NIH Grant Awarded to Music Therapist

NIH Research Grant Awarded to Music Therapist, Dr. Joke Bradt, and Team to Investigate Underlying Mechanisms of Music Therapy to Palliate Pain in Advanced Cancer Patients

Principal Investigator Joke Bradt, PhD, MT-BC, at Drexel University’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies, College of Nursing and Health Professions along with a collaborative research team at Hahnemann University Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital have been awarded a $1,270,000 grant by National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR016681) for their study Mechanisms of Music Therapy to Palliate Pain in Patients with Advanced Cancer. Chronic pain is one of the most feared symptoms in people with cancer. Insufficient relief from pharmacological treatments and the fear of side effects are important reasons for the growing use of complementary pain management approaches in cancer care. The purpose of this 3-year multi-site randomized controlled trial is to examine the underlying mechanisms of interactive music therapy for chronic pain management in people with advanced cancer. The study will recruit outpatients with advanced cancer and bone metastases pain at Hahnemann University Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The multidisciplinary team of co-investigators includes, from Hahnemann University Hospital, Lydia Komarnicky, MD, Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology; Cynthia Gifford-Hollingsworth, PhD, Research Administrator, Department of Surgery; Fengqing Zhang, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology; and Juan Muniz, PhD, Director of the Drexel University Excellence in Nutrition and Exercise Lab. Thomas Jefferson University co-investigators are Andrea Barsevick, PhD Professor, Population Science Division, Department of Medical Oncology; and Dr. Brooke Worster, MD, Medical Director of Ambulatory Palliative Care.

Congratulations to Dr. Bradt and the team!

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