Meet the MIHRC Researchers

Frank Anderson, MD, MPH
fwja@med.umich.edu
Obstetrics - Gynecology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, meditation, acupuncture/acupressure
• Disease/Population: Pregnancy and postpartum
• Research Methods: Animal models, preclinical work

Rita Benn, PhD
ritabenn@umich.edu
Integrative Medicine - Family Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Acupuncture/acupressure, energy medicine, guided imagery, homeopathy, meditation, spirituality/religiosity, whole system research, yoga
• Disease/Population: Breast/ovarian cancer, children/adolescents/women, depression/mental health, menopause/heart disease
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, preclinical work, qualitative research, cell lines/proteomics/genomics, survey research
• Current Studies:
  • University of Michigan Integrative Curriculum for Medicine and Allied Health
  • Social Emotional Competence and Stress Reduction in Middle School Students: A Pilot Study
  • Mind-Body Group Based Intervention for Women with a History of Abuse

Barry Bleske, PharmD
bbleske@umich.edu
Pharmacy

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, dietary supplements (e.g., CoQ10), holistic nutrition
• Disease/Population: Cardiac
• Research Methods: Animal models (myocytes), clinical trials, preclinical work
• Current Studies:
  • Mechanisms of Hawthorn Action in Heart Failure

Susan Blitz, MD
sblitz@umich.edu
Internal Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Massage, guided imagery, Tai Chi
• Disease/Population: Work-related injuries, job stress/burnout, affect of beliefs on treatment response
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, survey research

Marvin Boluyt, MD
boluytm@umich.edu
Kinesiology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals ( hawthorne )
• Disease/Population: Heart failure
• Research Methods: Animal models (rat, mouse), proteomics

Stephanie Brown, PhD
stebrown@umich.edu
Survey Research Center

• Primary Research Interest(s): Social contact, giving support, hormonal correlates of social bonds
• Disease/Population: Dialysis patients, cancer patients
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research, animal models, clinical trials

June Chan, MD
chanj@umich.edu
Radiation Oncology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Yoga, massage, meditation
• Disease/Population: Cancer (general)
• Research Methods: Qualitative research, survey research, clinical trials, preclinical work

Gregory Christman, MD
growthh@umich.edu
Obstetrics - Gynecology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (Western), dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Uterine fibroids
• Research Methods: Animal models, cell lines/proteomics/genomics, preclinical work, clinical trials

Donald Clewell, PhD
dclewell@umich.edu
Biology - Materials Science

• Primary Research Interest(s): Science of consciousness, microbiology/genetics/molecular biology, energy medicine (general)

James Colson, MD
colsonj@umich.edu
Anesthesiology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Acupuncture/acupressure
• Disease/Population: Cancer, neuropathic pain, OB , labor/delivery
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, preclinical work

Subhojit Dey, MD
subhojit@umich.edu
Epidemiology

• Primary Research Interests: Yoga, meditation, acupuncture/acupressure
• Disease/Population: Cancer, chronic pain (e.g., low backache), chronic diseases (e.g., asthma, diabetes)
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research

Raymond DeYoung, PhD
rdeyoung@umich.edu
Public Health

• Primary Research Interest(s): Whole system research (active living, sustained physical activity, design for sustainable living), mindfulness-based meditation, spirituality/religiosity
• Disease/Population: Stress, mental fatigue inactivity, general population, inactive/older adults
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral, survey research, clinical trials, preclinical work, qualitative research

Sonia Duffy, PhD., RN
sonia.duffy@med.va.gov
Otolaryngology, Psychiatry

• Primary Research Interests: Dietary supplements, meditation, spirituality/religiosity
• Disease/Population: Veterans, head and neck cancer
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research

Kim Eagle, MD
keagle@umich.edu
Internal Medicine - Cardiology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (all types), dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Acute coronary disease
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral

Mike Fetters, MD, MPH, MA
mfetters@umich.edu
Family Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Ethical issues, whole system research (e.g., TCM), acupuncture/acupressure
• Disease/Population: General ophthalmology, HIV in Chinese populations, generalist practice
• Research Methods: Survey research, qualitative research

Larry Gant, PhD, MSW
lmgant@umich.edu
Social Work

• Primary Research Interest(s): Meditation (mindfulness, mind-body skills), holistic nutrition, botanicals (Western, Chinese)
• Disease/Population: HIV/AIDS, cancer/oncology, victims of trauma, health disparities research
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research, animal models, cell lines/proteomics/genomics

Larry Gruppen, PhD
lgruppen@umich.edu
Medical Education

• Primary Research Interest(s): Spirituality/religiosity in patient coping with chronic disease
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, survey research

Maya Hammoud , MD
immaya@umich.edu
Obstetrics - Gynecology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, meditation, spirituality/religiosity
• Disease/Population: Menopausal women, pregnant women
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research

Rick Harris, PhD
reharris@umich.edu
Internal Medicine - Rheumatology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Acupuncture/acupressure, Tai Chi, massage, meditation
• Disease/Population: Fibromyalgia
• Research Methods: Genomics, survey research

Victor Hawthorne, MD
vmhaw@umich.edu
Epidemiology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Methodology (e.g., placebo effectiveness, regression to mean, bioethics)
• Disease/Population: Cardio-respiratory
• Research Methods: Epidemiological approach to population studies
• Current Studies:
  • The MIDSPAN Studies

