Elyse R. Park, PhD, MPH BHI’s Director of Behavioral Research, is among Massachusetts General Hospital’s top 25 researchers for sponsored research awards.  Dr. Park’s clinical research focuses on tobacco treatment for cancer patients, cancer risk perceptions, cancer survivor quality of life, and resiliency.

Dr. Park is currently overseeing $7.2 million in grant-funded research projects, including two $2.5 million multi-year studies funded by the national Institutes of Health (NIH).  Her studies involve the integration of mind body skills – specifically stress management and resiliency training– into tobacco treatment  for cancer patients.

“We’ve shown in our last randomized treatment trial that the integration of mind body skills was really a key factor in whether the tobacco treatment was successful for cancer patients,” Dr. Park said.  “The long and short of it is that cancer patients are more likely to quit and remain smoke-free if we teach them stress management coping skills and resiliency perspective strategies.”

Previous trials were conducted in an academic medical setting like MGH, yet the current trials will be implemented with community-based cancer center patients via an online telehealth platform.  Dr. Park praised Tobacco Treatment Counselors Laura Malloy, LICSW, CTTS and Irina Gonzalez, MD, CTTS, who are working with her on these studies and possess unique skills in both tobacco treatment and mind-body techniques.

“We are so proud of Elyse – she is an extraordinary researcher and is among the most generative of our scientists here at MGH,” said BHI Director Gregory Fricchione, MD.  “She is a mentor to a whole new generation of behavioral health researchers and BHI is very lucky to have her as a leader in this area.”

Dr. Park directs the MGH Clinical Research Program’s Qualitative Research Unit, teaching MGH investigators how to use qualitative research to inform interventions and measurement design. Her research has been supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Livestrong Foundation.  She has published over 180 peer reviewed original articles.  She is also an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a senior scientist at MGH’s Mongan Institute for Health Policy.  In 2017, she was honored as one of the 100 Everyday Amazing heroes by the MGH Cancer Center.

At the Benson-Henry Institute, Dr. Park has created a manualized version of the Stress Management and Resiliency Training- Relaxation Response Resiliency program (SMART-3RP) which is currently being tested with a variety of medical patient, clinician, and community-based populations.