Ashley Henneghan, Ph.D.

As a nurse, Ashley Henneghan’s clinical experience has focused on alleviating unwanted symptoms and optimizing wellness for persons with chronic diseases including cancer. She pursued a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing in 2012 and was awarded a fellowship to focus her research on identifying modifiable factors impacting inflammation and cognitive function of breast cancer survivors. Before joining the faculty at UT Austin, Henneghan spent a year as a postdoctoral fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Neuroimaging Lab for the Department of Neuro-Oncology. Her research integrates multiple levels of scientific investigation including biobehavioral methods, cognitive science and patient reported outcomes.

Henneghan’s lab now focuses on both understanding the underlying mechanisms of cancer-related cognitive impairment and evaluating targeted interventions to improve cognition following cancer treatment. She embraces multi-disciplinary research teams and is eager to collaborate. She is passionate about investing all that she can in the future of health care through education and by mentoring students and providing training experiences that could facilitate the development of leaders in nursing. Her areas of expertise include: Supportive oncology; Palliative care; Cognitive science; Biobehavioral methods; and Patient-reported outcome.