Lara Traeger

Lara Traeger is an Associate Professor at the University of Miami, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. She serves as the Lead of Translational Behavioral Medicine in Cancer and Aging. Her research focuses on developing behavioral and health services interventions to improve quality of life and care experiences for adults affected by cancer, particularly in areas like caregiver support, psychosocial interventions, and digital health solutions. She leads the Traeger Lab at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which explores strategies to enhance patient self-management and survivorship outcomes.

Her work emphasizes patient-centered strategies, including digital applications for caregivers undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and interventions addressing sexual health in transplant survivors. Dr. Traeger collaborates on studies involving immunotherapy toxicity, pain management in advanced cancer, and palliative care innovations. She has extensive publication output in top journals like J Clin Oncol, BMJ Open, and Support Care Cancer.

Dr. Traeger’s research is funded through grants supporting trials of digital tools (e.g., BMT-CARE App), group coping interventions, and hospice educational tools. Her lab’s focus on translational research bridges behavioral science with clinical oncology, aiming to reduce disparities in care and improve mental health outcomes.