As the past Director of the Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer (YSPORE) for 11 years, and the Co-Director of Core 2, Biospecimen Resource Core, I have coordinated several studies with investigators on melanoma research and provided funds as well as specimens and reagents to investigators for different projects. I have established operating procedures for the collection of tumors, tissues, blood, normal skin, nevi and clinical information, growing melanoma cells and normal lymphocytes in culture for multiple purposes, such as protein analyses, DNA extraction and sequence analysis of novel mutations. These samples are shared with investigators at Yale, other Skin SPOREs, nationally and around the world. My main goals as the Biospecimen Resource Core Director are to continue these activities, to foster collaboration between investigators at Yale and outside institutions, and to ensure that the molecular and clinical information becomes available upon request. My research goals are: 1) to test novel mutations and genomic aberrations in melanoma that promote tumor initiation and metastasis; 2) to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to melanoma resistance to therapy; 3) to identify new targets for therapy; and 4) to promote the application of molecular diagnosis of melanoma in the clinic. I have trained numerous pre- and post-doctoral fellows and have worked within the department of Dermatology to enhance research programs. Married to Eytan Halaban for the past 60 year, have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren, one, Zoe, a sophomore at Yale, Davenport college all we love.
I received my PhD from Princeton University in 1968.