Research organization launches national biorepository to collect melanoma samples

A new effort to collect melanoma tumor samples in a national repository could help researchers develop tools and treatment strategies for rare versions of the disease that have been difficult to study.

The program, launched by the Melanoma Research Alliance, aims to gather tumor tissue, blood and other biospecimens from patients across the country and make them available to scientists working on diagnostic, molecular and preclinical research.

While the initiative, announced in November, is open to all types of melanoma, its focus is on rare subtypes that form on areas that are typically shielded from the sun, such as the soles of the feet, in nasal cavities and under nails. About 5,000 people are diagnosed with these subtypes of melanoma every year.

“Major breakthroughs in cancer research start with access to quality biospecimens,” Joan Levy, Ph.D., MRA’s chief science officer, said in a news release. “Through this effort, patients can directly contribute to research that will fuel the future of improved melanoma treatments.”

The biorepository is based at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Patients can donate stored tumor tissue from previous surgeries or provide samples during future procedures, and the program will also accept blood, saliva and other fluids.

According to MRA, samples can be stored for later studies or processed into DNA, RNA or protein for genomic and molecular analysis. The biorepository will develop cell lines, tissue microarrays and patient-derived xenograft models drawn from these donations, which investigators can request through an application process overseen by the university.

Across oncology, large biobank programs have become a standard tool for collecting real‑world patient samples. The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Moonshot Biobank collects tumor and blood specimens from patients treated at sites nationwide and pairs them with imaging and clinical data to track how cancers respond to and resist today’s therapies. And the Cancer Genome Atlas, which has assembled more than 20,000 tumor and normal samples across 33 cancer types since its founding in 2006, helped guide the design of some immunotherapies now in use.

MRA said hosting its program at the University of Colorado will help integrate donated material into ongoing research at its Center for Rare Melanomas, which studies acral and mucosal melanoma. The alliance expects the new pipeline of biospecimens to support projects aimed at identifying prognostic markers, better characterizing these tumors and exploring potential therapeutic targets.

MRA is encouraging participation from patients nationwide, regardless of where they receive care. Clinicians can refer individuals to the program’s online enrollment portal, and researchers can submit requests for tissue, data or derived models through the same site. The alliance said broad participation from both community practices and academic centers will help build a more diverse and comprehensive collection.

“Biobanked samples, especially for rare melanoma subtypes, are notoriously difficult to access in the current biorepository landscape,” Kasey Couts, Ph.D., assistant professor and co-director of the CU Center for Rare Melanomas at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, said in the news release. “By creating a centralized, researcher-friendly biorepository, MRA is removing a major barrier and enabling the kind of collaborative science that will drive real breakthroughs for patients.”