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Tara M. Brinkman, PhD
Tara M. Brinkman, PhD

Education

BA – Otterbein College 
MA, CAS – East Carolina University 
PhD – Michigan State University 

Research Interests

  • Neurobehavioral late effects of childhood cancer
  • Psychosocial impact of pediatric brain tumors
  • Psychological and behavioral interventions

Honors & Awards

  • 2019  American Association for Cancer Research Team Science Award
  • 2015-2018  St. Baldrick’s Research Scholar Award
  • 2013-2015  National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program

Current Research

  • Culturally adapted mobile treatment for chronic pain in adolescent survivors of pediatric bone sarcoma (ADAPTED), Principal Investigator
  • eHealth intervention for late effects of childhood cancer (SLEEPWELL), Principal Investigator (MPI)
  • Neurostimulation in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (NEUROSTIM), Principal Investigator (MPI)
  • Telehealth based intervention to improve fitness in survivors of childhood cancer with significantly limited exercise tolerance (CARTOXIII), Co-Investigator
  • Characterizing sleep among long-term survivors of childhood cancer (CSALTS), Co-Investigator
  • Social cognition and brain integrity in survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma (FACES), Principal Investigator
  • Meaning centered grief therapy for parents bereaved by cancer: A multisite randomized controlled trial (MCGT), Co-Investigator
  • Brain integrity in survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma treated with thoracic radiation (BRIGHT), Co-Investigator
  • Longitudinal assessment of frailty in young adult survivors of childhood cancer (FRAILTY), Co-Investigator
  • Establishment of a lifetime cohort of adults surviving childhood cancer (SJLIFE), Co-Investigator
  • Late effects after high-risk neuroblastoma (LEAHRN), Co-Investigator

Selected Publications

Lubas MM, Szklo-Coxe M, Mandrell BN, Howell CR, Ness KK, Srivastava DK, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. Concordance between self-reported sleep and actigraphy-assessed sleep in adult survivors of childhood cancer: The impact of psychological and neurocognitive late effects. Support Care Cancer Feb;30(2):1159-1168, 2022. PMID: 34435211. Role: Senior author

Lubas MM, Mandrell BN, Greene WL, Howell CR, Christensen R, Kimberg CI, Li C, Ness KK, Srivastava DK, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of the effectiveness of melatonin on neurocognition and sleep in survivors of childhood cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer Jan;69(1):e29393, 2022. PMID: 34674368. Role: Senior author

Williams AM, Krull KR, Howell CR, Banerjee P, Brinkman TM, Kaste SC, Partin RE, Srivastava D, Yasui Y, Armstrong GT, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Ness KK. Physiologic frailty and neurocognitive decline among young-adult childhood cancer survivors: A prospective study from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. J Clin Oncol Nov 1;39(31):3485-3495m, 2021. PMID: 34283634

Lubas MM, Mandrell BN, Ness KK, Srivastava DK, Ehrhardt MJ, Wang Z, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. Short sleep duration and physical and psychological health outcomes among adult survivors of childhood cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer Jul;68(7):e28988, 2021. PMID: 33822460. Role: Senior author

Tonning Olsson I, Alberts NM, Li C, Ehrhardt MJ, Mulrooney DA, Liu W, Pappo AS, Bishop MW, Anghelescu DL, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Ness KK, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. Pain and functional outcomes in adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort study. Cancer May 15; 27(10):1679-1689, 2021. PMID: 33369896. Role: Senior author

Lubas MM, Wang M, Jefferies JL, Ness KK, Ehrhardt MJ, Krull KR, Mulrooney DA, Srivastava DK, Howell RM, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Armstrong GT, Brinkman TM. The contribution of stress and distress to cardiovascular health in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Feb;30(2):286-294, 2021. PMID: 33234555. Role: Senior author

Lubas MM, Mirzaei Salehabadi S, Lavecchia J, Alberts NM, Krull KR, Ehrhardt MJ, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Brinkman TM. Suicidality among adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Cancer Dec 15;126(24):5347-5355, 2020. PMID: 32964427. Role: Senior author

Hayek S, Brinkman TM, Plana JC, Joshi VM, Leupker RV, Durand JB, Green DM, Partin RE, Santucci AK, Howell RM, Srivastava DK, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Armstrong GT, Ness KK. Association of exercise intolerance with emotional distress, attainment of social roles, and health-related quality of life among adult survivors of childhood cancer. JAMA Oncol Aug 1;6(8):1194-1202, 2020. PMID: 32584369

