Despite only accounting for about 1 percent of skin cancers, melanoma causes the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. While treatments for this serious disease do exist, these drugs can vary in effectiveness depending on the individual. A study by Professor Marc Montminy and Staff Scientist Jelena Ostojić reveals new insights about a protein called CRTC3, a genetic switch that could potentially be targeted to develop new treatments for melanoma by keeping the switch turned off.
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Connecting the dots—From the immune system to the brain and back againBy collaborating across disciplines like genetics, neuroscience, and immunology, Salk scientists are uniquely positioned to lead us into a future of healthier aging and effective therapeutics for Alzheimer’s.
Salk mourns the loss of Joanne ChorySalk Professor Joanne Chory, one of the world’s preeminent plant biologists who led the charge to mitigate climate change with plant-based solutions, died on November 12, 2024, at the age of 69 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. 
Talmo Pereira—From video game bots to leading-edge AI toolsTalmo Pereira is a Salk Fellow, a unique role that empowers scientists to move straight from graduate school to leading their own research groups without postdoctoral training.
Kay Watt—From Peace Corps to plant scienceAt the heart of the Harnessing Plants Initiative is Program Manager Kay Watt who tackles all of the strategy, site operations, budgeting, reporting, communication, and outreach that keep the whole program on track. 
Pau Esparza-Moltó—Seeing mitochondria as more than just a powerhousePau Esparza-Moltó, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Gerald Shadel’s lab, finds comfort in the similarities between his hometown in Spain and San Diego, where he now studies cell-powering mitochondria.
Salk summer programs bring equity and opportunity to the STEM career pipelineThe Salk Institute recently hosted two inaugural events designed to enhance diversity within the scientific community: the Rising Stars Symposium and the Diverse Inclusive Scientific Community Offering a Vision for an Ecosystem Reimagined (DISCOVER) Symposium.
