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The Kidney Cancer Association Announces 2024 Grant Winners – Kidney Cancer Association

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) awarded five grants to investigators pursuing high-impact kidney cancer research across a variety of focus areas through its annual KCA Award Program.

Each $75,000 award supports early- to mid-career investigators whose projects align with topics that require greater attention and understanding from researchers, doctors, and patients. In total, the KCA distributed $375,000 in research funds.

“Announcing the grant recipients is always one of the highlights of my year because it marks the beginning of innovative projects that push the boundaries of kidney cancer research,” said Dr. Salvatore La Rosa, the KCA’s Chief Scientific Officer.

“This year’s projects hold great promise, from advancing biomarker research and developing new mouse models to exploring variability in immune responses and understanding the impact of our environment on kidney cancer development. Our commitment to rare variants of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) alongside our strong collaborations with Affiliate Partners and like-minded organizations remains a key priority. The KCA’s Award Program empowers researchers to drive groundbreaking work that paves the way for improved patient outcomes and more effective treatments.”

One of the awards – the Chromophobe RCC Focus Award – was given in partnership with KCA Affiliate Partner the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance (COA). Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) accounts for about 5% of all RCC diagnoses each year. COA founder Katie Coleman has a rare kidney cancer diagnosis that shares facets of chRCC. During her care, Coleman gained insights about the need for increased funding, support, and advocacy for rare cancer research.

Dr. Elizabeth Ellis of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas received this Focus Award to investigate biomarkers that will indicate if chRCC tumors will respond to specific treatments.

“We’re excited about the announcement of the recipient for the research grant COA funded in collaboration with the KCA this year,” Coleman said. “Dr. Ellis’s research will help us gain deeper insights into the biology of chRCC and its metabolic vulnerabilities in search of actionable targets for treatment. Her energy, drive, and passion are inspiring, and we’re excited to support her essential research for chromophobe kidney cancer!” 

The KCA joined with two additional groups to grant two Trailblazer Awards.

Dr. Kaushal Asrani of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will examine how effectively cancer-inhibiting therapy can be targeted to tRCC cells using a new mouse model through a Trailblazer Award given together with KCA Affiliate Partner Joey’s Wings Foundation, a non-profit supporting patients and families impacted by the rare pediatric kidney cancer translocation RCC (tRCC).

“This project of advancing drug testing in preclinical models for tRCC is of paramount importance as it holds the potential to revolutionize the treatment landscape for this rare and aggressive cancer,” said Kathy Liu, the foundation’s Founder and President whose son Joey was diagnosed with stage IV translocation RCC in 2013 and died in November 2014.

“The project not only advances our scientific understanding of tRCC but also accelerates the translation of promising therapies from the lab to the clinic, ultimately paving the way for personalized medicine and inspiring greater attention and resources toward rare cancers!”

Dr. Mitchell Hayes of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute received a Trailblazer Award for a project to create a map of where different genes are expressed in a tissue sample, which could help clarify if someone will respond to immunotherapy or not. The KCA granted this award together with the Michael and Ina Korek Foundation.

Brian Korek and Alek Peterlin of the Korek Foundation said: “The Korek Foundation is passionate about making a difference in kidney cancer outcomes.  We are proud to co-fund with the KCA this Trailblazer Award supporting a team conducting exciting translational research with clear clinical applications. It is our hope that this leads to more impactful therapeutic discoveries that can eventually be used to improve kidney cancer treatments.”

The KCA granted two Trailblazer Awards to Dr. Laura Bukavina of the Cleveland Clinic for research on the role of micro- and nanoplastics in kidney cancer development and Dr. Yuexin Xu of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to explore a signaling molecule for better targeted therapy. Xu previously received a KCA Young Investigator Award in 2021 for research to better understand how the makeup of kidney cancer tumor cells impacts immune response.

“We’re thrilled to support this exciting group of young researchers and do so in partnership with other organizations and foundations whose missions align with our belief in the power of collaboration to improve lives,” said Gretchen E. Vaughan, KCA’s President and CEO. “Together, we continue to strive towards those key breakthroughs that patients and families facing kidney cancer hope for each day.”

The KCA’s 2025 Award Program will open again for applications in spring 2025.


Chromophobe RCC Focus Award, in partnership with the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance

Elizabeth Ellis, MD, MS – MD Anderson Cancer Center

Research project: Evaluating the response of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma to novel targeted metabolic therapies

Trailblazer Award, in partnership with Joey’s Wings Foundation

Kaushal Asrani, MBBS, PhD – Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Research Project: Therapeutic Targeting of EGFR and HER2 in Translocation Renal Cell Carcinoma

Trailblazer Award, in partnership with the Michael and Ina Korek Foundation

Mitchell Hayes, MD – H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute


Research Project: Tracing the Seeds of Progression: Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis of Immunoresistant Kidney Cancer

Trailblazer Award

Laura Bukavina, MD, MPH, Msc – Cleveland Clinic

Research Project: Assessing the Presence and Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics Role in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Trailblazer Award

Yuexin Xu, PhD – Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Research Project: Characterization of tumor endothelial STAB1-mediated Treg recruitment into renal cell carcinoma

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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.

Media Contact

Radha Chitale
Senior Director of Communications
847-332-5573 | [email protected]