About us

The Leachman-Cassidy Lab is a transdisciplinary and translational research team designed to improve melanoma health outcomes with a focus on melanoma prevention and early detection before metastasis can occur. Their goal is to eliminate as many melanoma-related deaths as possible utilizing a full-spectrum approach; from bench-side basic science, to bed-side treatment and care, to wide-scale public health outreach. 

Dr. Cassidy leads the Lab's translational and basic science efforts, incorporating molecular, cellular and human genetics studies to understand and develop prevention agents for the highest risk individuals. Together they have a long standing program in collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Berry, to understand and identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to melanoma, for the purpose of improved screening and detection and chemoprevention.

Dr. Leachman leads the clinical science and population health efforts through her nationwide War on Melanoma^TM  effort. This includes the creation of the largest melanoma registry in the country, as well as other key efforts such as the MoleMapper^TM mole tracking phone app, melanoma education efforts for several key audiences, and the public health campaign Start Seeing Melanoma^TM. She is also an advocate for innovative technologies for melanoma screening and diagnosis.

Meet Dr. Leachman

Dr. Leachman is Professor and Chair of Dermatology at OHSU and Director of the Melanoma Program at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute. The inaugural recipient of the John D. Gray Endowed Chair in Melanoma Research and Chair of the Southwest Oncology Group Melanoma Prevention Working Group, she is a dermatologist using basic science research and state-of-the-art technology to combat skin cancer.

Dr. Leachman’s research interest is in the prevention, early detection and chemoprevention of melanoma, particularly in genetically predisposed melanoma families. One arm of her research program examines the role of genetic predisposition and differential gene expression in the development of melanoma, with an emphasis on familial melanoma and other cutaneous cancer syndromes. Through collaborations with Dr. Cassidy, she seeks to develop agents that will serve as diagnostic tools, prognostic indicators or targeted agents for the prevention of melanoma.

Leachman is passionate about fighting the “War on Melanoma” and has led the effort in building one of the largest national melanoma patient registries. In line with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s focus on the early detection of cancer, Leachman and team have developed a mobile phone app, MoleMapper, and have launched a host of efforts designed to eliminate future melanoma deaths in Oregon and beyond, including the public health campaign Start Seeing Melanoma.