Wilson CL, Brinkman TM, Cook CA, Huang S, Hyun G, Green DM, Furman W, Bhakta N, Ehrhardt MJ, Krasin MJ, Robison LL, Ness KK, Hudson MM. Clinically ascertained health outcomes, quality of life, and social attainment among adult survivors of neuroblastoma: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. Cancer Mar 15;126(6):1330-1338, 2020. PMID: 31923330

Tonning Olsson I, Lubas MM, Li C, Mandrell BN, Banerjee P, Howell CR, Ness KK, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. Insomnia and neurocognitive functioning in adult survivors of childhood cancer. JNCI Cancer Spectr Feb 19;4(3):pkaa008, 2020. PMID: 32382693. Role: Senior author

Brinkman TM, Ness KK, Li Z, Huang IC, Krull KR, Gajjar A, Merchant TE, Klosky JL, Partin RE, Tonning Olsson I, Boop F, Klimo P Jr, Chemaitilly W, Khan RB, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Armstrong GT. Attainment of functional and social independence in adult survivors of pediatric CNS tumors: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. J Clin Oncol Sep 20;36(27):2762-2769, 2018. PMID: 30091946. Role: First author

Cheung YT, Brinkman TM, Li C, Mzayek Y, Srivastava D, Ness KK, Patel SK, Howell RM, Oeffinger KC, Robison LL, Armstrong GT, Krull KR. Chronic health conditions and neurocognitive function in aging survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. J Natl Cancer Inst Apr 1;110(4):411-419, 2018. PMID: 29088360

Cheung YT, Brinkman TM, Mulrooney DA, Mzayek Y, Liu W, Banerjee P, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Srivastava DK, Pui CH, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Impact of sleep, fatigue and systemic inflammation on neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes in long-term survivors of childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancer Sep 1;123(17):3410-3419, 2017. PMID: 28452142

Vuotto S, Krull KR, Li C, Oeffinger KC, Green DM, Patel SK, Srivastava DK, Stovall M, Ness KK, Armstrong GT, Robison LL, Brinkman TM. Impact of chronic disease on emotional distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the childhood cancer survivor study. Cancer Feb 1;123(3):521-528, 2017. PMID: 27764524. Role: Senior author

Brinkman TM, Krasin MJ, Liu W, Armstrong GT, Ojha RP, Sadighi Z, Gupta P, Kimberg C, Srivastava DK, Merchant TE, Gajjar A, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Long-term neurocognitive functioning and social attainment in adult survivors of pediatric central nervous system tumors: Results from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. J Clin Oncol Apr 20;34(12):1358-1367, 2016. PMID: 26834063. Role: First author

Brinkman TM, Bass JK, Li Z, Ness KK, Gajjar A, Pappo AS, Armstrong GT, Merchant TE, Srivastava DK, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Gurney JG. Treatment-induced hearing loss and adult social outcomes in survivors of childhood CNS and non-CNS solid tumors: Results from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Cancer Nov 15;121(22): 4053-4061, 2015. PMID: 26287566. Role: First author

Brinkman TM, Zhang N, Recklitis CJ, Kimberg C, Zeltzer LK, Muriel AC, Stovall M, Srivastava DK, Robison LL, Krull KR. Suicide ideation and associated mortality in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Cancer Jan 15;120(2):271-277, 2014. PMID: 24122148. Role: First author

Krull KR, Brinkman TM, Li C, Armstrong GT, Ness KK, Gurney JG, Zhang N, Kimberg C, Srivastava DK, Krasin MJ, Pui CH, Robison LL, Hudson MM. Neurocognitive outcomes decades after treatment for childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A report From the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. J Clin Oncol Dec 10;31(35):4407-4415, 2013. PMID: 24190124

Huang IC, Brinkman TM, Kenzik K, Gurney JG, Ness KK, Lanctot J, Shenkman E, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Association between the prevalence of symptoms and health-related quality of life in adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort study. J Clin Oncol Nov 20;31(33):4242-4251, 2013. PMID: 24127449

Brinkman TM, Zhu L, Zeltzer LK, Recklitis CJ, Kimberg C, Zhang N, Muriel AC, Stovall M, Srivastava DK, Robison LL, Krull KR. Longitudinal patterns of psychological distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Br J Cancer Sep 3;109(5):1373-1381, 2013. PMID: 23880828. Role: First author

Last update: November 2022

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