Melanoma Research Foundation

Melanoma Research Foundation The MRF’s mission is to eradicate melanoma by accelerating medical RESEARCH while EDUCATING and ADVOCATING for the melanoma community.
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Visit www.melanoma.org to learn more. Donate Today!: http://donate.melanoma.org

How did cell-based immunotherapy become one of the most promising approaches in melanoma treatment?Join us this Thursday...
03/16/2026

How did cell-based immunotherapy become one of the most promising approaches in melanoma treatment?

Join us this Thursday for our next Ask the Expert virtual webinar at 7 PM ET, where leading experts will explore how these innovative therapies are changing the melanoma treatment landscape.

This session will feature:
• James Smithy, MD, MHS, Clinical Investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Alex Shoushtari, MD, Associate Attending Physician on the Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Lindsay Held, mucosal melanoma survivor, sharing his patient perspective

During this conversation, our experts will discuss:
• How cell-based immune treatments for melanoma first emerged
• The major scientific breakthroughs that brought these therapies to patients
• How researchers are working to improve outcomes and reduce treatment side effects
• A patient perspective on the treatment journey for the rare melanoma subtype, mucosal melanoma

This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from experts advancing the next generation of melanoma treatment as well as the patient perspective.

RSVP Here:
https://buff.ly/hSw5loG

03/16/2026

Denver, get ready to rise as high as the Rockies. Registration is officially open for the Denver Miles for Melanoma 5K! Join us on Saturday, June 13 at Sloan Lake Park for an energizing morning filled with purpose, community and momentum. Whether you’re racing toward a personal best or walking in honor of someone you love, every step helps power lifesaving melanoma research and vital patient support.

Early bird pricing is available now through Friday, March 20, so rally your team, grab your spot and save before rates increase. Let’s make this our biggest, boldest Denver event yet. Sign up today: https://buff.ly/FXQdio2

Thank you to melanoma survivors, nurses and advocates Myra Cacace and Maura Flynn for representing the MRF at Chelmsford...
03/15/2026

Thank you to melanoma survivors, nurses and advocates Myra Cacace and Maura Flynn for representing the MRF at Chelmsford Public Schools in Massachusetts this past week!

Myra and Maura shared vital messages about sun safety, myths about tanning and the new MRF SunAWARE program. Students were incredibly engaged and the MRF UV‑detecting bracelets were an especially big hit!

If you’d like the MRF to participate in an event in your community, please reach out to us at education@melanoma.org.

Learn more about MRF's SunAWARE program here: https://melanoma.org/youth-prevention/sunaware/

New York, save the date!We’re excited to announce that the 25th Annual New York Gala will take place at a brand-new venu...
03/15/2026

New York, save the date!

We’re excited to announce that the 25th Annual New York Gala will take place at a brand-new venue, Guastavino's, on Thursday, October 15—and this milestone celebration is set to be our most inspiring yet.

Join us for an unforgettable evening where community, purpose and impact come together. The night will raise critical funds for lifesaving melanoma research while advancing awareness, empowering patients and physicians with education on prevention and treatment and strengthening advocacy for the melanoma community.

Expect a vibrant evening filled with inspiration, connection and meaningful moments as we celebrate progress in the fight against melanoma.

Stay tuned as we announce this year’s honorees and don’t miss your chance to be part of this special night.

Click here to learn more, purchase tickets or secure your sponsorship today: https://buff.ly/ZRPDQ2K

Melanoma isn’t just one disease. It includes rare subtypes such as ocular, mucosal, pediatric and acral melanoma — each ...
03/13/2026

Melanoma isn’t just one disease. It includes rare subtypes such as ocular, mucosal, pediatric and acral melanoma — each serious, each complex and each in urgent need of more research.

For patients facing these diagnoses, research isn’t abstract. It’s personal, immediate and often lifesaving.

Your support helps scientists uncover why certain melanomas become lethal and, more importantly, how to stop them. Every rare subtype deserves answers, and every patient deserves hope. Give today to help fund the research that makes both possible: https://buff.ly/VQ9R4l3

03/13/2026

-- today, we celebrate the dermatologists who help save lives through early detection and skin health education. In this video, Dr. Whitney Bowe of Advanced Dermatology, P.C. and her daughter Maclane share an important reminder: for your annual dermatological skin exam.

Checking your skin regularly and knowing the ABCDEs of melanoma can make all the difference. And remember—there are places on your skin you simply can’t see yourself, which is why a yearly professional skin exam is so important.

Take a moment today to thank a dermatologist and schedule your annual skin check. Your skin could depend on it. ☀️

Happy National Dermatologist Day! Today we honor the dermatology community and the vital role they play in melanoma prev...
03/13/2026

Happy National Dermatologist Day! Today we honor the dermatology community and the vital role they play in melanoma prevention, early detection and treatment. Dermatologists are often the first line of defense in identifying melanoma early—helping save lives through routine skin exams and patient education.

