Danielle Chammas

Danielle Chammas, MD, is an Associate Clinical Professor in the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine within the Department of Medicine. Her work focuses on integrating psychological principles into palliative care delivery.

• Education: MD from University of California, San Francisco (2010)
• Current faculty position since 2025

Research interests center on palliative care communication, particularly around emotional support, coping mechanisms, and therapeutic relationships in serious illness. Key themes include:

• Psychotherapeutic applications in clinical settings
• Couple dynamics during terminal diagnoses
• Humor as coping strategy
• Addressing patient sexuality in palliative contexts
• Existential aspects of loneliness

Publication trends (2020-2025) show interdisciplinary engagement across medicine, psychology, and nursing, with recent emphasis on dyadic support systems and communication frameworks. Notable collaborations include Michael Rabow, Tami Rowen, Alan Shindel, and Neha Goyal at UCSF.

Key research areas identified through concept mapping include:

• Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing
• Physician-Patient Relations
• Cancer Care Facilities
• Adaptation to Serious Illness
• Narrative Medicine approaches
• Telemedicine applications