Q1 2025

We’re excited to share that the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF) has opened its 2025 Request for Applications! We are seeking innovative research proposals from the research community that will help advance the understanding of neuroendocrine cancer, improve detection methods, and develop better treatments.
 
NETRF funds researchers around the world through our Accelerator, Investigator, Pilot, and Mentored Research Awards. These grants range from $90,000 to $800,000 and provide support for research lasting one to four years. The Mentored Research Awards are designed specifically for early-career scientists, including postdoctoral researchers and clinical fellows.
 
Our two-step application process begins with a Letter of Intent (LOI) due by March 17, 2025, at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Research is the key to improving the lives of those affected by neuroendocrine cancer. Whether you are a scientist, a clinician, a patient, or a supporter, we appreciate your role in helping us drive progress. If you have any questions, please reach out at grants@netrf.org.

Together, we’re making strides toward better treatments and outcomes. Thank you for being part of this journey with us!

Kind regards,

Anna Greene, PhD
NETRF Director of Research

Chimeric Therapeutics has reported that the first NET patient to be given CDH17-directed CAR T-cell immunotherapy in the world’s first clinical trial of this treatment for neuroendocrine tumors, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer is showing stable disease at 60-days post treatment. In a call with investors on March 2, Chimeric said the therapy shows “early signals of efficacy.”  

This is the first clinical trial for CAR T-cell immunotherapy using the CDH17 target developed by Dr. Xianxin Hua at the University of Pennsylvania. NETRF supported the preclinical development of this therapy.

Chimeric told investors during the call that three patients have received the CAR T-cell immunotherapy, with two additional patients awaiting treatment.  In addition to the neuroendocrine cancer patient, a second patient showed “early signals of efficacy.” No off-target effects or dose-limiting toxicities were identified in the first three patients dosed.

The trial is open at four sites—the University of Pennsylvania, the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, the University of Chicago, and Emory University.

A recent study has unveiled key molecular insights that could transform the treatment landscape for lung neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation provided the funding for the research, which focused on gene expression and regulation that drive the growth of lung neuroendocrine tumors.

A new study has revealed that certain bone marrow cells may absorb more radiation during radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) than previously believed. This finding could explain unexpected side effects like reduced blood cell counts that some neuroendocrine cancer patients experience.

The Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF) recently announced our newest neuroendocrine cancer research grant recipients. The ten investigators receiving awards are studying the most promising scientific approaches to understanding and treating neuroendocrine cancer. 

Mark your calendars for November 17-19, 2025 for the 2025 Margie & Robert E. Petersen Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Symposium. We will gather again at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston to focus on neuroendocrine cancer and share discoveries.

The 2024 Margie & Robert E. Petersen Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Symposium was held in October at The Hotel Commonwealth in Boston, Massachusetts. Our Symposium brought 120 of the top researchers from throughout the United States and eleven countries to discuss the latest advancements in neuroendocrine cancer research.

The Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF) and NETRF are proud to announce that Dr. Ajay Kumar Sharma has been awarded the prestigious 2024 ERF/NETRF Nuclear Medicine Pilot Research Grant in Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs). 

The Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF), in partnership with the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS), is proud to announce Victor Santoro Fernandes, PhD, as the recipient of the 2024 NANETS Basic/Translational Science Investigator Award (BTSI). 

A team of researchers from the University of Iowa has unveiled concerns about the use of semaglutide, a widely prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes and obesity, in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs).

Using PRRT with 177Lu-DOTATATE before surgery is both safe and effective for patients with non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and certain risk factors, according to the results of the NEOLUPANET trial.

The investigational drug cabozantinib (CABOMETYX®) has significantly improved outcomes for those living with advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), according to the latest results from the Phase 3 CABINET trial.

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.

NET Research Foundation
31 St. James Avenue
Suite 365
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 946-1780 info@netrf.org

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 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.