Melanoma, commonly known as Australia’s national cancer, is the deadliest type of skin cancer and its incidence is continuing to increase worldwide. Locally, melanoma is also the most commonly diagnosed cancer in adolescents and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. Novel medical research aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma is a field of great necessity nation-wide.
MRV Research
Antigen processing in melanoma
T cells can recognize and kill melanoma cells by targeting short pieces of protein on the melanoma cell surface, called epitopes. The epitopes are made inside the melanoma cell where proteins are chopped into small pieces in a complex called the proteasome.
Clinical and molecular characteristics and metastatic pathways of patients with cutaneous melanoma
Melanoma can spread through the bloodstream and/or the lymphatic channels. This project aims to identify if melanomas with particular genetic mutations behave differently to melanomas without these mutations in the ways that they spread through the body.
Evaluate changes in expression during melanoma progression of p53, MDM4, MDM2 and other regulators of p53 activity.
The survival and growth of cancer cells are controlled by key groups of proteins within them. One of these proteins is called p53. In numerous cancers, including melanoma, p53 protein doesn’t work properly. This allows damaged cells that cause cancer to survive, multiply and spread. In many cancers, p53 doesn’t work well because it is mutated.