{"entity":{"id":"mra","kind":"institution","name":"Melanoma Research Alliance","aka":["MRA"],"tldr":"The melanoma research funder Debra and Leon Black started in 2007; it has put more than $200 million into research and every donated dollar goes to science because the founders cover the running costs.","summary":"The Melanoma Research Alliance was founded in 2007 by Debra and Leon Black after Debra's melanoma diagnosis. Its own overview states that it has directly invested over $200 million through more than 500 grant awards, that MRA-funded researchers have contributed to 20 new FDA-approved melanoma treatments since its founding, and that because the Blacks cover administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of every donation goes to melanoma research. It funds young investigators, team science and academic-industry partnerships, and convenes an annual scientific retreat. Headquartered in Washington, DC.","asOf":"2026-09-10","links":[{"label":"MRA overview","url":"https://www.curemelanoma.org/mra-overview/mra-overview"}],"tags":[],"related":["melanoma-research-alliance"],"cancers":["melanoma"],"sections":[],"technologies":["checkpoint-inhibitor","immunotherapy"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":["debra-black","leon-black"],"bottlenecks":["b-funding-allocation","b-translational-valley"],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"city":"Washington, DC","country":"US","lat":38.9,"lng":-77.034,"institutionType":"consortium","website":"https://www.curemelanoma.org","programs":["Young Investigator Awards","Team Science Awards","Academic-industry partnership awards","Annual scientific retreat"]},"route":"/institutions/mra/","neighbours":{"collection":[{"id":"melanoma-research-alliance","kind":"collection","name":"Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)","route":"/collections/melanoma-research-alliance/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"melanoma","kind":"cancer","name":"Melanoma","route":"/cancers/melanoma/"}],"technology":[{"id":"checkpoint-inhibitor","kind":"technology","name":"Immune checkpoint inhibitors","route":"/technologies/checkpoint-inhibitor/"}],"section":[{"id":"immunotherapy","kind":"section","name":"Immunotherapy","route":"/fronts/immunotherapy/"}],"person":[{"id":"debra-black","kind":"person","name":"Debra Black","route":"/people/debra-black/"},{"id":"leon-black","kind":"person","name":"Leon Black","route":"/people/leon-black/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-funding-allocation","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Funding follows fashion, not burden","route":"/bottlenecks/b-funding-allocation/"},{"id":"b-translational-valley","kind":"bottleneck","name":"The valley of death between lab and product","route":"/bottlenecks/b-translational-valley/"}]}}