Emory nursing PhD student earns NIH fellowship to study chemo-induced neuropathy

Emory nursing PhD student receives NIH fellowship to study chemo-induced neuropathy in breast cancer survivors

By Melanie Kieve Oct. 15, 2025

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Melanie Kieve

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Emory University nursing PhD student La-Urshalar Brock, FNP-BC, CNM, has been awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This highly competitive award supports promising predoctoral students conducting mentored research that contributes to the nation’s health-related research needs.

Brock’s research, titled “The Nerve of Chemo: Unpacking Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Survivors,” addresses a critical gap in survivorship care. As breast cancer treatments improve and survival rates increase, long-term side effects such as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) have emerged as significant challenges to quality of life. CIPN can cause numbness, pain, and balance issues, often leading to psychological and social difficulties.

Her study will focus on breast cancer survivors from populations with historically poorer treatment outcomes, aiming to understand the characteristics and severity of CIPN in these groups as well as treatment outcomes in patients treated with taxane chemotherapy.

This research will lay the groundwork for future interventions and the development of a longitudinal cohort to further explore CIPN’s impact.

An alumna of Emory, Brock earned her MSN as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife. She practiced midwifery until 2012 and has since specialized in breast and gynecologic oncology at Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute. She is a fourth-year PhD student at Emory’s Laney Graduate School and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Brock’s research is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under award number F31NR022232. The content is solely the author's responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Nicholas Giordano, PhD, RN, FAAN, of the Emory School of Nursing and Ilana Graetz, PhD, of the Winship Cancer Institute and the Emory Rollins School of Public Health are serving as Brock’s mentors on the project.

About the School of Nursing

As one of the nation's top nursing schools, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University is committed to educating visionary nurse leaders and scholars. Ranked the No. 1 master’s, No. 2 BSN, and No. 8 DNP programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the school offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and non-degree programs, bringing together cutting-edge resources, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences, and access to leading health care partners to shape the future of nursing and impact health and well-being. Learn more at nursing.emory.edu.

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