Overview
Background
Associate Professor Mitchell Stark is a molecular biologist and Group Leader (Principal Research Fellow) from the Dermatology Research Centre (DRC) based at the Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland (UQ; Brisbane, Australia). He leads the pre-melanoma genomics program at the Frazer Institute and his group has extensive experience in the use of next-generation sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, bioinformatics, and functional analysis for a variety of applications. The Stark Lab’s major research streams include: miRNA biomarkers for melanoma progression and the development a Genomics Atlas of pre-skin cancer lesions, which aim to provide to greater understand melanoma progression from naevi and early invasive melanoma, with a goal to discover novel predictive biomarkers that offer increased precision to the clinical management of patients.
He has been engaged in melanoma and nevus research for 25+ years (with 9-years post PhD) and over this time he has been working towards understanding the aetiology of melanoma, studying gene dysregulation during tumor progression along with predisposition to melanoma in families with high risk for melanoma development. Dr Stark has a total of 97 career publications including 1 book chapter, 83 journal articles, 12 reviews/perspectives and 1 patent (WO/2016/029260) which have been cited a total of 7,053/10,208 times (Scopus/Google; h-index: 38/42) and has published in respected journals such as Nature, Nature Genetics, Cancer Research, and Journal of Investigative Dermatology. He has been awarded a career total of ~$10M as an Investigator (PI/co-PI/co-Investigator) including a prestigious NHMRC Peter Doherty Early Career Research Fellowship (2016-2019) and a recent NHMRC Investigator award (2025-2029), along with several research grants as Principal Investigator (e.g., Advance QLD Innovation Partnership, Department of Defence CDMRP – Melanoma Research Program).
Availability
- Associate Professor Mitchell Stark is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Applied Science, Queensland University of Technology
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
Research interests
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MicroRNA Biomarkers
Current projects relate to melanoma progression microRNA biomarkers to aid in increased diagnostic precision of “ambiguous” melanocytic lesions as well as “real-time” monitoring of melanoma disease progression using a “liquid biopsy.”
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Genomics Atlas of pre-skin cancer lesions
Current projects involve using overlapping genomics datasets (e.g. exome, mRNA and miRNA transcriptome, methylation) as well as Spatial Profiling to greater understand the early hallmarks of pre-skin cancer development.
Works
Search Professor Mitchell Stark’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Conference Publication
Whole-exome sequencing of acquired nevi identifies novel mechanisms for development and maintenance of benign neoplasms
Stark, Mitchell S., Tan, Jean-Marie, Tom, Lisa, Jagirdar, Kasturee, Lambie, Duncan, Schaider, Helmut, Soyer, H. Peter and Sturm, Richard A. (2018). Whole-exome sequencing of acquired nevi identifies novel mechanisms for development and maintenance of benign neoplasms. Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Chicago, Illinois, 14-18 April 2018. Philadelphia, PA, United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2018-5376
2017
Journal Article
Distinct histone modifications denote early stress-induced drug tolerance in cancer
Emran, Abdullah Al, Marzese, Diego M., Menon, Dinoop Ravindran, Stark, Mitchell S., Torrano, Joachim, Hammerlindl, Heinz, Zhang, Gao, Brafford, Patricia, Salomon, Matthew P., Nelson, Nellie, Hammerlindl, Sabrina, Gupta, Deepesh, Mills, Gordon B., Lu, Yiling, Sturm, Richard A., Flaherty, Keith, Hoon, Dave S. B., Gabrielli, Brian, Herlyn, Meenhard and Schaider, Helmut (2017). Distinct histone modifications denote early stress-induced drug tolerance in cancer. Oncotarget, 9 (9), 8206-8222. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23654
2017
Journal Article
Melanoma treatment guided by a panel of microRNA biomarkers
Stark, Mitchell S. (2017). Melanoma treatment guided by a panel of microRNA biomarkers. Melanoma Management, 4 (2), 71-74. doi: 10.2217/mmt-2017-0006
2017
Conference Publication
The prevalence of BRAF and NRAS in dermoscopic subtypes of acquired naevi
