPTION not only helped predict which anti-cancer drugs are most effective for individual patients, but also tracked the evolution of drug resistance over the course of the disease and treatment — something never before achieved.

“A tumor is a complex and evolving beast. Using single-cell resolution can allow us to tackle both of these challenges, Sinha said when their findings were published. “PERCEPTION allows for the use of rich information within single-cell omics to understand the clonal architecture of the tumor and monitor the emergence of resistance.” (In biology, omics refers to the sum of constituents within a cell.)

“The ability to monitor the emergence of resistance is the most exciting part for me. It has the potential to allow us to adapt to the evolution of cancer cells and even modify our treatment strategy.”

PERCEPTION was previously named among the National Institutes of Health director’s highlights for 2024.

Institute News

Kelly Kersten awarded Melanoma Research Alliance grant to support research on melanoma immunotherapy

AuthorGreg Calhoun
Date

May 2, 2025

Kelly Kersten
Kelly Kersten, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys

The newly created Paul Walks – MRA Young Investigator Award in Memory of Chad Johnson is part of the alliance’s $9.3 million commitment to melanoma research funding in 2025.

Kelly Kersten, PhD, an assistant professor in the Cancer Metabolism and Microenvironment Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys, was awarded a new type of grant from the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA). The funding will support Kersten’s research on reactivating “exhausted” immune cells within melanoma tumors to restore their cancer-fighting ability and improve the effectiveness of melanoma immunotherapy.

“Inside tumors, immune cells often lose their strength to attack cancer,” said Kersten. “Our work is focused on understanding and reversing this exhaustion to make therapies more effective for more people.”

The MRA is the world’s leading nonprofit funder of melanoma research. The organization created the Paul Walks – MRA Young Investigator Award in Memory of Chad Johnson to provide support for the next generation of scientists driving innovation against melanoma.

“Our Young Investigator Awards fuel the creativity and drive of early-career scientists whose work can redefine the future of melanoma research.” said Joan Levy, PhD, MRA Chief Science Officer.

The new grant pays tribute to Chad Johnson, a beloved friend and surfer who died from his melanoma diagnosis at age 55. Funding for the award was made possible through “Paul Walks,” a community fundraiser organized by Chad’s lifelong friend, Paul Giobbi.

The Paul Walks – MRA Young Investigator Award in Memory of Chad Johnson is part of MRA’s $9.3 million commitment to fund melanoma research in 2025, supporting more than 30 researchers across the U.S., Europe and Australia. Melanoma remains the deadliest form of skin cancer, with more than 100,000 people expected to be diagnosed this year and one death every hour in the U.S. alone.