March 31, 2022
The Kidney Cancer Research Alliance (KCCure) announced today that Dr. Ming Li and Dr. Martin Voss with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have been selected to receive the inaugural KCCure Chromophobe Research Grant Award of $50,000 for their proposal: Tumor-resident cytotoxic innate lymphocytes (ILC) as novel targets for immunotherapy in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC)
“We are grateful to KCCure and the individuals driving this exceptional effort,” said Drs. Li and Voss. “As the first dedicated chRCC grant this mechanism will make all the difference for us to gain invaluable new insights in the fight against chromophobe RCC.”
Chromophobe RCC is a rare subtype of kidney cancer accounting for roughly 5 percent of RCC tumors. When discovered early, this histological type is less likely to spread to other parts of the body. However, once the disease becomes metastatic, survival rates are poor. Despite significant advances for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, research has lagged for patients with advanced chromophobe RCC.
“Working with KCCure for the first peer reviewed, patient led chromophobe research grant is the most hopeful and empowered we have felt since our cancer journey began in 2019, said Chase Griffith, a chromophobe RCC patient and his wife and caregiver Meghan Griffith. “Raising funds for much needed Chromophobe-specific research is the most direct and impactful action we can take against Chromophobe RCC. This grant, and others planned for the future, are tremendous opportunities to find new treatments, and hopefully one day, a cure.”
KCCure is an evidence based, patient driven kidney cancer advocacy organization, dedicated to improving outcomes through outreach, education, and research. Since 2017, KCCure has awarded grants to top institutions addressing critical unmet needs in kidney cancer detection and treatment. This is the first grant ever dedicated solely to chromophobe RCC research.
I want to express my sincere admiration to Catherine Yutmeyer and the entire patient led team for their success in establishing this grant, said KCCure President, Dena Battle. This award is a testament to the power and impact that patient communities have when it comes to advancing research.
The KCCure Chromophobe Research Grant Team, led by Catherine Yutmeyer, includes Kayla Bulkley, Katie Coleman, Chase and Meghan Griffith, Melissa Helmick, Tracy Poyneer and Annamaria Scaccia. In less than two years, the team has raised over $100,000 for ChRCC research. You can support their efforts via Facebook or through our Website.
###
