Miguel Burnier, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults. Metastatic liver disease is the overwhelming cause of death in uveal melanoma patients, with almost 50% of patients developing liver metastases up to 15 years after diagnosis. Currently, there are no therapeutic modalities to prevent or efficiently treat metastatic disease in these patients. Recent discoveries in our laboratory and others have shed light onto the molecular pathways that may contribute to the progression of liver metastasis. The aim of our research is to provide new insights into the genetic and molecular pathways that may play a role in the development of liver metastases from uveal melanoma. Using a 3-axis approach to translational research, (1. isolated uveal melanoma cells, 2. a rabbit animal model of uveal melanoma and metastatic disease, and 3. an extensive human specimen bank) our laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms underlying uveal melanoma as well as the clinical implications of our findings.