Jennifer Snaman, MD, MS

Dr. Jennifer Snaman is a clinician investigator in pediatric palliative care and pediatric oncology and the Director of Pediatric Palliative Care Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital. Her research focuses on amplifying the patient voice in decision-making among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with advanced cancer. In partnership with bereaved parents, her work has illuminated the early bereavement experience following a child’s death from cancer, emphasizing the critical role of clinicians, care teams, and healthcare institutions in supporting families during the first years after loss.

Dr. Snaman’s aims to develop innovative, evidence-based strategies to strengthen communication, decision-making, and bereavement support for patients and families affected by pediatric cancer. She co-leads the Palliative Care and Resilience (PCAR) Lab, which includes six interprofessional pediatric researchers and around 20 early career mentees focused on improving care for seriously ill children and those that care for them.