Where Our Funds Go
In Past Years our Proceeds from our Fundraising Efforts have gone to help Research Efforts at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Eren Berber, University Hospitals with Dr. Amr Mohamed and University School Student Research Grants under Dr. John Letterio, and the NET Cancer Research Foundation in Boston. Thank you again to everyone. Please support our Virtual and In-Person Events throughout the year so we may continue our support of these worthy programs.
The mission of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is to fund research to discover cures and more effective treatments for neuroendocrine cancers.
The Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is committed to improving the lives of patients, families, and caregivers affected by neuroendocrine cancer by providing information and educational resources. NETRF is the leading non-profit organization supporting NET research, worldwide. They are committed to funding the most promising research in order to discover cures and more effective treatments for neuroendocrine cancers. Our research grants support the work of leading scientists at renowned research institutions, around the world. https://netrf.org/
Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation
Dr Amr Mohohamed
Dr. Amr Mohamed, University Hospital Seidman Cancer Center. Dr. Amr Mohamed graduated from Cairo University, School of Medicine in 2007. He had an Internal Medicine training at Ministry of health affiliated hospitals until 2010. He then continued his career in the United States by completing a research fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. After that he finished his Internal Medicine training at Morehouse School of Medicine and then his Medical Oncology fellowship at Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University. He then had one year training in neuroendocrine tumors and GI malignancies at Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida.
He has been an assistant professor of GI Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumors since September, 2019. He was able to put together a comprehensive neuroendocrine tumors program at UH sideman which now have more than ten NET experts from different subspecialties, in-addition to a dedicated biweekly meeting board for NETs. His areas of interest is exclusively neuroendocrine tumors, and he is the director of neuroendocrine tumors at UH Seidman Cancer Center. He has authored several peer-reviewed manuscripts and have received two Merit Awards from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is an active member of numerous medical societies, and serves on the educational committee of the NANETs (North American Neuroendocrine Tumors) Society.
Dr Eren Berber, M.D.
Dr Eren Berber, Cleveland Clinic Dr. Eren Berber graduated from Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty in 1994. He finished a General Surgery residency at Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty in 1999. He then continued his career in the United States by completing a General Surgery residency and a Laparoscopic Surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio) and University of California (San Francisco, California). He has been on staff in the Department of General Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio since 2005.
His areas of interest include neuroendocrine and liver tumors. His surgical practice focuses on laparoscopic and robotic liver surgery, laparoscopic liver tumor ablation, robotic surgery, conventional and minimally invasive endocrine surgery (thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pancreas), robotic thyroidectomy, robotic adrenalectomy and surgical ultrasound. He is a Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, and currently is the director of Robotic Endocrine Surgery and co-director of Multidisciplinary Liver Tumor Clinic. He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and over 15 book chapters. He is the director of Cleveland Clinic Annual Adrenal Diseases, Laparoscopic and Robotic Solid Organ and Minimally Invasive Liver Surgery courses. He serves on the editorial boards of Surgical Laparoscopy & Endoscopy, Videoendocrinology, and Journal of Surgical Oncology. He is an active member of numerous surgical societies, and serves on multiple committees. He is the past president for Clinical Robotic Surgery Association.
Much of Dr. Berber’s research happens to use the device that Dean helped to design and patent while at Vanderbilt finishing his PhD. BERBERE@ccf.org
Eric H. Liu, M.D.
Dr. Simpson is a computer scientist in the Hepatopancreatobiliary Service in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York. Dr. Simpson’s team in the Simpson Lab is focused on the development of novel computational strategies for cancer treatment. Using machine-learning techniques, Dr. Simpson’s lab uses computers to analyze the patterns in CT scans to decide on tumor type and aggressiveness.
With support from the Dean Paras Foundation, she will apply these techniques to pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs). Incidental PanNETs are identified at an increasing rate due to the widespread use of abdominal cross-sectional imaging. Current laboratory and imaging technologies are limited in their ability to distinguish between PanNETs that are slow growing, indolent tumors from aggressive tumors with the potential for early metastases. The goal of this research is to fill this gap by providing non-invasive and objective prognostic quantitative imaging markers (called radiomics) for personalized treatment of PanNETs.
