The University of Florence is successfully participating in HORIZON‑MSCA‑2025‑DN‑01 with the project SPACE‑MEL – “SPAtial single‑CEll omics research training for MELanoma precision medicine”, achieving a Total Score of 99.40% (threshold 70/100). The 48-month project will be coordinated at our University by Prof. Daniela Massi, Full Professor of Pathology, who will supervise the PhD student recruited within the PhD Program in Translational Research in Health Protection Sciences, Department of Health Sciences.
SPACE‑MEL aims to fully leverage the potential of spatial single‑cell omics approaches to advance precision medicine in melanoma, a disease in which Prof. Massi has established scientific and clinical leadership for many years. The project aims to: 1) transition from 2D to 3D analysis of the tumor microenvironment, 2) integrate multi-omics technologies on a single sample to enhance diagnostic accuracy, and 3) develop specialized expertise to interpret the large, complex datasets generated by these technologies.
The international network infrastructure provides for the training of 15 doctoral candidates (Doctoral Candidates) in disciplines ranging from spatial imaging and molecular biology to computational biology, pathology, and biomarker discovery, with a strong emphasis on clinical translation. The project also involves leading technology companies and collaboration with the EORTC Melanoma Group network to ensure that innovations in the field of spatial biology are ready for clinical application.
The participation of the PhD candidate within the PhD Program in Translational Research in Health Protection Sciences represents a further step forward in strengthening the role of the University of Florence as a center of excellence in melanoma research and in defining new prognostic and predictive tools based on advanced spatial analysis.