Tan, J-M., Tom, L., Jagirdar, K., Lambie, D., Sturm, R., Soyer, P. and Stark, M. (2017). The prevalence of BRAF and NRAS in dermoscopic subtypes of acquired naevi. Australasian College of Dermatologists 50th Annual Scientific Meeting, Darling Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, 6–9 May 2017. Richmond, VIC., Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/ajd.21_12652
2017
Book Chapter
Gene expression array analysis to identify candidate tumor suppressor genes in melanoma
Stark, Mitchell S. and Bonazzi, Vanessa F. (2017). Gene expression array analysis to identify candidate tumor suppressor genes in melanoma. Methods in Molecular Biology. (pp. 1-17) New York, NY, United States: Springer. doi: 10.1007/7651_2017_54
2016
Journal Article
The 'Melanoma-enriched' microRNA miR-4731-5p acts as a tumour suppressor
Stark, Mitchell S., Tom, Lisa N., Boyle, Glen M., Bonazzi, Vanessa F., Soyer, H. Peter, Herington, Adrian C., Pollock, Pamela M. and Hayward, Nicholas K. (2016). The 'Melanoma-enriched' microRNA miR-4731-5p acts as a tumour suppressor. Oncotarget, 7 (31), 49677-49687. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.10109
2016
Conference Publication
Identification of unique molecular signatures of differentially cycling tumour cell subpopulations in a 3D melanoma model
Ahmed, F., Tonnessen, C., Spoerri, L., Daignault, S., Stark, M., Schaider, H., Hill, M. and Haass, N. (2016). Identification of unique molecular signatures of differentially cycling tumour cell subpopulations in a 3D melanoma model. Asia-Pacific Combined Dermatology Research Conference 2016, Noosa, QLD Australia, 25–28 August 2016. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/ajd.12584
2016
Conference Publication
Can melanoma treatment be guided by a panel of predictive and prognostic microRNA biomarkers?
Stark, M., Gray, E., Ziman, M., Soyer, H. P. and Schaider, H. (2016). Can melanoma treatment be guided by a panel of predictive and prognostic microRNA biomarkers?. 16th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin , Vienna, Austria, 31 August - 3 September 2016. Philadelphia, PA United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2016
Conference Publication
Epigenetic remodelling of H3K9Me3 leads to early stress induced drug tolerance in cancer
Emran, A. A., Menon, D. R., Marzese, D., Hammerlindl, H., Brafford, P., Stark, M., Huang, S., Hammerlindl, S., Gupta, D., Soyer, P., Sturm, R., Hoon, D., Gabrielli, B., Herlyn, M. and Schaider, H. (2016). Epigenetic remodelling of H3K9Me3 leads to early stress induced drug tolerance in cancer. Asia‐Pacific Combined Dermatology Research Conference 2016, Noosa, QLD Australia, 25–28 August 2016. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.
2015
Journal Article
miR-514a regulates the tumour suppressor NF1 and modulates BRAFi sensitivity in melanoma
Stark, Mitchell S., Bonazzi, Vanessa F., Boyle, Glen M., Palmer, Jane M., Symmons, Judith, Lanagan, Catherine M., Schmidt, Christopher W., Herington, Adrian C., Ballotti, Robert, Pollock, Pamela M. and Hayward, Nicholas K. (2015). miR-514a regulates the tumour suppressor NF1 and modulates BRAFi sensitivity in melanoma. Oncotarget, 6 (19), 17753-17763. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.3924
2015
Journal Article
MicroRNA and mRNA expression profiling in metastatic melanoma reveal associations with BRAF mutation and patient prognosis
Tembe, Varsha, Schramm, Sarah-Jane, Stark, Mitchell, Patrick, Ellis, Jayaswal, Vivek, Tang, Yue Hang, Barbour, Andrew, Hayward, Nicholas K., Thompson, John F., Scolyer, Richard A., Yang, Yee Hwa and Mann, Graham J. (2015). MicroRNA and mRNA expression profiling in metastatic melanoma reveal associations with BRAF mutation and patient prognosis. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 28 (3), 254-266. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12343
2015
Journal Article
The Prognostic and Predictive Value of Melanoma-related MicroRNAs Using Tissue and Serum: A MicroRNA Expression Analysis
Stark, Mitchell S., Klein, Kerenaftali, Weide, Benjamin, Haydu, Lauren E., Pflugfelder, Annette, Tang, Yue Hang, Palmer, Jane M., Whiteman, David C., Scolyer, Richard A., Mann, Graham J., Thompson, John F., Long, Georgina V., Barbour, Andrew P., Soyer, H. Peter, Garbe, Claus, Herington, Adrian, Pollock, Pamela M. and Hayward, Nicholas K. (2015). The Prognostic and Predictive Value of Melanoma-related MicroRNAs Using Tissue and Serum: A MicroRNA Expression Analysis. EBioMedicine, 2 (7), 671-680. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.05.011
