It is an ideal syngeneic melanoma model for intravital imaging and immunotherapy for the following reasons: the presence of the BRAFV600E mutation in B78 murine melanoma is reflective of ~50% of human malignant melanomas which have activating BRAF mutations; up to 20% of human melanoma are amelanotic or partially pigmented, and have poorer prognosis than pigmented tumors (35). The gene discussed is BRAF; the disease is melanoma.