Fondazione Umberto Veronesi has awarded Dr Matilde Monti, researcher at the University of Brescia, a research fellowship within the “Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2026” call for the project “Investigating tumor immunogenicity as predictor of immunotherapy strategies for mucosal melanomas”. The project focuses on mucosal melanomas, rare and highly aggressive tumors originating from melanocytes at the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital mucosal surface. These tumors are often late diagnosed and are associated with poor outcomes; moreover, currently available therapies, including immunotherapies, show limited effectiveness. Within the research laboratory, five cellular models have been generated from human sinonasal mucosal melanomas, representing useful preclinical systems for the understanding of these tumors. Using these models and patients tissue samples, the research investigates tumor–immune system interactions and response mechanisms to interferon gamma, a molecule produced by lymphocytes with anti-tumor activity.
The aim of the project is to identify strategies to restore the immune system competence to recognize and attack the tumor. As future perspectives, the results of this research may contribute to the development of more effective immunotherapies and improved outcomes for patients affected by mucosal melanomas.