Eligible to Direct Dissertations

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Behavioral Oncology, Indiana University
PhD, The University of Kansas
MEd, Auburn University
BM, The Florida State University

Research Areas

Serious Illness Care

Specialties and Expertise

Biography

Sheri Robb, PhD, is a Walther Professor of Supportive Oncology in the Indiana University Schools of Nursing and Medicine, and a full member of the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Robb is internationally recognized for her expertise in pediatric music therapy and behavioral intervention research. She is a board-certified music therapist with degrees in music therapy and early childhood special education. Robb also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in behavioral oncology and cancer control at Indiana University, followed by a training award in clinical and translational research from the Indiana CTSI.

Dr. Robb’s program of research focuses on development and testing of music interventions to manage distress and improve positive health outcomes in children and adolescents with cancer and their caregivers. Most recently, her team has incorporated biomarkers into their trials to understand more fully how active music interventions work to mitigate cancer-related stress and its potential to improve immune function. Dr. Robb is an established investigator with more than twenty years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Robb has made significant contributions to the Sound Health initiative, which is working to accelerate our understanding about the use of music for health benefit through interdisciplinary collaboration. Sound Health is a collective effort of the NIH, NEA, John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, and world-renowned opera singer Renée Fleming. Dr. Robb has served as plenary speaker, expert panelist, and contributor to advances including the NIH Music-Based Intervention Toolkit and the NEA/UCSF Sound Health Network. To address calls for more transparent and accurate reporting in published music intervention research Dr. Robb also led development and validation of Reporting Guidelines for Music-based Interventions.

Media Features

Music Engagement for Health Collaborative

Reporting Guidelines for Music-based Interventions

NIH Music-Based Intervention Toolkit

Sound Health Network

Certification Board for Music Therapists

American Music Therapy Association

External Funding

U24 AT012601 (2023-2028). Music4Pain Network: A Research Network to Advance the Study of Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Music and Music-based Interventions on Pain. (Bradt, PI; Robb, Co-I).

NEA Military Healing Arts Network (2023-2026). Stepped-Care Intervention of Music and Imagery to Assess Relief (SCIMITAR) Trial. (Bair/Story, MPIs; Robb, Consultant).

K12 TR004415 (2023-2028). Indiana CTSI K12 Mentored Research Career Development Program. (Robb, PI, 2023; Robb/Gupta, MPIs, 2024).

R61AT011519 (2022-2024). Effects of Music Training Neurodevelopment and Associated Health Outcomes. (Habibi/Luao, MPIs; Robb, Consultant).

T32NR018407 (2019-2024). Advanced Training in Self-Management Interventions for Serious Chronic Conditions.
(Robb/Miller, MPIs, 2021-2022).

KL2 TR002530 (2018-2022). Indiana CTSI Mentored Early Career Investigators Program. (Robb, PI; 2021-2022).

Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. Feasibility and Acceptability of Music Imagery and Listening Interventions for Analgesia (FAMILIA). (Story/Bair, MPIs; Robb, Co-I).

US Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service (HSRD). Expanding Expertise through E-health Network Development Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUE 20-010). (Story/Bair, MPIs; Robb, Co-I)

NEA P0541213. (2020-2024). NEA Sound Health Network. (Johnson/Limb, MPIs; Robb, Consultant).

R01 NR019190. (2019-Open). Biologic Mechanisms and Dosing of Active Music Engagement in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Parents. (Robb, PI).

R01 NR015789. (2016-2020). Mechanisms of Active Music Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes of Children with Cancer and Parents. (Robb, PI).

Indiana University School of Nursing, Center for Enhancing Quality of Life in Chronic Illness. (2015-2019). Active Music Engagement for Young Children Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for Cancer and Parents. (Robb, PI).

Indiana University School of Nursing, Center for Enhancing Quality of Life in Chronic Illness. (2015-2017).Testing the Family Management Efficacy (FAME) Intervention for African American Families of Adolescents with Disruptive Behavior Disorders. (Oruche, PI; Robb, Co-I).

Children's Oncology Group. ANUR1131. (2011-2016). Palliative Cancer Care: Music video for AYA-parent communication and resilience. (Haase/Robb, Co-Chairs).
R01 CA162181. (2011-2016). Palliative Cancer Care: Music video for AYA-parent communication and resilience. (Haase/Robb, MPIs).

Research in Palliative and End-of-Life Communication and Training (RESPECT) Center. (2012-2014). Stories and music for parents and young children with cancer: A clinical feasibility study. (Robb, PI).

Indiana CTSI. KL2RR025760. (2010-2012).

Parent implemented active music engagement (AME) for young children with cancer: A clinical feasibility study. (Robb, PI).

Children's Oncology Group. ANUR1131. (2005-2011). Music video and adolescent resilience during transplant. (Haase/Robb, Co-Chairs).

R01 NR008583. (2005-2011). Music video and adolescent resilience during transplant. (Haase, PI; Robb, Co-I).

Publications

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