Mangaluru: Father Muller College of Physiotherapy has earned global recognition as its Principal, Prof. Cherishma D’Silva, received the prestigious Young Investigator Award 2026 at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and the International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO) Annual Meeting, held in Melbourne, Australia, from June 25 to 26, 2026.

The international honour recognises Prof. D’Silva’s outstanding contribution to cancer rehabilitation research, placing her among the world’s leading young investigators in supportive oncology care.

Global recognition for pioneering cancer rehabilitation research

The MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting is one of the world’s premier scientific congresses dedicated to supportive cancer care, bringing together oncologists, physicians, dentists, physiotherapists, nurses, rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, pharmacists, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals from across the globe.

The Young Investigator Award is one of the congress’s most prestigious recognitions and is presented to first authors of the highest-ranked scientific abstracts selected through a rigorous international peer-review process.

Prof. D’Silva received the award for her research titled “A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial of an Exercise Oncology Program on Chemoradiotherapy-induced Complications in Head and Neck Cancer.”

Her study demonstrated the significant role of Exercise Oncology in reducing treatment-related complications and improving functional outcomes among patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancers.

Research selected from over 3,000 global submissions

Prof. D’Silva’s research stood out among more than 3,000 scientific abstracts submitted by researchers worldwide, reflecting its scientific excellence, innovation, and clinical relevance.

Significantly, she has become only the fifth Indian in more than two decades to receive this prestigious international honour, marking a milestone for Indian physiotherapy and supportive cancer care research.

FMCI congratulates Prof. Cherishma D’Silva

Congratulating Prof. D’Silva, Rev. Fr. Faustine Lucas Lobo, Director, Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), described the achievement as a proud moment for the institution and the country.

He said the international recognition reflects Prof. D’Silva’s dedication to scientific excellence, innovation, and patient-centred research, adding that her accomplishment brings immense honour to Father Muller Charitable Institutions and India.

Distinguished academic and researcher

An accomplished academician, clinician, researcher, and administrator, Prof. Cherishma D’Silva is an alumna of Father Muller College of Physiotherapy, having completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2003. She later earned her Master of Physiotherapy (Cardiopulmonary Sciences) from Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, before joining Father Muller Institutions as a Lecturer in 2010.

Her academic journey has seen steady progression through several leadership roles. She became Unit Head of Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy in 2015, Head of the Department of Physiotherapy in 2021, and in August 2023, became the founding Principal of Father Muller College of Physiotherapy.

Currently pursuing her PhD in Onco-Rehabilitation at NITTE (Deemed to be University), her doctoral research focuses on exercise-based rehabilitation for patients with head and neck cancer.

Impressive research credentials

Prof. D’Silva has authored several research papers published in reputed Scopus-indexed journals, including PeerJ, and has secured competitive research grants in physiotherapy.

She has presented scientific papers at numerous national and international conferences and is widely recognised as a speaker on physiotherapy and cancer rehabilitation.

Her previous international recognitions include the ICMR Young Scientist Travel Grant (2024) and the MASCC Conference Scholarship Award (2025), which enabled her to present her research at the MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting in Seattle, USA.

The Young Investigator Award 2026 now stands as the highest international recognition of her contributions to supportive cancer care research.

Advancing physiotherapy education

Beyond research, Prof. D’Silva has contributed significantly to academic governance and professional development. She has served as a member of the Academic Council of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) and has recently been appointed Nodal Officer for Karnataka by the Karnataka State Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.

Her latest achievement reinforces Father Muller Charitable Institutions’ commitment to promoting world-class healthcare education, research, and innovation while advancing physiotherapy and supportive cancer care on the global stage.