The VHL Alliance is proud to announce our 2026 research grant recipients. This year, we are excited to support three promising projects that focus on VHL-related hemangioblastomas, kidney tumor development, and alternative treatment strategies for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). These projects were selected by a panel of expert reviewers for their potential to answer important questions related to VHL disease and help pave the way for new treatment options.
Research Grant Awardees
Dr. Anna Matynia
University of Houston
Understanding How the Immune System Interacts with VHL-Related Hemangioblastomas
Hemangioblastomas are among the most common tumors associated with VHL disease. Although these tumors are not cancerous, they can cause serious complications when they are located in the brain, spinal cord, or retina.
Several studies have shown that while belzutifan treatment can help shrink some hemangioblastomas, many tumors remain difficult to treat and often require surgery or laser procedures.
One challenge researchers face is a lack of laboratory models that accurately mimic these tumors. Dr. Anna Matynia and her team at the University of Houston in Houston, TX, have developed a new animal model that closely resembles the retinal hemangioblastomas seen in people with VHL.
Using this model, Dr. Matynia found an increased presence of a specific type of immune cell, called macrophages, inside the tumors. While the immune system is the body’s natural defense against disease, some immune cells, like macrophages, can actually help tumors survive and grow.
This VHL Alliance grant will support Dr. Matynia’s study of how these macrophages behave during various stages of hemangioblastoma growth. By learning more about how these cells interact with hemangioblastomas, this research could reveal new vulnerabilities that could help scientists develop therapies to better control these tumors in the future.
Dr. Ruhee Dere
Baylor College of Medicine
Targeting Early Cellular Changes that Drive Kidney Tumor Development
Kidney tumors in VHL begin when cells lose two important protective systems: the VHL gene and part of chromosome 3 (which contains several tumor-suppressing genes). While researchers know these early genetic changes are important, it is still unclear how these damaged cells survive and continue growing instead of being eliminated by the body.
Healthy cells rely on structures called centrosomes to properly divide. Dr. Ruhee Dere’s team at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX found that cells with VHL-related genetic changes often developed damaged or extra centrosomes.
With support from the VHL Alliance, Dr. Dere will investigate how these early genetic changes disrupt normal cell division and help tumor cells survive. By uncovering the pathways that kidney tumor cells rely on for survival during the earliest stages of tumor development, this research could lay the foundation for future therapies aimed at stopping kidney tumors before they start.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awardee
Dr. Yan Liu
Laboratory of Xin Lu, University of Notre Dame
Exploring the Ketogenic Diet as a New Treatment Strategy for VHL-Related Kidney Cancer
Cancer cells often survive by changing the way they use and store nutrients. These changes can help tumors grow, but may also create weaknesses that scientists can take advantage of.
In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of kidney cancer associated with VHL syndrome, one characteristic feature is the abnormal buildup of fat droplets inside the cells.
Dr. Yan Liu, a postdoctoral trainee in the laboratory of Xin Lu at the University of Notre Dame, is focused on understanding how ccRCC cells respond and adapt to changes in nutrients, particularly fats, and if these changes can weaken the cells and make them more responsive to existing treatments.
This support from the VHL Alliance will enable Dr. Liu to continue this innovative project and test whether a high-fat low-carbohydrate ketogenic therapy could be leveraged as a new treatment option for VHL-related kidney cancer.
Together, these projects reflect the wide range of research needed to improve care for people and families affected by VHL, from understanding how tumors begin and grow to exploring new ways to treat them.
The VHL Alliance is proud to support Dr. Matynia, Dr. Dere, and Dr. Liu as they pursue these important questions. Their work has the potential to deepen our understanding of VHL-related tumors and help move promising discoveries toward better treatment options.
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