Katherine Zelinka, BSN, RN, CCRP, joined the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Clinical Research Associate I - RN in May 2018. There she worked on the St. Jude Life (SJLIFE) study for two years, communicating with patients, coordinating research visits, operating in several databases, and communicating with the many teams and clinics involved in this expansive study.
Since the beginning of 2020, she has also served as a study coordinator for over 20 different smaller studies at St. Jude. First, she coordinated TOT17 and SJMB12 and navigated the closing and reopening of these studies due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the rescheduling of upwards of a hundred clinical visits once research operations resumed. Zelinka ensured the successful scheduling or rescheduling of visits, educated patients on study equipment, documented study data, and worked with the various teams involved to ensure a seamless return to research activity. Next, she worked on the PROSYM qualitative research study, scheduling interviews, transcribing, and conducting qualitative interviews pertaining to our survivors’ experience of their symptoms.
Starting in 2021, Zelinka worked on the NEUROSTIM study which assessed the ability of transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) in combination with cognitive training to aid in the long-term cognitive side effects survivors experienced following childhood cancer treatment. She consented, trained study participants on use of the study device, monitored their progress throughout the intervention, managed adverse events, and collaborated across teams to ensure study testing (neurocognitive testing, MRI, etc.) went smoothly. Since 2023, she has worked as a leader in the Cancer Control Intervention Center (CCIC), a team founded by Dr. Kiri Ness. That team’s long-term purpose is to provide high-quality services for aims and projects intended to prevent or remediate the acute or chronic toxicities associated with cancer treatment exposures, genetics and host factors, and health behaviors in effort to improve quality of life for our survivors. Among other projects, this has involved working on studies testing remotely delivered exercise interventions such as CARTOXIII, COPILOT, EAYAHCT, and FITHOD as well as managing research aims for treatment protocols such as TOT17, SJMB12, and cHOD17.
After being promoted to Lead Clinical Research Associate (CRA) RN in 2024, her focus has largely been on regulatory tasks, new study start-up, and people management. Zelinka has learned a number of new skills thanks to the excellent mentorship of her supervisor, Sarah Terrell. After working on numerous studies involving populations spanning diagnoses, ages, active cancer therapy, survivorship, and more, she has come to see first-hand how devastating the long-term effects of pediatric cancer treatment can be and is eager to continue her work in this area in hopes of improving quality of life for current and future cancer survivors.
Zelinka is inspired by the work done in her department and after watching a member of her team, Elena Valencia Guerrero, complete the Clinical Investigations program and defend her thesis last year, she knew this would be an excellent way to deepen her understanding of the studies her team coordinates. It’s Zelinka’s hope to be able to contribute in a more meaningful way to study development and management in order to advance the St. Jude mission.
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Education:
2015 BS, Nursing – University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2015 Leading Ladies: Women Making a Difference at St. Jude Poster Session, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
2012 Presidential Merit Scholarship, University of Alabama
Publications:
McNickle A, Wogksch M, Partin RE, Terrell S, Zelinka K, Burgess J, Hudson MM, Ness KK. Remote assessment of physical function feasibility in survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE). American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting and World Congress. Boston, MA, May 28-31, 2024.
Payne KM, Wogksch M, Partin RE, Mulrooney D, Terrell S, Zelinka K, Burgess J, Kepper MM, Dixon SB, Ky B, Ehrhardt MJ, Brinkman T, Salerno EA, Hudon MM, Armstrong GT, Burns J, Ness KK. Correlation Between the 2-Minute Step Test and Clinically Measured VO2 Peak: A Report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. Presentation. Abstract. Seattle, WA, June 2025.