Dana-Farber researcher awarded Victoria Mock New Investigator Award

Posted date

Robert Knoerl, PhD, RN, an instructor in medicine and nurse scientist in the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been awarded the 2020 Oncology Nursing Society’s (ONS) Victoria Mock New Investigator Award.*

This prestigious award is given to a single candidate annually. It recognizes the contributions of new investigators in building a scientific foundation for oncology nursing practice.

Knoerl was recognized for his research into the use of integrative therapies for the management of cancer treatment-related symptoms; specifically, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. He is currently leading three studies. The first focuses on evaluating the efficacy of a clinician decision support algorithm to improve the assessment and management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in practice. The second explores the use of yoga for chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. The third aims to investigate the feasibility of implementing a mindfulness-based music therapy intervention to improve anxiety and stress in adolescents and young adults receiving chemotherapy.

Knoerl will be recognized during the Oncology Nursing Society Bridge Virtual Conference. He will give a virtual lecture that highlights his work and current research studies on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 10:15 am ET. The ONS 45th Annual Congress was previously scheduled to take place April 29-May 3, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Knoerl joined Dana-Farber after completing his undergraduate and doctoral nursing education at the University of Michigan. Knoerl says while at Dana-Farber he has received incredible mentorship, saying, “The amount of resources Dana-Farber has to promote cancer research is second to none.”

The ONS Victoria Mock New Investigator Award is named for Dr. Victoria Mock, who was a nursing pioneer in the 1980s whose work focused on fatigue management interventions. She lost her own battle with cancer a few years ago.

Knoerl is the third Dana-Farber Cantor Center nurse scientist to win the award. Meghan Underhill-Blazey, PhD, RN, AOCNS was the recipient in 2018 and Mary Cooley, PhD, RN, FAAN was the recipient in 2003.

* This press release was initially issued on December 16, 2019.  It is now updated and re-issued to reflect the change in the meeting date and format.

 


News Category
Research

Media Contacts

If you are a journalist and have a question about this story, please call 617-632-4090 and ask to speak to a member of the media team, or email media@dfci.harvard.edu.

The Media Team cannot respond to patient inquiries. For more information, please see Contact Us.