"It's important to me to support early-career NET researchers."
As a professional photographer, Elaine Nord has long been inspired to nurture the next generation of budding artists, establishing an internship award to help students pursue their dreams in creative communications.
“I know what it means to be supported early on in a career, and how that support buoys confidence and determination,” said Elaine.
As a 12-year NET thriver, Elaine wanted to provide the same opportunities to early-career NET researchers. Driven by her deep commitment to education and career development, Elaine is providing multi-year support to sponsor a $100,000 NETRF Mentored Research Award. The two-year award is designed to encourage early-career investigators, such as postdoctoral or clinical fellows, to pursue neuroendocrine tumor research and commit to the field.
In 2023, Elaine’s support funded the work of Dr. Nicolas Alcala, who aims to use next-generation sequencing data to study how the DNA of neuroendocrine tumors and the patient’s immune response interact to determine a patient’s NET molecular subtype and clinical course.
Under the guidance of their scientific mentors, these rising stars bring their energy and determination to advance our quest for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. The NETRF Mentored Research Award gives these talented researchers the opportunity and means to dedicate themselves to NET research which benefits the entire NET community.
We thank Elaine Nord for her generosity and dedication to early-career NET scientists through her NETRF Mentored Research Award.