The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the characterization of established preclinical models (eg, cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, organoids, and animal models) of rare melanomas. This RFP is the third Priority Area Announcement to be released as part of MRA's Next Steps Program, a separate and distinct grant mechanism from the MRA’s annual RFP.
MRA’s Next Steps program intends to help advance translation of discoveries into the clinic by supporting: 1) needed preclinical resources and tools for the research community to identify and begin to develop new therapies and 2) infrastructural support to analyze and build large datasets and/or develop associated technologies for better detection, diagnosis, treatment, and management of melanoma.
Rare melanoma subtypes such as acral, uveal, mucosal, and pediatric account for a subset of all melanoma diagnoses yet are areas of unmet need due to fewer treatment options and poor patient outcomes compared to cutaneous melanoma. There are also fewer well-characterized preclinical models of these melanoma subtypes. There is critical need to develop and characterize preclinical models of rare melanomas to: 1) advance our biological understanding of rare melanoma subtypes; and 2) facilitate drug discovery, with the goal of identifying new therapeutics for patients with rare melanoma subtypes.
To assist in the identification and development of novel therapies to treat patients with rare melanomas, robust and well annotated preclinical models are essential. Generally, funding for this type of project is not included in many types of grant mechanisms. Therefore, the goal of this Next Step RFP is to provide seed funding to support the characterization of established preclinical models (eg, cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, organoids, and animal models) of rare melanomas. This RFP would require that characterized models and data resulting from this funded research will be made available to the research community to facilitate further research and discovery in rare melanoma subtypes including acral, mucosal, uveal, and pediatric melanoma.
Step 1: Letter of Intent
A letter of intent (LOI) must be emailed to Sara DiNapoli (sdinapoli@curemelanoma.org) no later than June 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. The LOI is a maximum of one page that includes 1) a description of the scientific aims; and 2) the members of the study team and the specific role of each participant.
LOIs are used for reviewer recruitment and will not be reviewed. An invitation to submit a full application will NOT be provided after LOI submission. Applicants are encouraged to develop LOI and full application concurrently and submit a full application AFTER successful submission of the LOI.
Step 2: Full applications
Full applications must be submitted through Proposal Central and are due on July 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Late applications WILL NOT be accepted under any circumstances. More detailed instructions on how to submit the LOI and full application are listed in the RFP.
Award Duration:
1-2 years.
Funding Level and Additional Support:
Up to $200,000 depending on the scope of the research project.
Additional information is available in the program RFP—including details about eligibility, funding priorities, and instructions for LOI and full application submission.
MRA accepts proposals from researchers worldwide and encourages applications from a diverse pool of investigators with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, country of residence, and disability. MRA recognizes that diversity in the biomedical research workforce is critical for ensuring that the most creative minds have the opportunity to contribute to realizing our research goals and to ensuring more equitable health outcomes for all.
If there are any questions about the application process or eligibility, please contact Sara DiNapoli PhD, MRA's Director, Scientific Programs, at sdinapoli@curemelanoma.org before submitting the LOI and/or full application.
