Father Muller College of Physiotherapy Principal Wins Prestigious Global Young Investigator Award in Australia

Mangaluru, July 11: In a moment of immense pride for Indian healthcare and the physiotherapy fraternity, Prof. Cherishma D’Silva, Principal of Father Muller College of Physiotherapy, has been conferred 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, on **25–26 June 2026.

The MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting is one of the world’s leading 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 congress serves as a premier platform for presenting cutting-edge research, fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, and advancing evidence-based supportive cancer care.

The Young Investigator Award is among the highest honours presented at the international congress. It is awarded to first authors of the highest-ranked scientific abstracts, selected through a rigorous peer-review process from thousands of submissions worldwide.

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 highlights the transformative role of exercise oncology in reducing treatment-related complications and improving functional outcomes among patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Her research emerged among the top entries from over 3,000 scientific abstracts submitted globally, reflecting its scientific rigour, innovation, and clinical significance. Notably, Prof. D’Silva has become only the fifth Indian in more than two decades to receive this distinguished international honour, marking a significant milestone for Indian physiotherapy and supportive cancer care research.

Congratulating Prof. D’Silva, Rev. Fr. Faustine Lucas Lobo, Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), expressed immense pride on behalf of the management and the entire Father Muller family.

“This outstanding international recognition reflects Prof. Cherishma D’Silva’s unwavering dedication to scientific excellence, innovation, and patient-centred research. Her achievement brings immense honour not only to Father Muller Charitable Institutions but also to the nation. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish her continued success as she advances the frontiers of research and continues to bring laurels to our institution and the physiotherapy profession,” he said.

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

Her academic career has been marked by steady progression in leadership. She became Unit Head of Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy in 2015, was appointed Head of the Department of Physiotherapy in 2021, and, in August 2023, became the founding Principal of Father Muller College of Physiotherapy, where she continues to provide visionary leadership in academics, research, innovation, and professional development.

Currently pursuing her PhD in Onco-Rehabilitation at NITTE (Deemed to be University), Prof. D’Silva’s doctoral research focuses on exercise-based rehabilitation for patients with head and neck cancer. She has published extensively in reputed Scopus-indexed journals, including PeerJ, secured competitive physiotherapy research funding, and presented scientific papers at several national and international conferences. She is also a sought-after speaker at professional forums across the country.

Her growing international reputation has earned her several prestigious honours, including 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 MASCC Young Investigator Award 2026 now stands as the highest international recognition of her contributions to supportive cancer care research.

Beyond research, Prof. D’Silva has played a significant role in 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, reflecting her commitment to strengthening physiotherapy education and advancing allied healthcare professions.

Prof. D’Silva’s remarkable achievement is a celebration of perseverance, scientific excellence, and global leadership in physiotherapy research. Her success further reinforces Father Muller Charitable Institutions’ commitment to nurturing world-class healthcare professionals and promoting impactful research that contributes meaningfully to global cancer care.