Developmental Research Program

The goal of the DRP in the Iowa Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) SPORE is to bring new ideas and innovative techniques to bear on the diagnosis, curative therapy, and ultimately, the prevention of NETs. The DRP will provide up to $50,000 for one year ($25,000 from SPORE funds, $25,000 from institutional resources) to each of two projects every year with the possibility of a second year of support based on progress. It is anticipated that support of developmental research projects will continue to result in the generation of new hypotheses that will be tested in full SPORE-sponsored projects or through peer reviewed external grant support. The long-term goal of the Iowa NET SPORE program is to translate the findings generated by developmental projects into an improved length and quality of life for patients with NETs. The major objectives of the Iowa NET DRP are to: (1) Encourage innovative translational population, laboratory, and clinical studies in NETs by soliciting applications from talented investigators in the NET research community and other research areas, both at Iowa and elsewhere, to consider applying their ideas and methodologies to translational research in NETs; (2) foster productive collaboration between basic science, population science, and clinical disciplines in translational research in NETs; and (3) generate new hypotheses to be tested in large-scale research projects or clinical trials that may lead to significant reduction in incidence and mortality of NETs.