We define research as systematic investigation designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge.

How Does the Kidney Cancer Association Promote Research?
We encourage both private and public sector institutions to do more research on kidney cancer. We help researchers in academic medical centers, government, and industry with money and information. We are a catalyst for new ideas. For example, we provide financial grants for basic research into the biology of kidney cancer. Members of the Association work to raise funds. These competitive awards are made from a pool of funds named in honor of the Association's late founder, Eugene P. Schonfeld, Ph.D.

The Kidney Cancer Association funds early-career cancer researchers by supporting The ASCO Cancer Foundation Grants Program.  The ASCO Cancer Foundation® harnesses the knowledge of ASCO’s more than 27,000 oncologists and healthcare providers to improve the treatment and survivorship of people living with cancer.  Their funding of breakthrough research and education gives patients and caregivers powerful resources to address the disease.   The Kidney Cancer Association supports young oncologists interested in kidney cancer research through The ASCO Cancer Foundation’s Young Investigator Award (YIA).  The YIA grant provides funding to promising physician-scientists to encourage and promote quality oncology research during the transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment. For more information or to apply for the YIA or other grants from The ASCO Cancer Foundation, please visit: http://www.ascocancerfoundation.org/TACF/Grants/Grant+Opportunities.

We are represented in the membership of  The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), The Biomarkers Consortium, Kidney Cancer SPORE, American Urological Association Kidney Health Council, and many more research, education, and advocacy collaborations, including our participation in the Cancer Leadership Council.

Following are examples (the complete list of projects is too long to list here) of Young Investigator Awards and research grants made through your generous contributions to the Eugene P. Schonfeld Fund:

Dana Farber / Harvard Cancer Center Kidney Cancer SPORE Developmental Projects Program
PI: Sabina Signoretti, MD | Co-Investigators: Hans-Olov Adami, MD, PhD & Toni Choueiri, MD
"Clinical, Histological, and Molecular Determinants of Bilateral Renal Cell Cancer"

Andrew C. Novick, MD Young Investigator - AUA Foundation Award
Brian Chapin, MD
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
"The Endothelial Cell As The Mediator of Angiogenic Escape in Renal Cell Carcinoma"

Young Investigator - ASCO Cancer Foundation Award
Stephen Keefe, MD
University of Pennsylvania
"Predicting Response to Antiangiogenic Therapies in Renal Cell Carcinoma"

AUA Foundation Award
David Miller, MD, MPH
UCLA Department of Urology
“Unwarranted Variation in Surgical Treatment of Patients with Early-Stage Kidney Cancer”

ASCO Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award
Henk Verheul, MD, PhD
Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
"Combination Antiangiogenesis and Anticoagulatory Therapy in Patients with Advanced Renal Cancer"

ASCO Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award
Patricia Tang, MD  
Princess Margaret Hospital (Toronto)
"The Role of VEGF-A Signalling in Maintenance of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier and Blood Pressure"

P. H.M. de Mulder, MD, Young Investigator - AUA Foundation Award
Brian Lane, MD, PhD
Cleveland Clinic Urological Institute
"Molecular Prediction of Kidney Cancer Recurrence after Nephrectomy"

P. H.M. de Mulder, MD, Young Investigator - AUA Foundation Award
Stephen Culp, MD, PhD
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
"Action and Resistance of Targeted Therapy in Non-Clear Cell RCC"

P. H.M. de Mulder, MD, Young Investigator - ASCO Cancer Foundation Award
Kevin Copurtney, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
"Idenfication of Activators of Phosphoinositide 3-kinase Signaling in Renal Cell Carcinoma as Potential Therapeutic Targets"

P. H.M. de Mulder, MD, Young Investigator - ASCO Cancer Foundation Award
Aymen Elfiky, MD, MA
Yale University
"Targeting Phosphoinositide 3-kinase in Renal Cell Cancer"

Eugene P. Schonfeld Medical Research Award
Joel W. Slaton, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Urologic Surgery
University of Minnesota
"The Effect of Organ Site on Expression of Progression-Related Genes and Response to Low-Dose Interferon-alpha (IFN-Alpha) Therapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma"

Eugene P. Schonfeld Medical Research Award
James D. Brooks, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Urology
Stanford University Medical Center
"Gene Expression Profiling of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A New Cancer Taxonomy"

David A. Stulberg Career Investigator Award
Jared A. Gollob, MD
Associate Director of Biologic Therapy Program
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
"The Effect of Combination Therapy With IL-12 Plus IL-2 on Immune Activation and Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Renal Cell Cancer"

Senior Career Investigator Award
James H. Finke, PhD
Department of Immunology
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
"Altered T Cell Signaling in Renal Cell Carcinoma"

The Novick research awards are made in memory of our colleague, the late Andrew C. Novick, MD, Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, who died in 2008 from complications of lymphoma.

The de Mulder research awards are made possible, in part, by a generous contribution to our research endowment from Bayer Shering Pharma in memory of our colleague, P. H.M. de Mulder, MD, who died in 2007 from kidney cancer.