Lea Ann Matura, PhD, RN

Lea Ann Matura, PhD, RN is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Dr. Matura is an internationally recognized symptom scientist whose research focuses on chronic illnesses. Her work aims to design and test theoretically derived interventions to improve the patient’s health-related quality of life. Her current work is testing light therapy to alleviate fatigue in people with end stage kidney disease who are receiving hemodialysis. Another study is investigating the use of social virtual reality to diminish loneliness and social isolation in people receiving hemodialysis. Dr. Matura is also collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to create an AI companion chatbot to ease loneliness in older adults who are homebound. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.