The Melanoma Research Alliance Names Dr. Marc Hurlbert as Chief Executive Officer

The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research, today announced that its Board of Directors appointed Marc Hurlbert, PhD, as its new Chief Executive Officer. 

A pharmacologist by training, Dr. Hurlbert is a visionary leader who brings more than 20 years of experience advancing medical research and public health. He has led medical and scientific research programs in the areas of prevention and treatment strategies for breast cancer, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, as well as juvenile diabetes. In addition, Dr. Hurlbert has led the expansion of public health programs to enable low-income, uninsured and underserved patient populations diagnosed with cancer to have access to treatments and care in the U.S. and developing countries around the world. 

“Marc is a bold, passionate and strategic leader and has the experience and vision needed to move MRA’s ambitious scientific agenda,” says MRA co-founder and Board Chair Debra Black. “MRA and the entire melanoma community are fortunate to have Dr. Hurlbert in this new role, with his exceptional background and proven record of forging alliances, honoring the patient voice and advancing cures. 

Previous to his appointment as CEO, Dr. Hurlbert served as MRA’s Chief Scientific Officer where he was responsible for guiding MRA’s scientific strategy including its innovative grantmaking program and establishing collaborative scientific alliances. Under his leadership, MRA dramatically expanded investment in and focus on rare melanoma subtypes, brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease and broadened support for prevention and early detection of melanoma through novel technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. 

“MRA has become a world leader in advancing transformational science and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this organization to new heights as CEO,” says Dr. Hurlbert. “This is an exciting time for the melanoma community, and I am honored to work alongside the entire MRA team and our many partners in our shared mission to accelerate research so we have new ways to prevent, diagnose, treat and, ultimately cure melanoma.”

Dr. Hurlbert has served as the chairman of the board of the International Cancer Research Partnership, the Health Research Alliance and the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance. He also has served as chairman of the Cancer Committee Advisory Board for New York Presbyterian Hospital.