We’re especially grateful to those serving on the MRF’s Dermatology Alliance Council (DAC) for their dedication and expertise in advancing melanoma awareness.

Remember to make annual skin checks part of your routine health care—early detection matters.

We’re also looking forward to our DAC convening at the upcoming American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Conference in just a few weeks. Thank you for all you do to support skin health and the melanoma community!

RSVP now for the upcoming "Together Against Melanoma: Patient & Caregiver Symposium" in collaboration with UNC Lineberge...
03/12/2026

RSVP now for the upcoming "Together Against Melanoma: Patient & Caregiver Symposium" in collaboration with UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

This in-person patient event will take place Monday, April 6 from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM ET, bringing together patients, caregivers and leading experts to share the latest updates in melanoma treatment and supportive care.

This event is open to everyone interested in learning more about melanoma.

Participants will also have the opportunity to explore important topics through sessions including:

• Understanding Your New Melanoma Diagnosis: What Your Dermatologist Wants You to Know

• Parenting with Cancer

• Financial Toxicity in Cancer Care

• The Role of Nutrition in Melanoma Treatment

RSVP to attend: https://melanomaevents.org/events/details/melanoma-research-foundation-melanoma-research-foundation-presents-together-against-melanoma-unc-lineberger-comprehensive-cancer-center-patient-amp-caregiver-symposium/

03/11/2026

This , we are proud to highlight Dr. Emily Bernstein, PhD of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, whose innovative melanoma research is supported through the 2025 Established Investigator Award.

Funded by the Legacy of Progress Endowment Fund, this research aims to better understand the melanoma tumor microenvironment and identify new opportunities for future therapies.

Emily shares more about her research titled "Investigating the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Remodeling the Melanoma Tumor Microenvironment":

“Cutaneous melanoma arises in the skin, a complex organ with many different cell types that communicate with one another. Our work aims to track these cellular interactions over space and time within the tumor microenvironment as melanoma develops. Using high-resolution approaches, we will focus on the population of cells known as dermal fibroblasts and how they become ‘converted’ into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that can promote tumor growth by inhibiting the anti-tumor functions of immune cells. A deeper understanding of how the tumor stroma supports melanoma progression can lead to novel therapeutic approaches for patients.”

Learn more:
https://melanoma.org/news-press/research-grant/investigating-the-role-of-cancer-associated-fibroblasts-in-remodeling-the-melanoma-tumor-microenvironment/

03/11/2026

Help Recognize May as Melanoma Awareness Month in Your State!

We are working with advocates across the country to secure state proclamations recognizing May as Melanoma Awareness Month, helping raise awareness about melanoma prevention and early detection.

Advocates are currently needed in the following states to support these efforts before the deadline to submit state proclamation requests:

• Kansas – deadline March 15

• Louisiana – deadline March 16

• New Mexico – deadline March 16

• Oregon – deadline March 16

• Virginia – deadline March 16

• Washington – deadline March 16

• Wisconsin – deadline March 16

• Wyoming – deadline March 16

If you live in one of these states and are interested in helping elevate melanoma awareness in your community, please contact the MRF Advocacy team at advocacy@melanoma.org.

Your voice can help ensure melanoma awareness is recognized and prioritized across the country.

Please join us for an informative Ask the Expert virtual webinar session discussing the past, present and future of cell...
03/10/2026

Please join us for an informative Ask the Expert virtual webinar session discussing the past, present and future of cell-based immune treatments for melanoma on Thursday, March 19 at 7pm ET. This session will feature James Smithy, MD, MHS, clinical investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Alex Shoushtari, MD, associate attending physician on the melanoma service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

This session will explore how cell-based immunotherapy has quickly evolved from an early experimental idea to a major treatment option for melanoma. We will also explore how new research and treatment development is working to reduce side effects and meet remaining patient needs.

A special thanks to our session sponsor Iovance.

To attend this session, please register in advance -- https://buff.ly/OtAHD0a

This is what progress looks like. Research turned fear into options. Options turned into survival. Breakthroughs like TI...
03/10/2026

This is what progress looks like. Research turned fear into options. Options turned into survival.

Breakthroughs like TIL therapy didn’t happen by chance. They happened because research was funded, studies were launched and scientists kept pushing forward. But there is still more to do. Too many patients are still running out of options.

Your donation fuels the next discovery, the next clinical trial, the next life saved.

Give today and help turn fear into hope for the next patient: https://donate.melanoma.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20075a?idb=1210197459&df_id=3022&mfc_pref=T&3022.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=A0454C85E75C496AB3200B6DB94ECD84

Click here to read Jennifer’s full story: https://melanoma.org/news-press/jennifers-story-why-shes-spent-12-years-fighting-for-melanoma-research/

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Washington D.C., DC
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