Hirshberg Foundation Funds Pioneering Research to Advance Minimally Invasive Treatment for a Rare Form of Pancreatic Cancer
The Foundation launches a first-of-its-kind initiative of dual research platforms targeting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.
Los Angeles, Calif., March 19, 2026 – The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is excited to announce the launch of its newest research initiative, the PNET Pathway Grant Program, focused on funding for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). For nearly 30 years, the Hirshberg Foundation has been devoted to investing in and exploring innovative and groundbreaking research, including but not limited to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). Now, the Foundation advances its effort with the PNET Pathway Grant Program to fund coordinated research programs that target PNET and PDAC, making it the first organization to simultaneously execute research on both forms of pancreatic cancers. In its inaugural year, the Foundation will fund three $75,000 research grants dedicated to PNETs.
“We are excited to offer this opportunity to advance innovative research for PNETs and provide hope for the patients and families facing this rare and underfunded type of pancreatic cancer,”
– said Lisa Manheim, Executive Director of the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
“Our initiative aims to build a network of scientists dedicated to advancing PNET research and to leverage and strengthen the Foundation’s partnerships with leading academic institutions to make a real-world impact for patients.”
Although PNETs are the second most common type of pancreatic cancer, they account for one to two percent of pancreatic cancers in patients. While PDAC tumors arise from cells that make digestive juices, PNETs arise from hormone producing cells and can lead to chronic, hormone-related symptoms and complex treatment decisions. While PDACs make up more than 90% of pancreatic cancers, there have been increasing PNET diagnoses due to growing awareness and advances in imaging. PNETs tend to be more localized and slower growing than PDACs, leading to better prognoses, resulting in a five-year survival rate of 48%. While patients with PNETs are more likely to be surgical candidates, surgery is invasive and drastically affects quality of life. An area of focus for PNET research is to identify viable alternatives to surgery.
Exciting and promising results are on the horizon. In 2024, the Hirshberg Foundation began funding PNET research with a grant to Tamas Gonda, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine at New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, and Director of the Pancreatic Disease Program at NYU. Dr. Gonda is a physician-scientist who specializes in endoscopy and pancreatic diseases. His research is focused on creating and improving minimally invasive treatments for pancreatic tumors to lower patients’ risk of progression and control the disease. He sets out to understand the value of using a thermal energy technique to destroy tumor tissue in a minimally invasive and localized manner. This approach could improve the quality of life for patients.
“As a long-term trailblazer in pancreatic cancer research, the Hirshberg Foundation has consistently planted seeds, delivering transformative results to help improve patient outcomes,”
– said Dr. Miklos Sahin-Toth, Chair of the Hirshberg Scientific Advisory Board.
“By nurturing innovative research such as PNET, the Hirshberg Foundation is committed to accelerating treatments and early detection methods by investing in the next generation of scientists and clinicians who are dedicated to finding a pancreatic cancer cure.”
Applications are evaluated through a rigorous peer review by the select members of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board and expert external reviewers. Deadline to submit grant applications is May 15, 2026.
About The Hirshberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research
Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation is the first pancreatic cancer foundation established in the U.S., which now houses three collaborative laboratories at UCLA. The national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer research is focused on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer as well as empowering patients and families whose lives are touched by the disease. Through persistent fundraising, the Hirshberg Foundation has established the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases, a premier pancreatic cancer center of excellence, where all the needs of pancreatic patients can be met in a central location with the most advanced treatment options. The pancreatic cancer survival rates at this facility are among the best nationwide by administering comprehensive expert care. The Hirshberg Foundation funds groundbreaking scientific research, provides patient education and support, and sustains hope that this cancer will be eradicated once and for all. To date, the Hirshberg Foundation has raised more than $38 million for pancreatic cancer research and education and has granted more than $1.2 million in financial aid for patients.
Learn more at www.pancreatic.org.
Other articles about The Hirshberg Foundation on OncoDaily.