Translational Molecular Pathology-Dermatopathology Laboratory

The goal of the Translational Molecular Pathology-Dermatopathology Laboratory (TMP-DL) is to facilitate the investigation of skin diseases in patients treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Melanoma is an aggressive skin disease with a high mortality rate in advanced-staged patients. Non-melanocytic skin cancers and cutaneous lymphomas may also portend an aggressive clinical course in a subset of patients. Investigations in the molecular pathogenesis of melanoma and other skin diseases has enhanced our understanding of the pathology and mechanisms that may drive some of these malignancies. The accelerated development of novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy has ushered in the era of personalized cancer medicine and oncodermatopathology. Dramatic anti-tumor response and durable clinical outcome has been achieved with targeted therapy and immunotherapy in a subset of patients; thus, there is a critical need to identify predictive biomarkers associated with therapy response. A challenging consequence of targeted therapy and immunotherapy is the development of potentially life-threatening skin toxicities. Insight into immune mechanisms that drive these adverse cutaneous reactions is needed to identify targetable, efficacious therapy to alleviate these skin toxicities.

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Acknowledging the TMP-DL (Dermatopathology lab)

The TMP-DL is substantially subsidized by Moon Shot and NCI SPORE grants. Please acknowledge the TMP-DL by adding the following sentence in the acknowledgment section of any publication that includes data generated by the TMP-DL: This project included data supported by the Translational Molecular Pathology Dermatopathology Lab at MD Anderson Cancer Center, with funding from the MD Anderson Melanoma SPORE 5P50CA221703-02 and MD Anderson Melanoma Moon Shot Program; and the expert assistance of Jonathan Curry and Carlos Torres-Cabala.