LUNGevity Awards Research Grant for RET-Positive Cancer Resistance Studies

LUNGevity and RETpositive have named Dr. Tejas Patil and Dr. Jie Wu as the 2026 recipients of their annual translational research award. The grant provides funding for scientific investigations into overcoming acquired drug resistance in patients diagnosed with RET-positive lung cancer.

The research project focuses on the molecular mechanisms that allow cancer cells to bypass targeted therapies. Overcoming this resistance is a priority in the oncology field, as it remains a common cause of treatment failure for patients with specific genetic mutations.

The funding aims to translate laboratory findings into therapeutic applications. By understanding how these tumors adapt to treatment, the researchers hope to develop combination therapies or new inhibitors that prolong patient response.

This award underscores a continued commitment to funding targeted research in rare lung cancer mutations. The findings from this project are expected to contribute to the broader clinical understanding of treatment persistence in precision oncology.