2019–2024
NCI R01: Cancer Caregivers and Their Struggle Between Work and Family
Co-Investigator on a multi-million-dollar study evaluating caregiver stress-management approaches and the competing demands of caregiving and work.
Research & Academic Work
Psychological science with real-world reach.
Dr. Pensak’s research spans behavioral medicine, psychiatric oncology, palliative care, caregiver distress, anxiety, treatment adherence, and technology-enabled mental health support.
Ph.D.Clinical Psychology
28Peer-reviewed articles
Academic Profile
From rigorous study to useful intervention.
Across academic medical centers, Dr. Pensak has focused on the emotional realities that accompany serious illness, caregiving, and behavioral health—and on making support more accessible in the moments it is needed.
YaleBehavioral Medicine training
Harvard / MGHPsychiatric oncology fellowship
28Verified peer-reviewed articles
Training & Appointments
An academic path across leading medical centers.
Education & Fellowship
01
University of Rhode Island
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology
02
Yale School of Medicine
APA-accredited internship and specialty training in Behavioral Medicine
03
Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Advanced fellowship training in psychiatric oncology
04
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
NIH T32 fellowship in aging and palliative care
Selected Positions
01
Director of Psycho-Oncology, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Hope Tower
02
Assistant Professor of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center
03
Assistant Scientist, Hackensack University Medical Center / John Theurer Cancer Center
04
Assistant Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Funded Work & Awards
Research designed around lived burden.
Selected support for studies addressing caregiver strain, serious illness, psychological distress, and practical intervention delivery.
2016–2018
National Palliative Care Research Center Career Development Award
Supported a randomized trial and career-development mentorship focused on a mobilized psychoeducation and skills intervention for caregivers of patients with advanced illness.
Complete Publication Record
28 peer-reviewed publications.
A verified record spanning 2010–2025, with direct links to PubMed or the publisher DOI record.
Research themes include psycho-oncology, caregiver support, anxiety, symptom management, adherence, digital intervention, transplant psychology, and survivorship.
About this record
Entries were verified against PubMed, publisher DOI records, and institutional sources. Earlier publications may appear under the author names Nicole Amoyal, Nicole R. Amoyal, or Nicole A. Amoyal; later records use Nicole Pensak, Nicole A. Pensak, or Nicole Amoyal Pensak.
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A Digital Intervention to Address Sexual Health in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Survivors
Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Areej El-Jawahri; Jennifer B. Reese; Lara Traeger; Don Dizon; Corey Cutler; Sharon Bober; Joseph A. Greer; Julie Vanderklish; Dustin J. Rabideau; Katherine Cronin; Mathew Reynolds; Nneka Ufere; Julia Rice; Madison Clay; Richard Newcomb; Zachariah DeFilipp; Vincent Ho; Robert J. Soiffer; Nicole Pensak; Yi-Bin Chen; Jennifer S. Temel
PMID 39938468DOI 10.6004/jnccn.2024.7076
Design and Development of a Multimodal Digital Intervention (SHIFT App) to Address Sexual Dysfunction in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Survivors.
Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
Richard Newcomb; Lara Traeger; Bailey Jones; Mathew Reynolds; Alexandra Tse; Jennifer B Reese; Don Dizon; Sharon L Bober; Joseph A Greer; Julie Vanderklish; Nicole Pensak; Zachariah DeFilipp; Yi-Bin Chen; Jennifer S Temel; Areej El-Jawahri
PMID 39181537DOI 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.08.012
Barriers and facilitators to taking CDK4/6 inhibitors among patients with metastatic breast cancer: a qualitative study
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Claire C. Conley; McKenzie McIntyre; Nicole A. Pensak; Filipa Lynce; Deena Graham; Roohi Ismail-Khan; Katherine Lopez; Susan T. Vadaparampil; Suzanne C. O'Neill
PMID 34997364DOI 10.1007/s10549-022-06518-2
More often than not, we're in sync: patient and caregiver well-being over time in stem cell transplantation.
