First World NET Forum featured NETRF-funded Researchers

The European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) held its 19th Annual Conference earlier this month in Barcelona, Spain.  The meeting brings together physicians and researchers from throughout the world to discuss the latest research on neuroendocrine cancer.  More than 1500 participants attended in person or virtually.  This year the meeting included the first World NET Forum, focusing on basic and translational science.  NETRF was proud to sponsor the prizes for best abstracts.  

The World NET Forum included sessions on NET tumor models, tumor biology research advances, therapeutic advances, and new approaches to NET diagnostics and treatment. The program featured many NETRF grantees, particularly Petersen Accelerator awardees.   Board of Scientific Advisors (BOSA) co-chair Dr. Dawn Quelle presented on State-of-the-art NET tumor models: Present & future.  Dr. Talya Dayton, of the Hans Clevers lab in the Netherlands, discussed her research on NET organoid models. This work was funded by a NETRF Petersen Accelerator Award.

Former BOSA Chair Dr. Ramesh Shivdasani discussed his work on Epigenetic control of human intestinal neuroendocrine cell differentiation, the focus of a Petersen Accelerator Award he shares with Dr. Joe Zhou.   Petersen Accelerator Grantee Dr. Rodney Hicks presented his research on overcoming resistance to PRRT.  Dr. Xianxin Hua, recipient of a 2018 Petersen Accelerator award, presented his research on CAR T cell technology. 

Additional NETRF awardees who were invited to participate in the World NET Forum were Dr. Mauro Cives, Dr. Cristina Müller, and Dr. Andrea Califano.   For more on these grantees’ research, you can CLICK HERE for summaries on NETRF’s Funded Research Projects.