The document summarizes an update on the Emory Eye Tumor SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence), which aims to advance research on ocular melanoma through collaboration between basic and clinical scientists. It describes the origins and goals of the SPORE program and the Emory Eye Tumor SPORE in particular. The Emory SPORE has added conjunctival malignant melanoma to its research focus. It provides details on the principal investigators, projects, and scoring of the SPORE grant application to the NIH, noting strengths in significance, innovation, investigators, and environment.

2. Eye Tumor SPORE Update:
Uniting to Advance Ocular Melanoma
Research
Robin Noe, MD
Emory Eye Tumor SPORE Administrator

3. National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Specialized Programs of Research
Excellence (SPORE)
Hans E. Grossniklaus, MD, MBA
Interim Vice Chair, Emory Eye Center
Professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology
Director, Section of Ocular Oncology and Pathology
Director, L.F. Montgomery Laboratory
Emory University School of Medicine

6. NIH
NCI
DCTD • TRP
Origins of SPORE
HHS

7. Translational Research
“Translational” refers to the translation of basic
scientific discoveries in a lab setting into practical ways
to prevent, diagnose, and treat human diseases.
Laboratory to Clinic
Clinic to Laboratory

8. Translational Research
Program
 Supports research in high incidence cancers as
well as rare cancers
 Institutional and other collaboration
 Establishes organ-specific tumor specimen banks
 Maintains 2 programs->develop new translational
researchers
 Invites advice of patient advocates who support
translational research
Source Information: trp.cancer.gov

9. SPORE
Specialized Programs of Research Excellence
Source information: trp.cancer.gov
 Translational cancer research promoted by
NCI via grant funding
 A collaborative approach
 Basic and Clinical Scientists work to discover
new approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of human cancers
 Methods developed for early cancer detection

10. SPORE Grant
 NIH P series grants
• Large multi-project efforts
• Includes diverse array of research activities
• P50 grant- Specialized Center Grant- funds
SPOREs
 NIH R series grants
• R01- Most frequently used grant program
• P50 does not compete with R01
• SPORE grant could be 4 individual R01 grants

11. Source Information: trp.cancer.gov

12. Source information: trp.cancer.gov

15. NIH Scoring
OVERALL IMPACT
The likelihood for a project to exert a
sustained, powerful influence on research
field involved.

16. NIH Scoring:
Evaluating Overall Impact
5 Individual Criterion Scored:
 Significance
 Investigator
 Innovation
 Approach
 Environment
Additional Criteria:
 Protection and inclusion of human subjects
 Vertebrate animal care and welfare
 Biohazards
 Scientific Collaborations

18. EMORY EYE TUMOR SPORE
STRENGTHS
• Significance
• Innovation
• Investigators
• Environment

20. Conjunctival Malignant Melanoma has been added to the SPORE

21. Emory Eye Tumor SPORE
Principal Investigators:
Hans E. Grossniklaus, MD
Erwin G. Van Meir, PhD

22. Hans E Grossniklaus, MD, MBA
Interim Vice Chair Emory Eye Center
Professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology
Director, L.F. Montgomery Pathology Laboratory
Director, Section of Ocular Oncology and Pathology
Erwin Van Meir, PhD
Professor, Departments of Neurosurgery, Hematology
and Medical Oncology
Director, Laboratory for Molecular Neuro-Oncology
Director, Emory Graduate Program in Cancer Biology

23. Emory Eye Tumor SPORE
Overall goal of our SPORE is to
develop improved diagnostic
techniques and therapies for
ocular tumors and their metastasis

24. Changed
Changed
P4 Teleimaging of
Ocular Tumors
BB,CB
P4 Develop Innovative
Molecular Tests for
Conjunctival Cancers

25. Score: Outstanding
Overall Impact: High
Project 2:
Early Detection and
Progression of
Liver Metastatic Uveal Melanoma by
Precision MR Imaging
Jenny J. Yang, PhD (GSU)
Pardeep Mittal, MD (Emory)
Hui Mao, PhD (Emory)

27. Score: Very Good
Overall Impact: Medium
Project 1:
.
Entolimod for Treatment of
Metastatic Uveal Melanoma
Edmund Waller, MD, PhD
David Lawson, MD
Andrei Gudkov, MD, PhD

29. Old Project 3 Score: Very Good
Overall Impact: Medium
New Project 3:
Identification of Key Markers for the
Development of a DNA Test for
Retinoblastoma
Hans E. Grossniklaus, MD Director
J. William Harbour, MD Co-Director

30. J William Harbour, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Director, Ocular Oncology Service
Vice-Chair, Translational Research
University of Miami
Hans E Grossniklaus, MD, MBA
Interim Vice Chair Emory Eye Center
Professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology
Director, L.F. Montgomery Pathology Laboratory
Director, Section of Ocular Oncology and Pathology
Emory University School of Medicine

31. New Project 4:
The Development of Innovative New ..
Molecular Tests for Conjunctival Squamous Cell
Carcinoma (CSCC) and Conjunctival Malignant
Melanoma (CMM)
J. William Harbour, MD Director
Carol L Karp, MD Co-Director
Old Project 4 Score: Satisfactory
Overall Impact: Medium
Anat Galor, MD, MSPH Co-Investigator

32. J William Harbour, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Director, Ocular Oncology Service
Vice-Chair, Translational Research
University of Miami
Carol L. Karp, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Richard K. Forster Chair in Ophthalmology
University of Miami
Anat Galor, MD, MSPH
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
University of Miami

34. Greater Outreach for Rare Eye Disease