The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center has named Christian “Chris” Nelson, PhD, a clinical psychologist and internationally recognized supportive oncology expert, as director of the Walther Center for Supportive Oncology, effective April 1. He will also serve as the Walther Senior Professor in Supportive Oncology, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at IU School of Medicine, and chief resilience officer at the cancer center.
Nelson plans to build a national example of compassionate, research-based supportive care for people with cancer. The Walther Center’s focus areas include palliative care, psycho-oncology, and integrative medicine. According to Nelson, palliative care helps treat symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and sleep disorders, with research showing that the sooner it is introduced, the better the outcome for patients.
Throughout his career, Nelson has specialized in improving the quality of life for patients treated for genitourinary malignancies and older adults with cancer. His research focuses on cancer’s impact on quality of life in prostate and geriatric cancer patients, sexual dysfunction after treatments, cognitive effects of hormonal therapy in prostate cancer patients, and emotional well-being in Black men with prostate cancer. He comes to IU from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where he served as chief of the psychiatry service and attending psychologist. Nelson has published more than 180 research articles with support from the National Institutes of Health.
The Walther Center was established with a transformative $14 million gift from the Walther Cancer Foundation to IU in 2018. Nelson’s recruitment was additionally supported by a $2.25 million gift from the Walther Cancer Foundation to the IU Health Foundation in 2025, which was matched by IU Health.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.newswise.com/articles/renowned-supportive-oncology-expert-to-lead-iu-center/?sc=rsla