Kidney Cancer Association Mentorship Academy

The Kidney Cancer Association Mentorship Academy is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders in kidney cancer research and patient care. The program supports early-career, patient-facing clinicians and scientists who are committed to advancing the fight against kidney cancer. By investing in these emerging investigators and pairing them with experienced mentors, the KCA Mentorship Academy strengthens the future of kidney cancer research, clinical trials, and multidisciplinary care. The Academy is designed to build scientific excellence while fostering a collaborative, patient-centered community.

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“The KCA Mentorship Academy program has been transformative for me as an early-career investigator. It has been extremely valuable to develop a network of RCC research experts and establish collaborations for future work.”
– Dr. Allison May, University of Virginia, 2024 KCA Mentorship Academy

Mentors

Mentees

Tannir Scholars

Awards

A Year-Long Mentorship Experience

A Year-Long Mentorship Experience

KCAMA is a competitive, year-long program that provides participants with personalized mentorship, tailored learning opportunities, and interactive educational experiences focused on kidney cancer and clinical trial development. The program is designed to complement existing mentorship initiatives by focusing specifically on patient-facing clinicians and trialists.

Through engagement with established leaders in the field, national clinical trial organizations, and industry experts, participants deepen their understanding of trial design, translational research, and leadership pathways. KCAMA also connects mentees with other kidney cancer training and mentorship programs across disciplines, supporting integration from basic science through clinical trials.

Building the Next Generation of Kidney Cancer Leaders

KCAMA aims to shape the next generation of clinicians, trialists, and leaders in kidney cancer by creating meaningful connections and providing structured, high-impact mentorship. Participants build lasting relationships with senior investigators, peer collaborators, and the broader kidney cancer research community.

A defining feature of the Academy is its emphasis on engagement, collaboration, and long-term impact. KCAMA alumni have gone on to lead investigator-initiated clinical trials, contribute to national research efforts, and take on leadership roles within academic medicine. Through mentorship, education, and community building, KCAMA helps ensure continued progress for patients today and in the future.

“I wished I had a program like this as a junior faculty. The guidance and support the mentors are able to give the mentees will likely have a transformative effect on their careers.”

Dr. Eric Jonasch, MD
MD Anderson Cancer Center
KCA Mentorship Academy Mentor

Career Stage: Senior Fellows transitioning to faculty roles, Clinical Instructors, or up to Assistant Professors.
Academic Qualifications: Must possess a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, MD, DO, or equivalent) and have completed relevant clinical training or a clinical fellowship.
Professional Experience: Demonstrated commitment to an academic career in clinical research, with evidence of involvement in scholarly activities.
Institutional Affiliation: Must be employed or affiliated with an academic institution or research organization.

Meet the Mentors

KCAMA Program Co-Chairs:

Sumanta K. Pal, MD, FASCO	City of Hope
Brian M. Shuch, MD	UCLA
Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, MS, FACS, FASCO	The Ohio State University
Tian Zhang, MD, MHS	UT Southwestern Medical Center

KCAMA Mentors:

James Brugarolas, MD, PhD	UT Southwestern Medical Center
Ron M. Bukowski, MD	Cleveland Clinic
Dan J. George, MD	Duke University
Raquibul Hannan, MD, PhD	UT Southwestern Medical Center
Eric A. Jonasch, MD	MD Anderson Cancer Center
Jose A. Karam, MD, FACS	MD Anderson Cancer Center
Brad C. Leibovich, MD, FACS	Mayo Clinic
Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD	MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sumanta K. Pal, MD, FASCO	City of Hope
Brian I. Rini, MD, FASCO	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Brian M. Shuch, MD	UCLA
Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, MS, FACS, FASCO	The Ohio State University
Walt M. Stadler, MD	City of Hope
Nizar M. Tannir, MD, FACP	MD Anderson Cancer Center
Chad Tang, MD	MD Anderson Cancer Center
Tian Zhang, MD, MHS	UT Southwestern Medical Center

Meet the Mentees

Dr. Kelly Fitzgerald, MD

University of California, San Francisco
Mentors: Monty Pal & Tian Zhang

Dr. Syed Muneeb Alam, MD

Yale School of Medicine
Mentors: Brian Shuch & Eric Jonasch

Dr. Sahil Doshi, MD

Memorial Sloan Kettering Center

Mentors: Brian Rini & Eric Singer

Dr. Adam Singer, MD, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles
Mentors: Tian Zhang & Walter Stadler

