Dr. Zhentao Yang, a project scientist in the division of dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a researcher with the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, has received the Young Investigator Award from the Melanoma Research Alliance, the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research. The three-year, $255,000 award provides support to innovative research aimed at improving outcomes for patients with melanoma.
Yang’s research, which is conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Roger Lo, focuses on improving the durability of BRAF-targeted therapy in melanoma, a type of cancer treatment that blocks abnormal signaling driven by alterations in the BRAF gene, which can lead to uncontrolled tumor growth. Although BRAF-targeted therapies can be initially effective, many patients eventually relapse as tumors develop resistance over time.
Through this award, Yang will investigate a novel rotational treatment strategy that systematically alternates between standard-of-care and experimental BRAF-targeted therapies. This approach is designed to delay or prevent the emergence of resistant tumor clones and extend the effectiveness of treatment. Building on promising preclinical data, the work will evaluate whether rotational therapy can prolong treatment response in mouse models, explore the biological mechanisms underlying resistance, and identify candidate therapies with favorable toxicity profiles for further development.
“I am grateful for this support, which will enable us to investigate novel strategies to delay resistance and improve the long-term effectiveness of BRAF-targeted therapies in melanoma, while also serving as strong encouragement and validation of my work,” Yang said.
The Young Investigator Award supports early-career faculty with innovative ideas in melanoma research and helps develop the next generation of leaders in the field. Recipients are selected through a rigorous peer-review process and confirmed by the organization’s board of directors.
