The Kidney Cancer Association welcomes Salvatore La Rosa, PhD, a non-profit executive with extensive experience in advancing research programs and treatment pipelines for rare diseases, as its first Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
La Rosa will oversee the KCA’s research initiatives, patient services, and all programs that drive clinical advances for the benefit of people impacted by kidney cancer.
“Having Dr. La Rosa join our leadership team marks a seminal moment in the KCA’s history of service and advocacy,” said Gretchen E. Vaughan. “His expertise will fast-track our efforts to advance kidney cancer research through collaboration between all the medical, research, and community stakeholders focused on improving the lives of people with kidney cancer. I am very excited to have Dr. La Rosa join us and look forward to this next phase of the KCA.”
La Rosa brings over 20 years of experience in neurodegeneration and oncology drug discovery to the KCA. In his previous role as CSO of the Children’s Tumor Foundation, he built numerous innovative initiatives in grant-making, team science, open science, and data sharing, contributing to the growing pipeline of experimental treatments now in clinical development for neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis. He began his career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries bringing new small molecules from early identification through clinical development.
“I’m thrilled to be able to contribute my skills and knowledge to help the KCA achieve its vision of becoming the universal leader in finding the cure for kidney cancer,” La Rosa said. “This fast-paced community is growing in strength. I look forward to working with the team on initiatives that will improve our offerings for patients as well as enable new therapy options to be discovered and approved.”
La Rosa holds a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland in the UK and an MS in Organic Chemistry from the University of Messina in Italy. He is based in New York.
About the Kidney Cancer Association
The Kidney Cancer Association is a global community dedicated to serving and empowering patients and caregivers, and leading change through advocacy, research, and education in order to be the universal leader in finding the cure for kidney cancer. Founded in 1990 by Eugene P. Schonfeld and a small group of patients and doctors in Chicago, Illinois, the KCA has grown into an international non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas. The KCA promotes scientific advances through two annual research symposiums and a robust grant program, participates in legislative advocacy, and seeks to be a source of education and resources for patients, caregivers, and anyone impacted by kidney cancer.
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