Positive psychology support for stem cell transplant survivors
Official title: Positive Psychology Intervention for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Survivors
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11383135 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A phone-delivered program helps people who survived stem cell transplantation feel less anxious or depressed and enjoy a higher quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 9, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $674,952 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA288557-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383135 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors experiencing anxiety or depression and seeking improvements in mood and quality of life.
✕Less likely to help
Survivors without significant psychological distress or those who prefer non-psychological approaches may not experience benefit.
What this research studies
This project offers PATH, a 15–20 minute, phone-based program designed to boost positive well‑being by cultivating gratitude, strengths, and meaning for HSCT survivors. It targets anxiety, depression, and overall quality of life, with sessions led by trained interventionists and delivered remotely to increase accessibility. The study will track symptom changes over time to see if this approach provides meaningful relief and better daily functioning for survivors who often face long recoveries and ongoing health concerns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, survivors could experience reduced anxiety and depression and improved quality of life through an accessible, low-burden intervention.
How similar studies have gone: Prior positive psychology approaches have shown promise in improving well-being, but tailored, phone-delivered PATH is a novel, scalable option for HSCT survivors.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Amonoo, Hermioni L. — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Amonoo, Hermioni L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Gentle electrical stimulation to keep muscles strong during stem cell transplant
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-
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-
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-
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Researchers are creating patient-specific lab models of the gut, liver, and blood to better understand and prevent GVHD after bone marrow transplant, with a focus on children.
-
Optimizing stem cell transplants to treat non-malignant blood diseases
A researcher is pursuing a five-year plan to improve stem cell transplantation strategies for non-cancer blood illnesses, with a focus on safer conditioning, better stem cell collection, and gene editing.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.