Dr. Allison May, MD

University of Virgina

Mentors: Jose Karam & Brian Shuch

Dr. Minas Economides, MD

New York University

Mentors: Sumanta Pal & Brian Rini

Dr. Nazli Dizman, MD

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mentors: Dan George & Tian Zhang

Dr. Wesley Yip, MD

City of Hope

Mentors: Brian Rini & Chad Tand

Dr. Nizar Tannir Rare Kidney Cancer Scholar Program

The Dr. Nizar Tannir Rare Kidney Cancer Scholar Program, funded by the Dr. Nizar Tannir Endowment, honors Dr. Tannir’s extraordinary legacy in kidney cancer research, mentorship, and patient advocacy. This elite program is dedicated to advancing care and research for patients with rare kidney cancers, including renal medullary carcinoma (RMC), papillary RCC (pRCC), chromophobe RCC (chRCC), FH-deficient (HLRCC), and other uncommon subtypes.

Designed in tandem with the Kidney Cancer Association Mentorship Academy, the program focuses on developing future leaders who are deeply committed to patient-facing care and rare kidney cancer research—areas where expertise, collaboration, and mentorship are especially critical.

A Two-Year, Focused Training Experience

The Dr. Nizar Tannir Rare Kidney Cancer Scholar Program is a standalone, two-year training program that selects one clinician every two years. This focused structure allows the selected scholar to engage deeply in rare kidney cancer research, clinical trial development, and patient advocacy. The program is open to both U.S. and international applicants.

Throughout the two-year program, the scholar participates in tailored educational and interactive experiences centered on rare kidney cancer biology, treatment strategies, and clinical trial design. Through close mentorship and sustained engagement with leaders in the field, the scholar gains the skills, knowledge, and professional relationships needed to build an independent career dedicated to rare kidney cancers.

Building Future Leaders in Rare Kidney Cancer

The program aims to shape the next generation of clinicians, trialists, and leaders in rare kidney cancer by creating meaningful connections and providing immersive mentorship. It complements existing mentorship efforts by focusing specifically on patient-facing clinicians and trialists working in rare diseases.

Scholars are connected with established leaders in rare kidney cancer, investigators involved in national and international clinical trial organizations, and industry partners engaged in advancing treatments for uncommon cancers. By integrating mentorship, education, and community, the program supports cross-disciplinary collaboration from basic science through clinical trials.

The two-year journey culminates in the graduation of the participant as the Dr. Nizar Tannir Rare Kidney Cancer Scholar, prepared to lead research efforts, advocate for patients, and advance progress in some of the most challenging and underserved areas of kidney cancer.

Dr. Nizar M. Tannir, MD, FACP of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center receiving an award from Gretchen E. Vaughan, President & CEO of the Kidney Cancer Association at IKCSNA25 in Denver, Colorado.

Career Stage: Open to trainees/fellows or junior faculty within three years of completing their fellowship. Applicants from both the United States and Europe are eligible.
Academic Qualifications: Open to clinical fellows and laboratory-based postdoctoral research fellows interested in translational scientific research, including fields such as molecular biology, immunology, bioinformatics, molecular and clinical epidemiology, etc.
Professional Experience: Must be affiliated with an academic or research institution that supports kidney cancer research.
Institutional Affiliation: Willingness to actively participate in all program components over the two-year period.

Meet the Mentees

KCA Mentorship Academy Mentorship Excellence Award

Dr. Nizar M. Tannir received the first KCA Mentorship Academy Mentorship Excellence Award, presented at the 2025 International Kidney Cancer Symposium: North America. The award recognized his decades-long commitment to advancing kidney cancer research and, more importantly, his extraordinary dedication to mentoring early-career investigators. Dr. Tannir serves as a mentor for both the Dr. Nizar Tannir Rare Kidney Cancer Scholar Program, established through an endowment to the KCA, and the KCA Mentorship Academy.

Dr. Nizar M. Tannir (front row, left) receives the first Mentorship Award during the 2025 International Kidney Cancer Symposium: North America. Pictured with the first class of KCA Mentorship Academy graduates. Back row: Dr. Eric A. Singer (Chair, Board of Directors, KCA), Dr. Minas Econimides, Dr. Adam Singer, Dr. S. Hariharan, Dr. Wesley Yip. Front row: Dr. Nizar M. Tannir, Dr. Allison May, Dr. Nazli Dizman, Gretchen E. Vaughan (President & CEO, KCA).

Explore the 2025 KCAMA Annual Report

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