Stratifying metastatic risk in SF3B1 mutant Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare but aggressive malignancy in which metastatic risk is strongly influenced by underlying molecular alterations. Heterogeneous mutations in SF3B1 are generally associated with an intermediate-risk phenotype and late-onset metastasis. Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) has also been identified as an independent prognostic biomarker. This project aims to investigate whether PRAME refines prognostic stratification in SF3B1-mutant primary uveal melanoma and whether specific SF3B1 mutation types are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The student will work with fixed tumour samples of defined PRAME status from an ocular oncology biobank. They will extract DNA from tumour tissue, optimise and perform PCR to amplify key regions of the SF3B1 gene, prepare samples for sequencing, and then alongside existing clinical and pathological data assess survival. Additional exploratory analyses will examine associations with tumour microenvironment features, including tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumour-associated macrophages. Through this project, the student will gain hands-on experience in molecular pathology, PCR-based mutation analysis, sequencing workflows, and translational data analysis within a clinically relevant cancer research setting. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York on 08th September 2026.