Beth Savage, PhD, APN, CPNP, CPON

Assistant Professor

Division of Nursing Science

Newark

ACK 320

(973) 353-1941

As a member of the School’s Division of Nursing Science, Dr. Savage’s focus is on the impact of social determinants of health on adverse outcomes for children both during the treatment of cancer and well into survivorship. Following two decades as a pediatric oncology advanced practice nurse with the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Dr. Savage maintains a research appointment in their Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Section for Pediatric Population Science, Outcomes, and Disparities Research. Dr. Savage’s work, funded by the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, the Oncology Nursing Foundation, and the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research identifies relationships between a child’s environment and side effects of chemotherapy exposure and seeks biologic pathways underlying these disparities.

Education & Training

  • Rutgers University, PhD, Nursing, 2019
  • Seton Hall University, MSN, Pediatrics, 1999
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University, BSN, 1992
  • Rutgers University, BS, Environmental Science, 1990

Research/Scholarly Interests

  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Population Health and Disparities
  • Childhood Cancer Survivorship
  • Environmental Stress and Child Health

Clinical Specialties

  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Recent Research Activities/Funded Projects

  • The Role of Poverty in Acute Toxicities in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nursing, Research Grant, March 2020 to February 2021.
  • Characterization of a Holistic Biosignature of Cognitive Changes in Children Undergoing Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Oncology Nurses Foundation, October 2022 to September 2024.
  • Poverty, Neuroinflammation, and Executive Function in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research 2024 Pediatric Research Grant; July 2023 to June 2025.

Recent Publications

  • Savage, B, Cole, PD, & Lin, H. Race, Neighborhood Opportunity, and Life-Threatening Complications in Children with Cancer: A Moderated Mediation Approach. Cancer Nursing 46(6): 447-456,  doi. 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001201. 2023
  • Nicholson, L, Flynn, L, Savage, B, Zha, Pe, Kozlov, E. Hospice Referral in Advanced Cancer in New Jersey. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing 24(3): 167-174, doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000845. 2022
  • Nicholson BL, Flynn L, Savage B, Zha P, Kozlov E. Palliative Care Use in Advanced Cancer in the Garden State. Cancer Nursing. Published online. doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001105. 2022
  • Savage B, Cole PD, Lin H. Racial and Economic Differences in the Risk of Hyperglycemia in Children Hospitalized with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing; 38(5):277-284. doi: 10.1177/10434542211011040. 2021
  • Viola, AS, Drachtman, R, Kaveney, A, Sridharan, A, Savage, B, Delnevo, CD, Coups, EJ, Porter, JS, Devine, KA. Feasibility of medical student mentors to improve transition in sickle cell disease. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsab031. 2021
  • Viola, A. S, Levonyan-Radloff, K, Drachtman, R, Porter, J, Savage, B, Kaveney, A, … & Devine, KA. Understanding barriers to transition from pediatric to adult care among young adults with sickle cell disease to develop a transition mentor program. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 9(1), 68. 2021
  • Savage, B, Cole, P.D., Lin, H. Thomas-Hawkins, C.; Hispanic children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are at increased risk for pancreatitis; Cancer Nursing, 44(6): 509-515. 2020.
  • Savage, B., Thomas-Hawkins, C, Cole, PD, Stapleton, JL, de Cordova, PB; Increased risk of severe sepsis in Hispanic children hospitalized with acute myeloid leukemia; Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 37(6), 349-358. 2020
  • Viola, A, Drachtman, RA, Kaveney, A, Sridharan, A, Savage, B, Porter, JS, & Devine, K. Utilizing medical students as patient mentors: an intervention to improve transition readiness in young adults with sickle cell disease. Blood, 136, 34-35. 2020
  • Thomas‐Hawkins, C, Flynn, L, Zha, P,Savage, B; Associations among race, residential segregation, community income, and emergency department use by adults with end‐stage renal disease; Public Health Nursing, 36: 645– 652. 2019