Lyn Balsamo

Lyn Balsamo, PhD, is an Associate Research Scientist in Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology) at Yale School of Medicine, affiliated with the Pediatric HEROS Survivorship Program, Yale Cancer Center, and the Pediatric Neuropsychological Program. She focuses on psychological aspects of pediatric cancer treatment, neurocognitive disorders, and survivorship care. Her work emphasizes resilience-building strategies, mental health support, and multidisciplinary approaches to improve quality of life for young cancer patients and survivors.

Education: PhD from American University (2003), followed by internships and fellowships at Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital and Yale School of Medicine.

Research Interests: Balsamo’s research addresses neurocognitive outcomes in childhood cancer survivors, psychosocial interventions for sickle cell disease, and longitudinal monitoring of quality-of-life metrics. She collaborates with neuropsychologists and oncology teams to develop evidence-based programs targeting stress management, resilience, and early intervention strategies.

Key Contributions: Her work includes evaluating neurocognitive assessment tools (e.g., CogState, BRIEF), improving sickle cell pain crisis management, and analyzing long-term psychological/educational outcomes in neuroblastoma survivors. She also studies family dynamics and parental perceptions in childhood cancer care.

Grants & Teams: Active in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) and Children’s Oncology Group (COG), contributing to cohort analyses and clinical guidelines. Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at Yale’s Smilow Cancer Hospital and pediatric specialty centers.

Labs/Programs: Leads initiatives within the Pediatric HEROS Survivorship Program and participates in neuropsychological research through Yale’s Department of Pediatrics.