Ariane Levesque has been awarded the Outstanding Contributions as a Rising Star in Cancer Prevention and Control by the Society of Behavioral Medicine Cancer SIG. The distinction reflects not only individual achievement, but a broader commitment to advancing care for children with cancer through collaborative, multidisciplinary work.
In her own words, the recognition represents “the collective work we do to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer,” underscoring a central principle in modern oncology: meaningful progress depends on integrating diverse expertise across clinical, psychological, and research domains.
Advancing Pediatric Oncology Beyond Biology
At the Penn State College of Medicine,Ariane Levesque serves as Assistant Professor and Research Psychologist, contributing to both Pediatrics and Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics. Her work sits at the intersection of clinical care and behavioral science, focusing on how children experience cancer beyond the biological disease itself.
She leads the COPE Research Program, an initiative she founded to address the psychosocial challenges faced by pediatric patients and their families at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital. The program is designed to develop evidence-based strategies that improve quality of life during treatment and survivorship, with particular attention to emotional resilience, family dynamics, and long-term well-being.
A Focus on Families, Not Just Patients
Ariane Levesque’s research extends beyond the individual child, recognizing the central role of family relationships in shaping the cancer experience. Her work explores how communication, caregiving, and support systems influence outcomes, aiming to translate these insights into practical interventions that can be implemented in real-world clinical settings.
This approach reflects a growing shift in pediatric oncology, where psychosocial care is increasingly understood as an essential component of comprehensive treatment rather than a secondary consideration.
Training and Early Leadership
Ariane Levesque completed her PhD in Research Psychology at the University of Montreal in 2024, specializing in pediatric psychosocial oncology. Despite being early in her academic career, she brings over five years of research and leadership experience, positioning her among a new generation of investigators shaping the future of cancer care.
The Value of Multidisciplinary Progress
The recognition from the Society of Behavioral Medicine Cancer SIG highlights the importance of collaboration across disciplines in oncology. As Ariane Levesque emphasized, advances in cancer prevention and control are not achieved in isolation, but through coordinated efforts that bring together clinicians, psychologists, researchers, and support teams.
Her work exemplifies this model, bridging scientific rigor with patient-centered care and reinforcing the idea that improving outcomes in pediatric oncology requires attention not only to survival, but to the lived experience of patients and their families.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD