Dr. Rebecca A Sager Named Recipient of PICI’s Inaugural Endowed Young Investigator Award

The yearly award will support early-career investigators advancing innovative oncology research

SAN FRANCISCO – May 27, 2026 – The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) today announced that Dr. Rebecca A. Sager, MD, PhD, urologic oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Conquer Cancer – Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Endowed Young Investigator Award. Dr. Sager is being recognized for her research examining tumor immunology and how treatments influence the tumor immune microenvironment in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). She will be honored during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, taking place May 29-June 2. 

“I’m very grateful for this award and for the opportunity it provides as I take the next step toward establishing an independent research program,” said Dr. Rebecca A Sager, MD, PhD. “My hope is that this work will help identify more effective, personalized treatment strategies that improve outcomes and quality of life for patients facing kidney cancer.”

Dr. Sager received the award for her project “Modeling the effects of HIF2α inhibition on the ccRCC tumor microenvironment,” which seeks to address ongoing treatment challenges in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. By analyzing human tumor samples and utilizing specialized mouse models, Dr. Sager will examine how HIF2a inhibitors, alone and in combination with other treatments, impact immune cells and blood vessel growth. The findings could help inform future clinical trials and support the development of personalized therapies for patients with kidney cancer.

“I’m incredibly excited to recognize Dr. Rebecca A. Sager as the inaugural recipient of PICI’s Endowed Young Investigator Award. Dr. Sager’s innovative research in clear cell renal cell carcinoma exemplifies the type of forward-thinking, patient-centered science this award was created to support,” said Dr. Karen E Knudsen, CEO of PICI. “At PICI, we strive to accelerate the development and delivery of breakthrough cancer therapies, and Dr. Sager’s work is extremely complementary to this goal.”

About the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI)
The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Founded in 2016 through the vision of Sean Parker, PICI unites the nation’s top cancer centers into a collaborative consortium that fuels high-risk, high-reward science with shared goals, data, and infrastructure. Unlike traditional research models, PICI goes beyond discovery by actively advancing promising innovations through clinical testing, company formation and incubation, and commercialization. PICI has supported more than 1,000 investigators across its network and has a portfolio that includes 17 biotech ventures with over $4B raised in capital. PICI is uniquely positioned to close the gap between scientific discovery and patient access. By integrating scientific excellence with entrepreneurial execution, PICI is reimagining how cures are made, and accelerating their path to the people who need them most. | Learn more about PICI: www.parkerici.org