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
Timothy S. Sannes; Krista W. Ranby; Miryam Yusufov; Benjamin W. Brewer; Jamie M. Jacobs; Stephanie Callan; Gillian R. Ulrich; Nicole A. Pensak; Crystal Natvig; Mark L. Laudenslager
PMID 35012566DOI 10.1186/s12955-021-01909-3
A pilot study of mobilized intervention to help caregivers of oncology patients manage distress
Psycho-Oncology
Nicole A Pensak, Alaina L Carr, Jacqueline Jones, Susan K Mikulich-Gilbertson, Jean S Kutner, Kristin Kilbourn, Timothy S Sannes, Benjamin B Brewer, Elissa Kolva, Tanisha Joshi, Mark L Laudenslager
PMID 33217070DOI 10.1002/pon.5597
Randomized Trial of a Smartphone Mobile App to Improve Symptoms and Adherence to Oral Therapy for Cancer
Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Joseph A Greer; Jamie M Jacobs; Nicole Pensak; Lauren E Nisotel; Joel N Fishbein; James J MacDonald; Molly E Ream; Emily A Walsh; Joanne Buzaglo; Alona Muzikansky; Inga T Lennes; Steven A Safren; William F Pirl; Jennifer S Temel
PMID 32023526DOI 10.6004/jnccn.2019.7354
Impact of a Mobilized Stress Management Program (Pep-Pal) for Caregivers of Oncology Patients: Mixed-Methods Study.
JMIR Cancer
Alaina L Carr; Jacqueline Jones; Susan Mikulich Gilbertson; Mark L Laudenslager; Jean S Kutner; Kristin Kilbourn; Timothy S Sannes; Benjamin W Brewer; Elissa Kolva; Tanisha Joshi; Nicole Amoyal Pensak
PMID 31066678DOI 10.2196/11406
Patient Experiences With Oral Chemotherapy: Adherence, Symptoms, and Quality of Life
Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Jamie M. Jacobs, Molly E. Ream, Nicole Pensak, Lauren E. Nisotel, Joel N. Fishbein, James J. MacDonald, Joanne Buzaglo, Inga T. Lennes, Steven A. Safren, William F. Pirl, Jennifer S. Temel, Joseph A. Greer
PMID 30865917DOI 10.6004/jnccn.2018.7098
Randomized Trial of a Tailored Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Mobile Application for Anxiety in Patients with Incurable Cancer
The Oncologist
Joseph A. Greer, Jamie Jacobs, Nicole Pensak, James J. MacDonald, Charn-Xin Fuh, Giselle K. Perez, Alina Ward, Colleen Tallen, Alona Muzikansky, Lara Traeger, Frank J. Penedo, Areej El-Jawahri, Steven A. Safren, William F. Pirl, Jennifer S. Temel
PMID 30683710DOI 10.1634/theoncologist.2018-0536
Mutuality and heart failure self-care in patients and their informal caregivers.
European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
Stephanie A Hooker, Sarah J Schmiege, Ranak B Trivedi, Nicole R Amoyal, David B Bekelman
PMID 28868917DOI 10.1177/1474515117730184
Pilot study of a multimodal intervention to enhance sexual function in survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Cancer
Areej El-Jawahri; Sarah R Fishman; Julie Vanderklish; Don S Dizon; Nicole Pensak; Lara Traeger; Joseph A Greer; Elyse R Park; Netana Markovitz; Lauren Waldman; Chrisa Hunnewell; Meredith Saylor; Jessica Driscoll; Zhigang Li; Thomas R Spitzer; Steven McAfee; Yi-Bin Chen; Jennifer S Temel
PMID 29537491DOI 10.1002/cncr.31333
Development of a Web-Based Intervention for Addressing Distress in Caregivers of Patients Receiving Stem Cell Transplants: Formative Evaluation With Qualitative Interviews and Focus Groups
JMIR Research Protocols
Pensak NA, Joshi T, Simoneau T, Kilbourn K, Carr A, Kutner J, Laudenslager ML
PMID 28642213DOI 10.2196/resprot.7075
Mobile Application to Promote Adherence to Oral Chemotherapy and Symptom Management: A Protocol for Design and Development
JMIR Research Protocols
Joel Nathan Fishbein; Lauren Ellen Nisotel; James John MacDonald; Nicole Amoyal Pensak; Jamie Michele Jacobs; Clare Flanagan; Kamal Jethwani; Joseph Andrew Greer
PMID 28428158DOI 10.2196/resprot.6198
Treatment Satisfaction and Adherence to Oral Chemotherapy in Patients With Cancer
Journal of Oncology Practice
Jamie M. Jacobs, Nicole A. Pensak, Nora J. Sporn, James J. MacDonald, Inga T. Lennes, Steven A. Safren, William F. Pirl, Jennifer S. Temel, Joseph A. Greer
PMID 28398843DOI 10.1200/JOP.2016.019729
A Systematic Review of Adherence to Oral Antineoplastic Therapies
The Oncologist
Joseph A Greer; Nicole Amoyal; Lauren Nisotel; Joel N Fishbein; James MacDonald; Jamie Stagl; Inga Lennes; Jennifer S Temel; Steven A Safren; William F Pirl
PMID 26921292DOI 10.1634/theoncologist.2015-0405
Measuring Coping Behavior in Liver Transplant Candidates: A Psychometric Analysis of the Brief COPE
Progress in Transplantation
Nicole Amoyal, Anne C. Fernandez, Reuben Ng, and Dwain C. Fehon
PMID 27358343DOI 10.1177/1526924816655253
Motivation for HPV Vaccination Among Young Adult Men: Validation of TTM Decisional Balance and Self-Efficacy Constructs.