2015
Journal Article
Nonsense mutations in the shelterin complex genes ACD and TERF2IP in familial melanoma
Aoude, Lauren G., Pritchard, Antonia L., Robles-Espinoza, Carla Daniela, Wadt, Karin, Harland, Mark, Choi, Jiyeon, Gartside, Michael, Quesada, Victor, Johansson, Peter, Palmer, Jane M., Ramsay, Andrew J., Zhang, Xijun, Jones, Kristine, Symmons, Judith, Holland, Elizabeth A., Schmid, Helen, Bonazzi, Vanessa, Woods, Susan, Dutton-Regester, Ken, Stark, Mitchell S., Snowden, Helen, van Doom, Remco, Montgomery, Grant W., Martin, Nicholas G., Keane, Thomas M., Lopez-Otin, Carlos, Gerdes, Anne-Marie, Olsson, Hakan, Ingvar, Christian ... Hayward, Nicholas K. (2015). Nonsense mutations in the shelterin complex genes ACD and TERF2IP in familial melanoma. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 107 (2) dju408, 1-7. doi: 10.1093/jnci/dju408
2014
Journal Article
miRNAs: back seat drivers no more
Stark, Mitchell S. (2014). miRNAs: back seat drivers no more. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, 27 (4), 510-511. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12247
2014
Journal Article
POT1 loss-of-function variants predispose to familial melanoma
Robles-Espinoza, Carla Daniela, Harland, Mark, Ramsay, Andrew J, Aoude, Lauren G, Quesada, Víctor, Ding, Zhihao, Pooley, Karen A, Pritchard, Antonia L, Tiffen, Jessamy C, Petljak, Mia, Palmer, Jane M, Symmons, Judith, Johansson, Peter, Stark, Mitchell S., Gartside, Michael G, Snowden, Helen, Montgomery, Grant W, Martin, Nicholas G, Liu, Jimmy Z, Choi, Jiyeon, Makowski, Matthew, Brown, Kevin M, Dunning, Alison M, Keane, Thomas M, Lopez-Otin, Carlos, Gruis, Nelleke A, Hayward, Nicholas K, Bishop, D Timothy, Newton-Bishop, Julia A and Adams, David J (2014). POT1 loss-of-function variants predispose to familial melanoma. Nature Genetics, 46 (5), 478-481. doi: 10.1038/ng.2947
2013
Journal Article
Melanomas of unknown primary have a mutation profile consistent with cutaneous sun-exposed melanoma
Dutton-Regester, K., Kakavand, H., Aoude, L.G., Stark, M.S., Gartside, M.G., Johansson, P., O'Connor, L., Lanagan, C., Tembe, V., Pupo, G.M., Haydu, L.E., Schmidt, C.W., Mann, G.J., Thompson, J.F., Scolyer, R.A. and Hayward, N.K. (2013). Melanomas of unknown primary have a mutation profile consistent with cutaneous sun-exposed melanoma. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 26 (6), 852-860. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12153
2013
Journal Article
Smchd1 regulates a subset of autosomal genes subject to monoallelic expression in addition to being critical for X inactivation
Mould, Arne W., Pang, Zhenyi, Pakusch, Miha, Tonks, Ian D., Stark, Mitchell, Carrie, Dianne, Mukhopadhyay, Pamela, Seidel, Annica, Ellis, Jonathan J., Deakin, Janine, Wakefield, Matthew J., Krause, Lutz, Blewitt, Marnie E. and Kay, Graham F. (2013). Smchd1 regulates a subset of autosomal genes subject to monoallelic expression in addition to being critical for X inactivation. Epigenetics and Chromatin, 6 (19) 19, 1-16. doi: 10.1186/1756-8935-6-19
2013
Journal Article
Defective decatenation checkpoint function is a common feature of melanoma
Brooks, Kelly, Chia, Kee Ming, Spoerri, Loredana, Mukhopadhyay, Pamela, Wigan, Matthew, Stark, Mitchell, Pavey, Sandra and Gabrielli, Brian (2013). Defective decatenation checkpoint function is a common feature of melanoma. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 134 (1), 150-158. doi: 10.1038/jid.2013.264
2013
Conference Publication
Distinct profiles for lung cancer and its major subtypes
Wright, C. M., Francis, S. M. Savarimuthu, Sriram, K. B., Stark, M. S., Hayward, N. K., Yang, I. A., Bowman, R. V. and Fong, K. M. (2013). Distinct profiles for lung cancer and its major subtypes. Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand and the Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science 2013 Annual Scientific Meetings, Darwin, NT, Australia, 22-27 March 2013. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/resp.12045
2012
Journal Article
Identification of TFG (TRK-fused gene) as a putative metastatic melanoma tumor suppressor gene
Dutton-Regester, Ken, Aoude, Lauren G., Nancarrow, Derek J., Stark, Mitchell S., O'Connor, Linda, Lanagan, Cathy, Pupo, Gulietta M., Tembe, Varsha, Carter, Candace D., O'Rourke, Michael, Scolyer, Richard A., Mann, Graham J., Schmidt, Christopher W., Herington, Adrian and Hayward, Nicholas K. (2012). Identification of TFG (TRK-fused gene) as a putative metastatic melanoma tumor suppressor gene. Genes Chromosomes and Cancer, 51 (5), 452-461. doi: 10.1002/gcc.21932
