Our Science – Wiener Website

Lori Wiener, Ph.D.

Pediatric Oncology Branch Head, Psychosocial Section Staff Scientist National Cancer Institute Building 10 - Hatfield CRC, Room 1-6466 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 Phone:   301-451-9148 Fax:   301-480-3714 E-Mail:   wienerl@mail.nih.gov

Biography

Dr. Lori Wiener is the coordinator of the pediatric psychosocial research program in the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute. She has dedicated her career to the field of oncology and pediatric HIV/AIDS. Originally from New York, Dr. Wiener received her PhD in Social Work from New York University and held a private practice while working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Wiener joined the Pediatric Oncology Branch in 1986 to help the Chief of the Pediatric Branch (Dr. Philip Pizzo) incorporate pediatric HIV studies into the existing pediatric oncology program. Dr. Wiener's clinical research has focused on parental needs and coping, children's distress, sibling issues, mental health outcomes, diagnosis disclosure, transition from adolescence and young adulthood, loss and bereavement and interventions designed to meet the needs of critically ill children and their families. She also brings with her a wealth of information about the inner worlds of medically challenged children, some of which have been published in a book entitled Be A Friend (Albert Whitman and Company, 1994), An Alphabet about Families Living with HIV/AIDS, a workbook for children living with life threatening diseases called This is My World, and a workbook for siblings of ill children called Brothers and Sisters Together. Dr. Wiener is currently editing a reference book entitled Quick Reference for Pediatric Oncology Clinicians: The Psychiatric and Psychological Dimensions of Pediatric Cancer Symptom Management, due out in the spring of 2008.

Research

As part of the care provided at the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute, a wide range of support services are offered to patients and their families. These services are designed to address the social, psychological, emotional, and practical facets of pediatric cancer and to support patients and families while they are enrolled in clinical research protocols.

Research is another critical component of the psychosocial program.

Examples of some current research initiatives include:

Pilot Study of Educational Interventions in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors to Increase Donation and Transplantation Procedure Knowledge

An Exploratory Study of the Use of Five Wishes as a Tool for Advanced Care Planning in Adolescents and Young Adults with High Risk Cancer and HIV Disease

Parental permission and adolescent assent and decision making in clinical research

Current treatment practices of pediatric oncologists management of depression and anxiety disorders in 9 institutions across the United States

Beginning Soon:

A Phase I Study of Quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Recombinant Vaccine in HIV-Infected and HIV-Negative Pre-Adolescents, Adolescents and Young Adults

The Use of a Distress Thermometer in a Pediatric Research Setting: An Exploratory, Pilot Study

This page was last updated on 9/22/2008.