American Journal of Health Promotion
Anne C. Fernandez; Nicole R. Amoyal; Andrea L. Paiva; James O. Prochaska
PMID 25806567DOI 10.4278/ajhp.131108-QUAN-570
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Culturally Tailored Internet-Delivered Intervention to Promote Blood Donation in Blacks
Health Promotion Practice
Mark L. Robbins; Andrea L. Paiva; Nicole R. Amoyal; Leslie Brick; Debra A. Kessler; Caitlin Burditt; Melinda Caltabiano; Beth H. Shaz
PMID 24801019DOI 10.1177/1524839914533344
Measuring kidney patients' motivation to pursue living donor kidney transplant: development of stage of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy measures
Journal of Health Psychology
Amy D Waterman; Mark L Robbins; Andrea L Paiva; John D Peipert; LaShara A Davis; Shelley S Hyland; Emily A Schenk; Kari A Baldwin; Nicole R Amoyal
PMID 24155194DOI 10.1177/1359105313501707
Sexual Recovery After Cancer
Current Sexual Health Reports
Nicole R. Amoyal; Lauren Nisotel; Don S. Dizon
Publisher recordDOI 10.1007/s11930-015-0042-1
Adolescent Substance Use Initiation: Correlates of the Profiles of Prevention
The Journal of Early Adolescence
Andrea L. Paiva; Nicole R. Amoyal; Janet L. Johnson; James O. Prochaska
Publisher recordDOI 10.1177/0272431613519497
Your Path to Transplant: a randomized controlled trial of a tailored computer education intervention to increase living donor kidney transplant
BMC Nephrology
Amy D Waterman; Mark L Robbins; Andrea L Paiva; John D Peipert; Crystal S Kynard-Amerson; Christina J Goalby; LaShara A Davis; Jessica L Thein; Emily A Schenk; Kari A Baldwin; Stacy L Skelton; Nicole R Amoyal; Leslie A Brick
PMID 25315644DOI 10.1186/1471-2369-15-166
Measuring the processes of change for increasing blood donation in black adults.
Transfusion
Nicole R. Amoyal; Mark L. Robbins; Andrea L. Paiva; Caitlin Burditt; Debra Kessler; Beth H. Shaz
PMID 22928841DOI 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2012.03864.x
Physical Exercise and Cognitive Training Clinical Interventions Used in Slowing Degeneration Associated With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation
Nicole Amoyal; Elizabeth Fallon
Publisher recordDOI 10.1097/TGR.0b013e31825fc8d3
Treated individuals who progress to action or maintenance for one behavior are more likely to make similar progress on another behavior: coaction results of a pooled data analysis of three trials.
Preventive Medicine
Andrea L. Paiva, James O. Prochaska, Hui-Qing Yin, Joseph S. Rossi, Colleen A. Redding, Bryan Blissmer, Mark L. Robbins, Wayne F. Velicer, Jessica Lipschitz, Nicole Amoyal, Steven F. Babbin, Cerissa L. Blaney, Marie A. Sillice, Anne Fernandez, Heather McGee, Satoshi Horiuchi
PMID 22425936DOI 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.02.017
Measuring coping behavior in patients with major burn injuries: a psychometric evaluation of the BCOPE.
Journal of Burn Care & Research
Nicole R. Amoyal, Shawn T. Mason, Neda F. Gould, Nida Corry, Soad Mahfouz, Adam Barkey, James A. Fauerbach
PMID 21562462DOI 10.1097/BCR.0b013e318217f97a
Peritraumatic heart rate and posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with severe burns.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Neda F. Gould, Jodi B. McKibben, Ryan Hall, Nida H. Corry, Nicole A. Amoyal, Shawn T. Mason, Una D. McCann, James A. Fauerbach
PMID 21034691DOI 10.4088/JCP.09m05405blu
Growth curve trajectories of distress in burn patients.
Journal of Burn Care & Research
Shawn T. Mason, Nida Corry, Neda F. Gould, Nicole Amoyal, Vincent Gabriel, Shelly Wiechman-Askay, Radha Holavanahalli, Sean Banks, Lisa Arceneaux, James A. Fauerbach
PMID 20061839DOI 10.1097/BCR.0b013e3181cb8ee6
Academic & Professional Collaboration