Research

Dr. Daniel Shapiro received the 2026 Kidney Cancer Association/Rising Tide Foundation Clinical Cancer Research Award for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer. Dr. Shapiro's research will focus on "Integrated Biomarker and Tumor Microenvironment Profiling to Improve Prognostication in Localized RCC", which could help individualize kidney cancer treatment after surgery. Dr. Shapiro is an Associate Professor of Urologic Oncology at…

Dr. Brian Crompton received the 2026 Trailblazer Pediatric Renal Tumor Collaborative Impact Award given in partnership with the Kidney Cancer Association, Elevate Childhood Cancer Research and Advocacy, Wipe Out Wilms, and Joey's Wings Foundation. Dr. Crompton's research to "Detect, Diagnose, and Risk-Stratify by Liquid Biopsy in Pediatric Renal Tumors" proposed developing blood test to determine if cancer is present and…

Dr. Yujin Chun received the 2026 KCA Chromophobe Focus Award in partnership with the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance for "ELOVL4-Driven Very Long-Chain Fatty Acid Metabolism as a Novel Vulnerability in ChRCC" to show whether blocking production of cell-building fats can interfere with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) cell growth. Dr. Chun is a postdoctoral fellow at UC Irvine. We…

Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab received the 2026 KCA Chromophobe Focus Award in partnership with the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance for research to "Validate and Target a Novel Cell Surface Antigen for Treating Chromophobe Kidney Cancer". Dr. Abdel-Wahab is Chair of SKI Molecular Pharmacology Program and an Attending Physician on the Leukemia Service in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan…

Dr. Syed Muneeb Alam received the 2026 KCA Interdisciplinary Medicine Focus Award given in partnership with the Michael and Ina Korek Foundation. Dr. Alam's research investigates the "Impact of Obesity and the GLP-1 Axis on Anti-Tumor Immunity in RCC". Dr. Alam is an Assistant Professor of Urology at the Yale School of Medicine. We spoke with him about his research…

Dr. Wenxin (Vincent) Xu received the KCA's 2026 Dr. Anthony Marzoni Papillary RCC Focus Award supported by Joy and Zack Pearlman. Dr. Xu's will research "KIM-1 as a Circulating Biomarker in Papillary RCC and Translocation RCC". Dr. Xu is a genitourinary medical oncologist and clinical translational investigator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. We spoke with him about…

The Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) and the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) are proud to announce the awardee of the joint call for proposals for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer. Early detection is one of the greatest areas of unmet need in kidney cancer. As one of the leading cancers globally, over 400,000 new cases…

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) awarded eight grants totaling nearly half a million dollars to researchers pursuing innovative approaches to understanding, detecting, and treating kidney cancer.   The awards reflect the KCA’s commitment to advancing discoveries that can lead to better outcomes for people impacted by kidney cancer. They also highlight the power of collaboration among patient advocacy organizations, philanthropic foundations,…

An $8.4 billion "Immunology Medical Research & Cures Initiative" in California that would boost cutting-edge immunology research to prevent and cure cancer and other debilitating diseases has officially qualified for the state's November 2026 ballot, giving voters the chance to advance life-saving research for patients and families. Gretchen E. Vaughan The Kidney Cancer Association signed on in support of this…

We rounded up a key research highlights from the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, held recently in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Ritesh Kotecha, Dr. Salvatore La Rosa, Maggie Valdes, Gabriela Galvan. Dr. Salvatore La Rosa, Dr. Dan George. Gabriela Galvan, Radha Chitale, Dr. Arpita Desai. The KCA team attends the 2026 ASCO meeting. Novel Compounds and Treatment Strategies Panitumumab could improve…