Marie A. Bakitas, DNSc, CRNP, NP-C, AOCN, ACHPN, FAAN

Dr. Marie Bakitas is professor and associate director at the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She is internationally recognized for her contributions to the fields of oncology nursing and palliative care. Her research interests focus on developing and testing novel early palliative care models for patients with serious illness, and their family caregivers, especially for underserved populations in rural areas. Her early telehealth palliative care model ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends), has led to practice and policy changes. Dr. Bakitas has been co- or principal investigator on more than thirty-three federal and foundation grants resulting in more than 100 original data-based papers, book chapters, books, and clinical guidelines. She has received prestigious research and mentoring awards from the National Institute of Nursing Research, the Oncology Nursing Society, the Council on the Advancement of Nursing Science, and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, among many others.