David E Fisher

Title : Melanoma biology from the perspective of skin signaling and UV pathogenesis

Abstract:

Cutaneous melanoma has undergone a revolution in therapeutic success during the past decade, due to major advances in both targeted therapy and immune therapies.  Major insights have been gained through increased understanding of the pathways giving rise to melanoma through, for example, UV mutagenesis.  Additional insights have come from an understanding of the pathway through UV induces melanin biosynthesis, which aside from triggering melanogenesis also stimulates beta-endorphin synthesis.  Additional information has been gained through studies of the unique chemical consequences of red/blond pheomelanin pigments.  This lecture will present studies on the role of UV induced neo-antigens in melanoma immunotherapy responses, as well as the significance of epitope spreading in the immune response, which offers novel therapeutic opportunities.

Biography:

Dr. Fisher studied at Swarthmore College (chemistry and biology) and the Curtis Institute of Music (cello). He obtained a PhD from Gunter Blobel and Henry Kunkel at Rockefeller University and MD from Cornell Medical College. Following clinical training in Internal Medicine, Adult and Pediatric Oncology, he did postdoctoral research with Phillip Sharp at MIT. Fisher joined the faculty at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute where he eventually led their Melanoma Program with a research lab studying melanocyte and melanoma biology. In 2008 he was recruited to Massachusetts General Hospital where he has remained as Edward Wigglesworth Professor and Chairman of Dermatology.