After being virtual since 2020, the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) met in person for its annual meeting in Washington DC in late October. NETRF CEO Elyse Gellerman and Director of Patient Education Jessica Thomas attended the NANETS Symposium to talk with NET specialists, a number of NETRF research grantees, and other NET patient advocacy groups. They joined more than 400 attendees dedicated to better understanding neuroendocrine cancer, improving patient care, and supporting patients through advocacy and education.
The NANETS Symposium featured discussions of laboratory and clinical research. Dr. Dawn Quelle of the University of Iowa, co-chair of NETRF’s Board of Scientific Advisors, gave a presentation about the challenges of developing pre-clinical neuroendocrine cell models. The lack of cell models continues to be a limiting factor in NET research.
NETRF funds a collaborative grant with NANETS, called the Basic Translational Science Investigator. At the Annual Meeting, Elyse Gellerman presented the 2022 BTSI Award to Dr. Eleonora Pelle (below) of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa. Dr. Pelle gave a talk about her BTSI research project, focused on the development of a novel immunotherapy drug for the treatment of patients with NETs.
Brendon Herring, MS, a member of Dr. Bart Rose’s team at the University of Alabama Birmingham, presented their 2020 BTSI-funded research project on molecular influences of racial disparities in black patients with pNETs. 2019 BTSI Awardee Dr. Po Hien Ear, of the University of Iowa, presented her work on developing tumor models for small bowel neuroendocrine carcinomas.
One of the highlights of this meeting was reconnecting with our patient advocacy colleagues and the many NET specialists with which we collaborate. The NET community is strong and growing, and our team at NETRF is proud to be part of it.