Mapping Melanoma to
BE TT ER UNDERS TA N D SKIN CA N C ER S
T
he Mountain West is known for its natural beauty and unique landscapes, drawing many residents to year-round recreation such as hiking, biking, skiing, and fishing. These outdoor activities also mean extended sun exposure at high altitudes—a risk factor for skin cancers, including melanoma, the deadliest form.
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Robert Judson-Torres, PhD examines slices of melanocytic tumors with research colleagues at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
In the five-state region Huntsman Cancer Institute serves—Utah, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming—melanoma is among the top four most commonly diagnosed types of cancer. In Utah specifically, melanoma is the third-most diagnosed cancer, with 1,610 estimated new cases in the year 2021. Melanoma originates in melanocytes, the cells that give color to the skin and protect it from sun rays. Melanocytes were thought to be interchangeable, but new research in the Judson-Torres Lab at Huntsman Cancer Institute shows there are, in fact, different types. The findings were published in the September 2021 issue of the journal Nature Cell Biology. “I noticed that not all melanocytes respond to signals from surrounding cells in the same way,” says Rachel Belote, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in
