A $1.25 million grant from the National Cancer Institute has funded a five-year UC Davis research project to identify the biomarkers of kidney cancer and develop a diagnostic test for the disease. Robert Weiss, professor of nephrology at UC Davis and principal investigator for the grant, is heading a research team that will focus on identifying metabolites — small molecules easily excreted by the kidneys — that are unique to kidney cancer. The ultimate goal is to develop a simple urine test that can be conducted in doctors' offices as part of routine examinations.