Marilyn Hockenberry, PhD, RN, CPNP-BC, FAAN
- Cancer and Blood Disorders

Director, Nursing and Education, Global HOPE
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine
Email: mxhocken@texaschildrens.org
Languages: English
Departments:
Office location:
6621 Fannin Street
Houston, TX 77030
Get to know Marilyn Hockenberry, PhD, RN, CPNP-BC, FAAN
Dr. Marilyn Hockenberry is a distinguished leader in pediatric oncology and evidence-based practices and outcomes. She previously served as one of the 11 chairs of the Duke Institutional Review Board where she was a Professor of Pediatrics, was actively involved in the School’s cancer-related research initiatives and taught in the DNP program.
She also served as the nurse scientist for the hospital and director of the pediatric nurse practitioner program in the Texas Children’s Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) from 1994 to 2012. At Texas Children's Hospital, she served as director of the Center for Research and Evidence-based Practice from 2002 to 2009 and was director of the Evidence-based Outcomes Center from 2004 to 2009. Earlier in her career, she practiced as a hematology/oncology nurse practitioner at Duke University Medical Center and was a clinical associate in the Duke School of Nursing.
Dr. Hockenberry received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, a Master of Science degree from Texas Woman’s University in Houston and her Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certification through Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. She earned a PhD in nursing with distinction from the Medical College of Georgia.
Her research focuses on treatment-related side effects experienced by children who have cancer and is the recipient of numerous research grant awards. Her latest NIH funded research grant evaluates phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and their associations with symptom clusters experienced during treatment for childhood leukemia.
She has authored more than 80 publications, and has served for the past 10 years as senior editor for the Wong Pediatric Nursing Textbooks published by Elsevier. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She was appointed as a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Scientific Council in February 2011. She is the Vice-Chair for the COG Nursing Discipline and serves as the Research Chair for the COG Nursing Research Committee. She received the 2011 Distinguished Nurse Researcher Award and the 2011 Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing Writing Award at the 35th national conference of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses. In July of 2016 during the 27th International Nursing Congress in Cape Town, South Africa she received the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Award from Sigma Theta Tau International.
Education
School | Education | Degree | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Medical College of Georgia | PhD | Doctor of Philosophy | 1992 |
Texas Women's University | Masters | Master of Science, Nursing | 1979 |
Capital University | Bachelors | Bachelor of Science, Nursing | 1975 |
Organizations
Organization Name | Role |
---|---|
American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Fellow |
Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) | Member |
Children's Oncology Group (COG) | Chair, Nursing Discipline Research Committee |
Children's Oncology Group (COG) | Vice Chair, Nursing Discipline |
Children’s Oncology Group (COG) | Member, Scientific Council |
Oncology Nursing Society | Member |
Sigma Theta Tau International | Member |
Southern Nursing Research Society | Member |
Board Certification
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP)
Awards
2022 American Nursing Association Innovation Award
2016 Sigma Theta Tau Researcher Hall of Fame
2014 Distinguished Contributions to Nursing Science Award, Duke University School of Nursing
2014 Outstanding DNP Faculty Award, Duke University School of Nursing
2013 Merit Award, Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Nursing Discipline
2013 Bessie Baker Distinguished Professor
2011 Service Award, Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Nursing Discipline
2011 Distinguished Nurse Researcher Award, Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses
2011 Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing Writing Award, Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON)
2006 Best Nurse Leader Award, Advance for Nurses
2003 Super Star Partner Award, Texas Children’s Hospital
1999 Olivia Hodson Fellowship, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, England
1999 Chapter Friend Award, Houston Area NAPNAP Chapter
1998 Writer’s Award, Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON)
1998 Casey Hooke Distinguished Service Award, Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON)
1997 APON Bard Access Research Paper, 2nd place, National Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses
1996 Oncology Nursing Fellowship (ONF)/Ortho Biotech Clinical Research Scholar
1995 Nursing Celebration Honoree, District 5, Texas Nurses' Association
1994 Upjohn Quality of Life Award, Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
1992 Fellow American Academy of Nursing
1991 NCI-ONS Student Research Award, "Vulnerability to Stress Experienced During Treatment for Childhood Cancer"
1990 Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society, Alpha Epsilon Chapter
1990 Jean Ferguson Excellence in Pediatric Oncology Education Award
1990 National Center for Nursing Research Pre Doctoral Research Fellowship, National Institutes for Heath (NIH)
1989 Pre Doctoral Research Award, American Cancer Society
1985 Oncology Nursing Society/Schering Excellence in Cancer Nursing Research Award
1984 NCI-ONS Student Research Award, "Behavioral Treatment for Children Undergoing Intrusive Procedures", Oncology Nursing Congress
* Texas Children’s Hospital physicians’ licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician’s office and were not verified by Texas Children’s Hospital.