Jennifer Temel MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Clinical Director of Thoracic Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Director of Cancer Outcomes Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and co-leader of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Outcomes Research Program.  Dr. Temel’s research focuses on optimizing palliative and supportive care for patients with cancer and their families.  Her major research interest includes the study of early, integrated palliative care for patients with advanced cancers.  She is currently conducting a large, randomized study of the early, integrated care model in patients with incurable lung and gastrointestinal cancers.  Dr. Temel also serves as the Principal Investigator of a multi-site trial of early palliative care, conducted through the Alliance cooperative group.  She is also interested in enhancing patient-clinician communication and decision-making about end of life care.  As Director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program, she oversees over 25 multi-disciplinary independent investigators, trainees and research staff conducting outcomes and heath services research.  Dr. Temel was recently awarded a mid-career development award from the National Cancer Institute to enhance her efforts devoted to patient oriented research and mentoring.  She also serves as co-Principal Investigator on a National Cancer Institute R25, which funds a workshop on supportive oncology for trainees and junior faculty.  Dr. Temel has received grant funding from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Conquer Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society, National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Cancer Institute.