Dr. Simpson’s radiomic research started at MSK three years ago as a Visiting Professor from Vanderbilt University where she was a close friend of Dean Paras. She was recruited to join the MSK faculty as the first PhD in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Simpson is a current recipient of an American Association of Cancer Research and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Career Development Award. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario
Dean and Amber happen to be best friends at Vanderbilt and for her to be a recipient of the proceeds of the fund raising from 2017 was an such an honor for her and for us. We know that she will do his memory proud with her efforts.
Jennifer Eads, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology and Oncology
University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center
Case Western Reserve University
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Eads received funding from our 2014 and 2015 Race proceeds for her research.
Dean A Paras Student Internship Grants
This an newly established fund in conjunction with University Hospitals here in Cleveland for Current students or Alumni from University School here in Cleveland, Ohio. Since the summer of 2015, this Grant has made it possible for two young men to pursue Summer Research in the area of Cancer Research in the AYA cancers. Each young man receives a stipend of $2500 to help in their work.
The young men have help us in our Annual fundraiser in October and often continue on with their research at UH after their summer experience.
The Constantine A Paras Biomedical Engineering Graduate Memorial Fellowship
This is now a fully funded Fellowship! The first Fellowship was offered in September of 2015 and allows Graduate students in the Bio-Medical Engineering Department of Vanderbilt University the opportunity to pursue their studies.
To dream, design and to help find solutions to so many of today's Research questions.
During the 2017 -2018 school year, the recent recipient was able to take the design that Dean had been working on to the next level of design and was issued an additional patent on his work.
APPLY FOR FUNDING FOR
ONGOING NEUROENDOCRINE RESEARCH
Email the foundation at deanparasfoundation@gmail.com
2012
$29,250 Dr Eric Liu @ Vanderbilt University
NET Research
2013
$32,500 Dr Eric Liu @ Vanderbilt University
NET Research
2014
$10,000 Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Memorial Fellowship @ Vanderbilt University
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$35,000 Dr Jennifer Eads @ University Hospital
NET Research
2015
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$35,000 Dr Jennifer Eads @ University Hospital
NET Research
1st Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt
2016
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
2nd Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt
2017
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$32,000 Dr Amber Simpson @ Memorial Sloan Kettering PNETs Research
$5,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to Curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
3rd Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt
2018
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$11,500 Dr Amber Simpson @ Memorial Sloan Kettering - PNETs Research
$12,500 Dr Eren Berber @ Cleveland Clinic
Neuroendocrine Parathyroid Research
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$6,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to Curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
4th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt University
2019
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$15,000 Dr Amr Mohamed - University Hospital Siedman Cancer NET Cancer Research
$5,000 Dr Eren Berber @ Cleveland Clinic
Neuroendocrine Parathyroid Research
$3,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to Curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
5th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt University
2020
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$25,000 Dr. Amr Mohammed - University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Net Cancer Research
$5,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
6th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt University
2021
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$25,000 Dr. Amr Mohammed - University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Net Cancer Research
$5,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
7th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt University
2022
$5,000 UH/University School Summer Internships
w/Dr. Letterio and AYA Cancer Research
$25,000 Dr. Amr Mohammed - University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Net Cancer Research
$5,000 NET Research Foundation
Dedicated to curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
8th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded @ Vanderbilt University
2023
$8,000 UH/University School Summer Internships w/ Dr. Letterio and AYA
Cancer Research ( 4 Boys Sponsored)
$5,000 NET Research Foundation Dedicated to curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
$1,000 Vanderbilt Constantine A Paras BME Memorial Graduate Fellowship
9th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded this Year at
Vanderbilt
$25,000 Dr. Amr Mohammed - University Hospital's Seidman Cancer NET Cancer Research
2024
$4,000 UH/University School Summer Internships w/ Dr. Letterio and AYA
Cancer Research ( 2 Boys Sponsored)
$4,000 NET Research Foundation Dedicated to curing Neuroendocrine Cancer
$2,000 Vanderbilt Constantine A Paras BME Memorial Graduate Fellowship
10th Constantine A Paras BME Graduate Fellowship Awarded this Year at Vanderbilt
$25,000 Dr. Amr Mohammed - University Hospital's Seidman Cancer NET Cancer Research
2025
$3,000 UH/University School Summer Internships w/ Dr. Letterio and AYA
Cancer Research ( 2 Boys Sponsored)
$1,000 Dr. John Letterio AYA Cancer Research for all of his ongoing support