A Non-Invasive Genomic and Transcriptomic Decision-Assist Tool for Suspected Subungual Melanoma
Grantee: Beth McLellan, Professor and Chief, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Amount: DKK 3,999,656
Grant category: Serendipity Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: USA
While studying skin bacteria, we made a surprising discovery: simple, painless nail clippings contain readable human genetic messages (mRNA). Scientists previously believed these delicate messages were completely destroyed as nail cells harden and die. This unexpected finding could revolutionize how we diagnose subungual melanoma, a deadly skin cancer growing under the nail. Currently, diagnosing this cancer requires a painful surgical biopsy of the nail bed, risking permanent deformity. Our discovery suggests we might detect this cancer, and understand its deeper biology, just by analyzing a painless clipping. To investigate this, we will collect nail clippings from patients with harmless dark spots and those with confirmed nail cancer. Using advanced technology, we will read the surviving genetic messages to identify a “signature” of the cancer. We will also explore if these clippings reveal how the tumor interacts with the immune system, paving the way for pain-free diagnostics.
Nasal microbiota as a novel axis for skin immune regulation
Grantee: Yiyin Chen, Assistant Professor (MIT), Core Institute Member (Broad Institute)
Amount: DKK 3,999,997
Grant category: Serendipity Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: USA
We aim to understand how skin inflammation is suppressed by a surprising site: the nose. This proposal is motivated by two unexpected discoveries during our prior Leo-funded work. First, we found that some bacteria generate large immune responses when they colonize the nose peacefully, even when there is no evidence of infection. Second, we found that these nasal bacteria suppress the immune response in the skin, even though the skin is 100x larger than the nose. Therefore, we hypothesize that the nose is an overlooked site of immune regulation for the skin. We now aim to understand the molecular details of this nose-skin immune suppression. We also plan to study how nose-skin immune suppression changes our risk of eczema, psoriasis, infection, and cancer. Overall, we hope to understand how the bacteria that naturally colonize our nose regulate skin health and use these insights to develop new therapies for skin inflammation.