Finding Cancer’s Vulnerability

UT Southwestern researchers, led by Steve McKnight, Ph.D., David Russell, Ph.D., and Richard Bruick, Ph.D., discovered an important cancer driver, HIF-2α, and found a vulnerability in the protein’s structure. Research by James Brugarolas, M.D., Ph.D., provided the first evidence that targeting HIF-2α was effective against kidney cancer. Their work, spanning nearly 30 years, helped make the therapy belzutifan a reality for millions of kidney cancer patients worldwide.