# BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

> **NIH VA IK6** · VA NEW JERSEY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Mouse models reflecting human cancers are important tools towards the translation of basic science
discoveries to clinical therapies. However, rapidly evolving technologies within the last few years require
further refining current approaches that enable models to be more suitable in robust translational
applications to provide consistent information to meet patients’ needs. The focus of my first VA Merit award
was on the contributions of altered metabolisms to melanomagenesis in vitro and in vivo. Results from these
earlier studies have provided understanding and knowledge in the rational conceived strategy of our
working hypothesis for our current VA Merit. In recent years, much has been learned about the molecular
pathology of melanoma and significant progress has been made towards its treatment, yet late-stage
melanoma still remains one of the least curable cancers with high metastatic propensity. The unique
mouse models established by our group where the ectopic expression of a normal neuronal receptor,
metabotropic glutamate receptor (GRM1), in normal melanocytes leads to consistent, wide-spread
development of melanocytic lesions and metastasis to various organs including the lung and brain, two
common metastatic sites for human melanoma. Our focus is to take advantage of the innovative model
that mimic human melanoma with brain metastases to expand, improve, and transform the utility of
mammalian tumor models for translational research. Completion of our proposed investigation is an essential
step towards establishing fundamentally important and relevant animal models of human cancer that will
improve and save cancer patient lives.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10813045
- **Project number:** 5IK6BX006319-02
- **Recipient organization:** VA NEW JERSEY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Suzie Chen
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-04-01 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10813045

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10813045, BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application (5IK6BX006319-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10813045. Licensed CC0.

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