Developmental Research Program (DRP)

DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH PROGRAM: PROJECT SUMMARY The primary goal of the Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer Developmental Research Program (DRP) is to provide limited support (maximum of $50,000/year, typically for no more than two years) for a broad spectrum of innovative skin cancer pilot projects (involving research, resources, and technology development applicable to human skin cancer risk, prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment). These pilot projects must have promising translational research potential, with anticipation that they can eventually develop into, or be incorporated into, full projects with an unequivocal clinical translational component. Such projects could either be developed into independent external funding at a scope and scale equivalent to a NIH R01 grant, or alternatively augment or replace a Project in future cycles of the Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer. A total of at least $150,000/year will be used for Developmental Research Projects ($50,000 in direct costs and at least $100,000 and up to $250,000 in institutional matching funds guaranteed by the Yale Cancer Center and the Department of Dermatology). These funds will make it possible to support up to six DRP projects annually, ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 each. A second goal of this DRP is broaden the collective of Yale investigators who are actively engaged in research related to human cutaneous oncology. During its third five- year funding period, the YSPORE DRP has funded fifteen different projects (13 related to melanoma, one to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, one to basal cell carcinoma) involving fourteen investigators and fourteen collaborators from ten different departments and sections at Yale, and with project leaders including two outside institutions. Two of the projects involved multiple PIs and most encompassed multidisciplinary activities. Collaborators were drawn from seven external institutions, including the New York University Melanoma SPORE.