Dr. Ball's research focuses on how tumor genetics translates into clinical behavior. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, multiple book chapters and regularly presents his work at national and international meetings. He was recently a member of an international guideline committee on laparoscopic and robotic adrenal surgery.

He is currently investigating how genetic alterations influence the biology of kidney cancer, including growth and metastasis. Recent work has also focused on the role of somatic mutations in the response to checkpoint blockade in renal cell carcinoma and how genomic features correlate with pathologic features across all urologic malignancies. He also studies the role of preoperative imaging and biopsy in risk stratification prior to surgery.