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Mitchell Stark is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Novel genomic predictors of survival in thin and thick melanomas
Australian domestic student applicants only.
The Stark Lab is seeking talented and highly motivated PhD student(s) to join their team at The Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Frazer Institute.
Project summary: Early-stage melanoma at high risk of recurrence explains the majority of melanoma deaths. The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM) has increased rapidly over the past few decades. Although the large majority (>80%) of melanomas are diagnosed and surgically treated at an early stage when limited to the skin, an estimated 13.4% of patients will experience recurrence within 2 years and ultimately represent the majority of deaths from melanoma. Recent progress in adjuvant and neo-adjuvant therapy of cutaneous melanoma brings new hope that patients at high risk of recurrence can be effectively treated prophylactically to avoid the further spread of the disease and mortality. Thus, the most viable strategy for improving melanoma survival is to identify the few patients at high risk of recurrence amongst the many patients who will survive long-term after their melanoma is excised. This proposal will provide, for the first time, the means to identify high-risk patients among those with early-stage disease. This has the potential to improve melanoma survival rates by identifying patients who will most benefit from earlier intervention to adjuvant immunotherapy.
The candiadte will have access a collection of thin and thick melanoma tissues with matching clinical information, and will involve genomic analysis of panel sequencing data to validate existing biomarkers.
If you are interested to hear more about the projects, please send your current CV, Academic Transcript, and Cover Letter to m.stark@uq.edu.au
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The genomic architecture of suspicious lesions and skin in photodamaged and non-photodamaged areas (PhotoMelanoma)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Professor Peter Soyer
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Doctor Philosophy
Precision diagnostics for early melanoma detection
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Professor Peter Soyer, Dr Snehlata Kumari
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Doctor Philosophy
Spatial molecular profiling of melanoma and correlation with dermoscopic patterns
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer
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Doctor Philosophy
Predictive and prognostic biomarkers for melanoma progression (BioMEL)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani
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Doctor Philosophy
Harnessing Epigenetic Plasticity to Develop Effective Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Recurrent Melanoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jason Lee
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Doctor Philosophy
Nanotechnology-Enhanced Sensing Platforms for Early Detection of Cancer Progression
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Trau, Associate Professor Alain Wuethrich
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Doctor Philosophy
Deep learning analysis of spatial-omics and histopathological images to predict prognosis in gastrointestinal cancer
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen
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Doctor Philosophy
A nano-map of cytokines in skin: Personalising treatment of skin inflammation by a digital nanotechnology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Trau, Associate Professor Alain Wuethrich
Completed supervision
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2020
Master Philosophy
Identification of clinically useful plasma miRNA as minimally invasive biomarkers for early stage Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer, Honorary Professor Li Li
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2018
Master Philosophy
Dermoscopic and molecular correlation of melanocytic naevi
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Mitchell Stark directly for media enquiries about:
- Cancer Biomarker
- Early melanoma detection
- Genomics
- Melanoma
- microRNA
- Naevi
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