Welcome to the
Endocrine Neoplasia Research Group
Washington University Department of Surgery
The Endocrine Neoplasia Research Group (ENRG) at Washington University is dedicated to advancing our knowledge of endocrine tumor biology. Our translational and collaborative research seeks to improve patient outcomes and discover new treatment opportunities for patients affected by endocrine tumors and cancers. Over its 20-year history, the endocrine neoplasia research program has been well-funded by the NIH (3 R01s, 1 R21, 2 K awards, a T32), society and industry support, and junior investigator grants. We have published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts in leading, high impact journals and ENRG has trained many junior scientists.
Parathyroid Research
Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the most common cause of hypercalcemia in ambulatory patients. Untreated PHPT causes bone loss, fractures, kidney stones, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive impairment. Our team of scientists investigates how G-protein coupled receptor signaling and parathyroid tumor clonal structure affects parathyroid tumor biology and treatment outcomes for patients treated with surgery.
Thyroid Research
Thyroid cancer is the 12th most common cancer with 2200 projected deaths in 2021. The incidence of advanced-stage thyroid cancers is also increasing and it was predicted that thyroid cancer costs were $18 to $21 billion in 2019. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive type of thyroid cancer, is highly lethal, and accounts for half of all thyroid cancer deaths. Improvements in treatment options is urgently needed. Our research is investigating how tumor clonal architecture affects responses to molecular therapies and how DNA repair pathways can be targeted in ATC to improve survival.