This study is the first to examine intra-patient kinase gene expression in ccRCC metastatic and primary tumor tissues and identifies nine over-expressed kinase genes (EPHB2, AURKA, GSG2, IKBKE, MELK, CSK, CHEK2, CDC7 and MAP3K8; p<0.001) in metastatic ccRCC tumor tissue, which may represent drivers of disease and novel therapeutic targets. The gene discussed is MELK; the disease is nonpapillary renal cell carcinoma.