MRA Next Steps Program

MRA Next Steps Program

Invests in translational melanoma initiatives that advance vaccine and cellular approaches toward deployment milestones.

The MRA Next Steps Program is a dedicated grant mechanism created by the Melanoma Research Alliance — the world's largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research — operating separately and distinctly from MRA's annual General RFP. The program is specifically designed to accelerate development of new approaches and technologies in cellular therapy and vaccine therapy for acral and uveal melanoma, two subtypes with historically limited treatment options compared to cutaneous melanoma.

Awards range from $50,000 to $1,000,000 with payments structured on a milestone basis, and project durations of one to three years. Eligible research includes preclinical studies, pre-IND development stage studies, and clinical-stage studies focused on advancing cellular or vaccine-based therapeutic approaches; proposals addressing GNAQ/11-related melanomas are also eligible. Applicants must be researchers at academic medical centers or universities, from both US and worldwide institutions; for-profit organizations and unaffiliated individuals are not eligible. One RFP is planned for release in 2026 — the Preclinical/Clinical Advancement of Cellular and Vaccine Therapies for Acral and Uveal Melanoma — though specific LOI and full-application deadlines had not been published at catalog fetch. Application materials must include a research proposal, a budget, and a clearly defined milestone plan with timeline.

The milestone-based payment structure is a defining feature of Next Steps and distinguishes it from MRA's other mechanisms: funded teams receive disbursements as they achieve predefined scientific milestones rather than in fixed annual tranches. Applicants should contact MRA's Director of Scientific Programs, Dr. Sara DiNapoli (sdinapoli@curemelanoma.org), for scientific program questions. The program is listed as scheduled for 2026; researchers are advised to monitor the MRA website for the formal RFP release date.