Renal cell carcinoma, or kidney cancer, is a tumor disease that is found in more than 50,000 Americans per year and the number of individuals diagnosed each year is steadily increasing. Funds, fellowships and fun-runs are helping to make breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of this disease, and the FNIH is committed to the continued progress in creating partnerships, raising awareness and funds and advancing medical research for kidney cancer research.

FNIH Managed Funds & Partnerships for Cancer Research
As an FNIH donor-managed fund, the Dean R. O’Neill Renal Cell Cancer Research Fund works in partnership with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to sponsor a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of renowned researcher Dr. Richard Childs. Having been diagnosed with renal cancer, Mr. O'Neill was relentless in learning more about the disease and various cutting-edge treatment options. He was treated with an experimental stem cell transplant through Dr. Childs’ lab.

Another FNIH donor-managed fund, the Dr. Edward T. Rancic Memorial Fund for Cancer Research, has been established by the family of Dr. Rancic in grateful appreciation for the care and treatment he received at NHLBI and to further kidney cancer research.  The Rancic Fund also provides support for a fellowship and research in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Childs.

Dr. Childs and his lab focus on finding new treatments for renal cell carcinoma by using the immune system. The efforts of Dr. Childs and his colleagues has already lead to the discovery of the power of allogeneic stem cell transplantation against kidney cancer, but also the benefits of combing immune-based therapy with drug treatments to improve the survival of patients with kidney cancer. More recently, Dr. Childs’ group has translated laboratory findings from the bench to the bedside, initiating a novel immunotherapy trial that explores the potential of natural killer cell infusions to treat the most advanced form of kidney cancer.

Fellowships Focused on Kidney Cancer Research
In 2007, the first O’Neill Fellow made an important discovery in genetic mechanisms found in 50 percent of all kidney cancer patients. This discovery, made by Dr. Nanae Harashima and the team of doctors in Dr. Childs' lab, has led to new treatments to stem the cancer’s spread and has given new hope for a cure.

In 2010, the fund named Dr. Mattias Carlsten its latest O’Neill Fellow. His research focuses on using Natural Killer (NK) cells, a white blood cell found in our immune system, to attack tumors. 

“Funding to support enthusiastic and hard working young researchers from around the world is a critical element to make advances in medical research. The Dean R. O'Neill Renal Cell Cancer Research Fund is a perfect example of how private initiatives can open up the possibility for young researchers to come to the NIH to train and conduct research on Renal Cell Carcinoma. Here at the NIH, my ambition is to further improve NK cell-based immunotherapies of cancer, including renal cell cancer, by manipulation of critical NK cell-to-target interactions. I’m very inspired and motivated to run these studies together with Dr. Childs at the NIH, since he and his lab offer one of the best translational research environments you could possibly imagine.”
— Mattias Carlsten, M.D. Ph.D., Dean R. O’Neill Fellow 2010-2011

This year the FNIH announced the first Rancic-O’Neill Fellow, made possible by a partnership between the Dr. Edward T. Rancic Memorial Fund and the Dean R. O’Neill Renal Cell Cancer Fund, in support of research for renal cell carcinoma at the NIH. The Rancic-O’Neill Fellowship provides for a post-baccalaureate researcher in the lab of Dr. Childs.  The first fellow, Quinn Weisman, and future Rancic-O’Neill research fellows will work with Dr. Childs and his laboratory and clinical research staff to develop new forms of immunotherapy for kidney cancer.

“I am a recent graduate from Carnegie Mellon University and as a new fellow in Dr. Childs' lab I am working to develop T-cells that are responsive to antigens derived from the HERV-E virus, which is expressed in about 80% of clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) tumors.  This will help the advancement in immunotherapy for those affected with RCC. Fellowships and funds like the O'Neill and Rancic-O'Neill funds give recent graduates like myself a great opportunity to work on cutting edge research that have clinical applications, such as my work with Renal Cell Carcinoma.  These opportunities attract young scientists and great minds from all over the world, thus facilitating the advancement of research.”
— Quinn Weisman, Rancic-O’Neill Fellow 2011

Watch Bill Rancic, the O'Neills, the FNIH and NIH as they meet to launch the inaugural Rancic-O'Neill Fellowship to support renal cell cancer research.

Fun Run Raising Awareness and Funds for Kidney Cancer Research
In addition to their fund and partnership with the Rancic Family, the O’Neill Family created the annual Boo! Run for Life 10K run and 2-mile walk in 2006 to raise awareness and funding for renal cell cancer research.  The Halloween-themed event supports the Dean R. O’Neill Renal Cell Cancer Research Fund at the FNIH. The event has become a premier running event in the Washington DC area and is a seasonal favorite of many runners.  This year the event was held on October 16, 2011 in West Potomac Park, Washington DC.

Event organizers were thrilled to announce that Liz Drabick from 106.7 The Fan generously agreed to serve as Master of Ceremonies of the 2011 Boo! Run for Life 10K. Liz can be heard providing her sports updates at the top and bottom of every hour between 12:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. weekdays on your radio dial at 106.7, and online at http://www.washington.cbslocal.com. Prior celebrity emcee’s include Bill Rancic (winner of the first season of Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice”) and Bill’s wife, Giuliana Rancic (Anchor of E! News).  

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