Q1 2026

Dear NETRF Community,

Each year, through our Request for Applications (RFA), we invite researchers from around the world to submit their most promising ideas for grant funding. What follows is a rigorous, multi-stage review and selection process designed to ensure that funding decisions reflect the highest standards of scientific merit, accountability, and potential impact. Letters of intent are evaluated for innovation and significance to the field. Selected applicants are then invited to submit full grant proposals, which undergo in-depth scientific review by experts in the field. Only those proposals that demonstrate the strongest potential for impact, feasibility, and advancement of the field are considered for funding.

For our community, this rigor matters. For researchers, it ensures that proposals are evaluated through a fair, credible, and expert-driven process that recognizes the most promising science. For patients and care partners, it means that every funded project carries real potential to improve outcomes. And for our donors, it reflects something equally important: that every dollar entrusted to NETRF is invested through a process designed to deliver meaningful, measurable impact.

As we launch our 2026 funding cycle, we are setting that process in motion to shape the future of neuroendocrine cancer care. Just as importantly, we remain committed to sharing what emerges from that work. In this issue, you’ll find updates that reflect the progress of the field, from new research insights to advancements made possible through the support of our community. This is how ideas move forward, and how, together, we continue to turn research into impact.

Kind regards,

Anna Greene, PhD
NETRF Chief Scientific Officer

Because of you, 2025 was a year of meaningful momentum in neuroendocrine cancer research. Through 50 active NETRF-funded projects worldwide, scientists made discoveries that are transforming what is possible for patients: advancing earlier detection, new therapies, and more personalized treatment approaches. 

Read more.

A new review article in Virchows Archiv, “Novel concepts of cell-of-origin in neuroendocrine neoplasms,” asks a  simple question: what normal cell does a neuroendocrine neoplasm start from?

Read more.

NETRF recently announced its latest round of neuroendocrine cancer research grant recipients. The thirteen investigators receiving awards are pursuing innovative, promising research that has the potential to improve the lives of those living with neuroendocrine cancer. Funding for these thirteen grants totals $2.8 million, bringing NETRF’s all-time investment in research to over $42 million. Read more.

We are pleased to share an important leadership transition within our Board of Scientific Advisors (BOSA).

Read more.

Each year, the Margie & Robert E. Petersen NETRF Research Symposium brings together leading scientists, clinicians, and NETRF leadership to work toward a common goal: improve the lives of everyone affected by neuroendocrine cancer.

Read more.

In recent years, headlines and commentaries have suggested that neuroendocrine cancers are “no longer rare.” These claims often point to rising diagnosis rates and the growing number of people living with neuroendocrine cancer, but what might this actually mean for the future of patient care and outcomes?

Read more.

Neuroendocrine cancer research continues to evolve, with a growing number of clinical trials exploring bold, highly targeted strategies aimed at treating advanced and high-grade forms of the disease. These studies reflect the evolving science behind how we detect, target, and treat neuroendocrine cancer. 

Read more. 

One of the most exciting developments in neuroendocrine cancer treatment in recent years has been the introduction of tarlatamab, a new immunotherapy, but it's been difficult to predict how patients will respond to the drug. A new blood test may change that. 

Read more. 

Neuroendocrine cancer is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, and the uncertainty takes a toll on patients. Patient surveys have helped bring that experience to light. They’ve been critical for raising awareness, validating what patients go through, and showing how disruptive delays can be.

Read more.

Drugs like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Mounjaro®, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are now widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. They work by mimicking a natural gut hormone that helps control blood sugar, slows digestion, and reduces appetite.

As these medications become more common, some people who take them will also have neuroendocrine neoplasms, tumors that start in hormone-producing cells. That overlap raises an important question: could GLP-1 drugs also affect tumor cells? Read more.

Yuanyuan Qiao, PhD, is Research Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan and a 2025 NETRF Investigator Awardee. Her NETRF-funded research was recently published in Cell Reports Medicine, and we recently spoke to her about the aims of her research project. 

What excites you most about your work right now?


What excites me most is seeing how our basic discoveries are starting to translate into meaningful treatment strategies for patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). In our research, we’ve identified that these tumor cells rely heavily on internal systems to manage essential nutrients like fats and iron, which help them survive under stress. By targeting a pathway called PIKfyve, we can disrupt these processes at a very fundamental level. What’s especially exciting is that this isn’t just a biological insight—it points directly to new therapeutic approaches. Being able to connect what we learn in the lab to something that could ultimately benefit patients is incredibly motivating.
 
What could this mean for patients?


For patients with GEP-NETs, this work could open the door to more effective and longer-lasting treatment options. These tumors often adapt to therapy by relying on internal ‘recycling’ systems that help them manage stress and maintain their growth. Our approach targets this vulnerability by combining PIKfyve inhibition with mTOR inhibition—two pathways that together control how tumor cells recycle nutrients and adapt metabolically. By blocking both at the same time, we essentially remove the tumor’s ability to compensate, pushing tumor cells beyond what they can tolerate.
In practical terms, this could mean treatments that are not only more effective but also better at preventing or delaying resistance, which is a major challenge in GEP-NETs. Because mTOR inhibitor such as everolimus is already used in the clinic, this strategy also has a clearer path toward translation. Ultimately, our goal is to develop combination therapies that provide more durable responses and improve outcomes for patients who currently have limited treatment options.

Endocrine-Related Cancer is a peer-reviewed journal publishing basic laboratory, translational and clinical investigations of human health and disease focusing on endocrine neoplasias and hormone-dependent cancers, and review articles in these areas. Endocrine-Related Cancer is an official journal of the Society for Endocrinology and is endorsed by the Endocrine Society of Australia, the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society and the Japanese Hormone and Cancer Society.

Endocrine Oncology is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal publishing basic, translational and clinical research and reviews on the interplay between hormones and cancer, and related topics. With Bioscientifica sponsoring the Article Publishing Charge during the launch phase, authors can publish for free for a limited time.

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The mission of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is to fund research to discover cures and more effective treatments for neuroendocrine cancer. NETRF is the largest global funder of neuroendocrine cancer research and a preeminent resource for expert patient education and support.



NETRF is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.