Brain UK study ref: 24/018,

Lay summary,

Project status: Active

Understanding the role of B7-H3 in melanoma brain metastases

Dr Thomas Carter, University College London

About half of patients with advanced melanoma develop secondary tumors in their brain, called melanoma brain metastases (MBM). While some treatments, like immunotherapy, can help, MBM often proves fatal, highlighting the urgent need for better treatments. To create these treatments, we need to understand MBM better, including how it differs from melanoma outside the brain and why it resists current treatments. A promising way to study MBM is by analyzing tissue samples from patients who undergo surgery.

This project will build on existing knowledge about MBM by using modern research techniques to study these samples. The data we gather will help us understand how melanoma cells interact with immune cells and brain support cells (glial cells). We will focus on an immune molecule called B7-H3, which is linked to MBM and may play a role in treatment resistance.

Our goal is to expand scientific knowledge about MBM. By using advanced methods to study

samples, we aim to uncover how melanoma cells interact with immune and glial cells in the brain. Specifically, we will investigate the role of B7-H3, an immune molecule connected to MBM and treatment resistance.