PROJECT SUMMARY The overall goal of the NYU Melanoma SPORE Developmental Research Program (DRP) is to support pilot projects that take maximum advantage of new research opportunities in melanoma and aid in recruiting established cancer investigators at the level of Assistant Professor or higher to the translational study of melanoma. The DRP focuses on and will select innovative and promising translational research projects in melanoma, and will monitor their progress to ensure that goals are met. The Director of the DRP is Dr. Iannis Aifantis, the Chair of the NYU Department of Pathology and an internationally regarded investigator who brings an accomplished track record of mentorship and emerging translational melanoma research success. He will work together with an internal evaluation panel and the SPORE PD/PIs to identify and support selected pilot studies with exceptional translational potential. The NYU Melanoma SPORE DRP will support projects for up to 2 years, enabling awardees to adequately explore the potential of novel topics in translational melanoma research. Focusing on innovation, the DRP will support the development of “high-risk, high-reward” investigations in melanoma and encourage proposals for novel approaches to screening, diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, and treatment of melanoma. The DRP will monitor the progress of all projects and awardees chosen for funding to ensure that goals are met and that DRP projects may be strongly positioned to replace any SPORE project either not meeting its translational research goals or completed prior to the close of the award period. The DRP is highly integrated thematically and programmatically with the larger NYU Melanoma SPORE and recognizes that a key component to the growth of the SPORE is the continued support and development of novel investigations in melanoma, specifically in the area of improved personalized management of melanoma patients. Both NYU Langone Health (NYULH) and the NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center (PCC) have consistently used various pilot funding mechanisms to support promising novel approaches to melanoma prognosis, clinical management, and treatment.