Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Thaddeus Pace Explores Stress Biology in Cancer Survivors Experiencing Distress, Fatigue and Depression
Sept. 27, 2023
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In an effort to recognize the achievements of our incredible faculty and staff, the University of Arizona College of Nursing is starting a monthly spotlight to share the great work accomplished by our noteworthy Wildcat Nurse community.
This month, meet Associate UArizona Nursing Professor Thaddeus Pace, PhD, who is also Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the College of Medicine, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Science, and Director of the College of Nursing Biological Core Laboratory at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Pace studies mechanisms of stress-biological changes in cancer survivors who experience distress, fatigue, and depression. Informed by this work, he also investigates the effectiveness of novel integrative interventions for survivors designed to optimize psychosocial wellness.
These include Cognitively-Based Compassion Training, a compassion meditation program, and curcumin. Dr. Pace's research is supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health of the United States. He is a PopTech Science Fellow and was named one of Tucson's 40 Under 40 by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Pace’s interests and expertise include cancer survivorship, health equity, interventions, mental health, physiological, psychological, quantitative methods, and social determinants.
Most recently, Dr. Pace received a new award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. This new two-year, R21 grant is a partnership with the College of Public Health and the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. The goal of the study is to test the efficacy of a smartphone-based meditation app to reduce psychological distress among firefighters.
Read more about Dr. Pace’s innovative research in these articles from our news archive:
Mind Over Cancer: Reducing Stress with Compassion Meditation