In this video, Dr. Bruno Lopes-Bastos explains his research, led by the Miguel FERREIRA group at the Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN), and published in Cell Reports (2024), titled « The absence of telomerase leads to immune response and tumor regression in zebrafish melanoma. »

The study uncovers critical insights into melanoma progression in zebrafish without telomerase activity:

• Melanoma initiation and early growth occur independently of telomerase.
• Telomerase reactivation is essential for sustained tumor growth at advanced stages.
• Tumors lacking telomerase regress due to genomic instability and a robust immune response.
• Despite eventual regression, telomerase-negative melanomas remain aggressive and lethal. Read the full publication in Cell Reports.