MelaTools is a research programme that aims to optimise early diagnosis of melanoma and other skin cancers in primary care in the UK. The programme includes a number of studies that aim to improve timely diagnosis of skin cancers through optimisation of GP and patient assessment of pigmented skin lesions (‘skin lesion’ is a medical term for a patch, spot, lump or any other abnormality on otherwise normal skin).
MelaTools was initially funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) as part of Professor Fiona Walter’s Clinician Scientist award. More recently, Cancer Research UK have contributed by funding a doctoral training fellowship for Dr Owain Jones. We also value support from Melanoma Focus, the national charity set up to concentrate efforts in the fight against melanoma.
Our research is conducted by a group of multi-disciplinary researchers at the University of Cambridge’s Primary Care Unit and Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with specialists with expertise in dermatology, plastic surgery and oncology. We also work closely with Professor Jon Emery and his group of primary care cancer researchers at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
