Our Mission - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation

The Blue Nevus Melanoma (BNM) Foundation is a non-profit founded in 2024 by a blue nevus melanoma patient and her supporters. This dedicated team refuses to accept the limited research and therapies available for blue nevus melanoma and related uveal melanoma.

Our Two Primary Goals for Blue Nevus Melanoma Research:

  • Research Support: Support cutting-edge research that can lead to new treatments for blue nevus melanoma and potentially other cancers
  • Patient Registry & Community: Create a comprehensive Patient Registry and a supporting community for other blue nevus melanoma patients in their long journey to recovery

Blue Nevus Melanoma Patient Registry

By contacting the Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation and self-identifying, blue nevus melanoma patients can help us create a comprehensive Patient Registry database. A Patient Registry is essential to entice pharmaceutical companies to develop therapies for this rare condition.

It also creates a vital support community for blue nevus melanoma patients and their loved ones, connecting families worldwide facing this rare cancer diagnosis.

Are You a Blue Nevus Melanoma Patient?

Please contact us to join our Patient Registry and become part of our supportive Blue Nevus Melanoma community.

About Blue Nevus Melanoma - Rare Cancer Information

Blue nevus melanoma is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma that arises from blue nevi (blue-colored moles). Due to its extreme rarity, treatment options are severely limited and research funding is scarce. The Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation is working to change this reality.

Extremely Rare Condition

Limited research and treatment options due to small patient population worldwide

Urgent Medical Need

More research urgently needed to develop effective blue nevus melanoma therapies

Our Foundation's Solution

Building a patient registry to attract pharmaceutical interest and funding

The Science Behind Blue Nevus Melanoma - Medical Research

Blue nevus melanoma (BNM) is a rare form of melanocytic neoplasm. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, BNM is not associated with sun damage. Rather, BNM arises from a pre-existing benign blue nevus often on the scalp, neck, or trunk in both men and women usually in their 50s.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Genetic Profile

BNM harbors specific mutations in the G-coupled proteins (GNAQ or GNA11) and in tumor suppressor protein (BAP1).

Genetic Similarity to Uveal Melanoma

Exhibits significant genetic similarity only with uveal melanoma, another rare melanoma type, but not with cutaneous melanoma.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Treatment Gap

Currently, there is no drug treatment/development specifically designed for BNM.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Research Need

Statistics on prevalence are limited due to rarity and biology is poorly understood.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Related Publications

PMC Article: Blue Nevus Melanoma Research ScienceDirect: Blue Nevus Melanoma Study

Please notify us of other interesting publications relevant to blue nevus melanoma. This website is continuously under construction and will be updated on an ongoing basis.

🎗️ Blue Nevus Melanoma Awareness Ribbon

The blue nevus melanoma ribbon is black for melanoma with blue dots symbolizing the blue nevi from which the melanoma arises.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Research Projects

We are currently funding three major blue nevus melanoma research initiatives, each targeting different approaches to treating blue nevus melanoma:

Project Ruby - Blue Nevus Melanoma Drug Screening

High-throughput screening of existing drugs against relevant cell lines and organoids to identify potential therapeutic candidates for blue nevus melanoma.

Project Emerald - Blue Nevus Melanoma Vaccines

Generation of personalized cancer vaccines tailored to individual blue nevus melanoma patient tumor profiles.

Project Sapphire - Blue Nevus Melanoma Drug Discovery

Drug discovery for known blue nevus targets, specifically targeting GNA11/Q and BAP1 mutations found in blue nevus melanoma.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Research Partnership

These projects represent our commitment to advancing multiple therapeutic approaches simultaneously to maximize the chances of breakthrough blue nevus melanoma treatments.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Team

Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Board of Directors

Vern Norviel

President of the Board - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation

Vern has served the biotech community for the last 40+ years in various capacities including as an inventor, investor, founder, business and legal advisor, educator, and philanthropist.

Ariela Tannenbaum

Treasurer of the Board - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation

Ariela has spent 30+ years providing financial support to companies in the life sciences, legal services, and financial industries.

Maya Skubatch

Secretary of the Board - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation

Maya has worked in the life science legal space for 25+ years. She advocates vociferously for her clients and is passionate about improving wellness, health span, and therapeutic access to all.

Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Medical and Scientific Advisors

Joy Cavagnaro

President of Access BIO - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Advisor

Joy consults on development strategies and therapeutic safety for novel drug, biologics and device combinations. During her tenure at CBER/FDA she was appointed to the Senior Biomedical Research Service and served as FDA's safety topic lead and rapporteur for "ICH S6." She was the first to advocate the "case-by-case" science based approach to preclinical safety evaluation.

Dr. Cassian Yee

Professor, MD Anderson Cancer Center - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Advisor

Professor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Department of Immunology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where he is also Director of the Solid Tumor Cell Therapy Program. He is the founder of Mongoose Bio, a TCR-T cell therapy company using epigenetically programmed memory T cells targeting first-in-class immunogenic epitopes for common and rare cancers.

Dr. Boris Bastian

Distinguished Professor, UCSF - Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Advisor

Gerson and Barbara Bakar Distinguished Professor of Cancer Biology at UCSF. He is a faculty member of the Dermatopathology Division of the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology and oversees its molecular diagnostic laboratory. He also founded and directed the Clinical Cancer Genomics Laboratory at UCSF. His NIH-funded research laboratory focuses on the molecular genetics of cutaneous neoplasms, with a particular emphasis on the discovery of genetic alterations useful for diagnosis, classification, and therapy.

Join the Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Team

Would you like to join our Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation team? It takes a village to solve hard problems. All and any help is welcomed!

How You Can Help the Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation

For Blue Nevus Melanoma Patients

Join our Blue Nevus Melanoma Patient Registry to help advance research and connect with others

For Researchers

Partner with the Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation for collaborative research opportunities

For Donors

Support our Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation mission with tax-deductible contributions

Blue Nevus Melanoma Foundation Tax-Exempt Organization Details

  • EIN: 33-1267965
  • Effective Date: August 29, 2024
  • Status: Public Charity 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
  • Donations: Tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law