W. Marston Linehan, M.D. is Chief of the Urologic Oncology Branch at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. After completing his internship, residency and fellowship training Duke University Medical Center he began his career at the National Cancer Institute in 1982 with positions as Senior Investigator and Urologist-in-Charge, NCI. He has had a long standing interest in identification of the genetic basis of cancer of the kidney. By studying patients and families with kidney cancer, he and his colleagues identified the VHL gene (von Hippel-Lindau and clear cell renal carcinoma), the gene for Hereditary Papillary Renal Carcinoma (MET oncogene, type I papillary renal carcinoma) the FLCN gene (Birt Hogg Dubé syndrome, chromophobe renal carcinoma), the gene for TFE3 kidney cancer and described the germline fumarate hydratase and succinate dehydrogenase B/C/D mutations in the North American families with hereditary leiomyomatosis renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC) and SDH-RCC and described five new diseases. This work has provided the basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the different types of kidney cancer based on understanding the molecular pathway of the specific cancer genes associated with the different types of kidney cancer. He defined the methods for clinical management of kidney cancer associated with the hereditary forms of kidney cancer, von Hippel Lindau, Hereditary Papillary Renal Carcinoma and Birt Hogg Dubé syndrome and Hereditary Leiomyomatosis Renal Cell Carcinoma and Succinate Dehydrogenase Renal Cell Carcinoma. Dr. Linehan is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, he has received the Gold Cystoscope Award, the Distinguished Contribution Award and the Ramon Guiteras Award from the American Urological Association, the Huggins Medal and the SUO Medal from the Society of Urologic Oncology and the Barringer Medal from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons.