Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medicine

Harvard Medical School Osher Research Center

“To administer medicines to diseases which have already developed and thereby suppress bodily chaos which has already occurred is comparable to the behavior of those who would begin to dig a well after they have grown thirsty, or those who would begin to cast weapons after they have engaged in battle. Would these actions not be too late?”

- From The Yellow Emperor's Inner Medicine Classic, 500 BC

Research Training: Complementary and Integrative Medicine

The Division offers a three-year Research Fellowship program supported in part by funding from the National Institutes of Health. The program allows participants to complete a Masters of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, followed by a year of protected time to complete innovative research projects. Please click here to download eligibility information and application materials.

Marcus Natural Product Research Program

This program, co-directed by David Eisenberg, MD and Jon Clardy, PhD, is a unique, evidence-based program in natural product research and drug discovery. An authenticated library of natural product extracts is being developed and will be screened to identify potential new treatments for diseases and chronic conditions. A portfolio of natural product-based preclinical and clinical research projects is being developed with both HMS-affiliated and non-HMS institutions.

Note to Scientists: If you have been invited to screen the Marcus Natural Product Library, we invite you to submit a proposal for review by Scientific Director, Bruce A. Littlefield, PhD.

Placebo and Healing Research

This multi-disciplinary program led by Ted Kaptchuk uses clinical trials, neuroimaging, historical, psychological, genetic, anthropological and health service studies to examine placebo effects. The program has an active bioethics component as well. Cathy Kerr, one of the investigators based at the Osher Research Center, is investigating neural processes underlying touch perception and bodily feelings. Learn more about her work by visiting www.osher.hms.harvard.edu/kerrlab.

Asian Medicine Research Program

The Asian Medicine activities of the Osher Research Center include the Tai-Chi Mind-Body Research Programs, led by Drs. Peter Wayne and Gloria Yeh. This research explores the clinical effects and underlying physiological and biophysical mechanisms of tai chi and other mind-body therapies for a range of diseases and conditions. In addition, Dr. Andrew Ahn is conducting innovative research on the mechanisms of acupuncture, including development of equipment to study acupuncture’s effects.

Clinical Research/ Osher Clinical Center Partnership

Two major initiatives in clinical cost-effectiveness research, both led by Dr. David Eisenberg, are currently underway. The first is the development of a large demonstration project to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of treatment for low back pain by a trained multi-disciplinary integrative care team. The second involves the design and testing of a prototype “teaching kitchen” as part of the care plan for patients with certain chronic diseases and conditions, e.g., obesity, diabetes and heart diseases..

Publications

A list of publications by Division faculty and fellows is published periodically throughout the year. Please click here to download the most recent list.