Marc Hershenson, MD
mhershen@umich.edu
Pediatrics - Communicable Diseases

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (quercetin, flavinoids)
• Disease/Population: Asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis
• Research Methods: Animal models, cell lines/proteomics/genomics, clinical trials, preclinical work
• Current Studies:
  • Quercetin Treatment of Airway Inflammation

Gary Huffnagle, PhD
ghuff@umich.edu
Internal Medicine (Pulmonary) and Microbiology & Immunology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Holistic nutrition, botanicals, dietary supplements, probiotics and gastrointestinal health effects on immune response outside the gut
• Disease/Population: Allergies, sinusitis
• Research Methods: Animal models, clinical trials, preclinical work
• Current Studies:
  • Role of the Fungal Microflora in Mucosal Tolerance/Immunity

Carolyn Johnston, MD
johnstob@umich.edu
Obstetrics - Gynecology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Energy medicine, botanicals
• Disease/Population: Cancer
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, survey research

Lisa Kane-Low, PhD
kanelow@umich.edu
Nursing

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (Western), human presence, social support, role of doulas during childbirth
• Disease/Population: Childbearing women
• Research Methods: Qualitative research, survey research, clinical trials

Peter Kaufman, PhD
pbk@umich.edu
Cardiac Surgery

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (Western), dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Heart disease, depression, cancer (colon), osteoporosis
• Research Methods: Cell lines/proteomics/genomics (myocyte cell line), plant models (plant cell and shoot cultures)

Ara Kirakosyan, PhD
akirakos@umich.edu
Cardiac Surgery

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (all types - Western), dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Cancer, depression, heart disease
• Research Methods: Cell lines/proteomics/genomics, qualitative research

Ziad Kronfol , MD
kronfolz@umich.edu
Psychiatry

• Primary Research Interest(s): Mind-body research, spirituality/religiosity, meditation
• Disease/Population: Cardiac patients, cancer patients
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral

Laurie Lachance, PhD
lauriel@umich.edu
Health Behavior - Health Education

• Primary Research Interest(s): Whole system research, dietary supplements, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, mind-body therapies (e.g., meditation, yoga), spirituality/religiosity
• Disease/Population: Asthma, arthritis, chronic disease management
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, qualitative research, survey research
• Current Studies:
  • Are the Therapeutic Effects of Homeopathy attributed to the Consultation, the Homeopathic Remedy, or Both? An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Daniel Moerman, PhD
dmoerman@umich.edu
Behavioral Science, U-M Dearborn

• Primary Research Interest(s): Meaning response
• Disease/Population: Healing processes common to all therapies, cultural variances in these commonalities

Janaki Moni , MD
jmoni@umich.edu
Radiation Oncology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (saw palmetto-Western, Ayurvedic), dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Cancer (prostate, lung, other)
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, survey research

Hal Morgenstern, PhD
halm@umich.edu
Epidemiology

Claudia Ogden, RN
caogden@umich.edu
Integrative Medicine Clinic

• Primary Research Interest(s): Aromatherapy, energy medicine (healing touch)
• Disease/Population: Anxiety disorders, pain
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, qualitative research, survey research

Christopher Peterson, PhD
chrispet@umich.edu
Psychology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Positive psychology
• Research Methods: Survey research

Nirmala Rajaram, PhD
nirmala@umich.edu
Biological Chemistry

• Primary Research Interest(s): Reiki, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga
• Disease/Population: Cancer, pain, diabetes/heart, Alzheimer's Disease
• Research Methods: Cell lines/proteomics/genomics, clinical trials, observational/behavioral, preclinical work, qualitative research, survey research

Nancy Reame, PhD, MSN
nreame@umich.edu
Nursing

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (Black Cohosh, soy), acupuncture/acupressure, dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Menopausal women, women with premenstrual syndrome
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral, clinical trials
• Current Studies:
  • Neurobiology of Black Cohosh for Hot Flash Relief

Michelle Riba, MD
mriba@umich.edu
Psychiatry

• Disease/Population: Cancer
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral

Elizabeth Robinson, MSW, PhD
earrobin@umich.edu
Psychiatry

• Primary Research Interest(s): Meditation (mindfulness), spirituality/religiosity, guided imagery
• Disease/Population: Addictions, depression
• Research Methods: Qualitative research, survey research, clinical trials

Mack Ruffin, MD
mruffin@umich.edu
Family Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, chiropractic, diet
• Disease/Population: Cancer prevention
• Research Methods: Clinical trials

Brett Seabury, DSW, ACSW
bseabury@umich.edu
Social Work

• Primary Research Interest(s): Ethnic healing traditions, (Curanderismo, Espirtismo, Voodoo, Lucumi, Santeria, Native American healing, Spiritualism), energy medicine (Applied Kinesiology), meditation

Elisabeth Seymour, MS
seymoure@umich.edu
Cardiac Surgery

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, dietary supplements
• Research Methods: Animal models, cell lines/proteomics/genomics

Leslie Shimp, PharmD
lshimp@umich.edu
Pharmacy

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (particularly Western), dietary supplements, homeopathy
• Disease/Population: Women's health, menopause, PMS, Dysmenorrhea , elderly populations
• Research Methods: Survey research, clinical trials, qualitative research

Yolanda Smith, MD
ysmith@umich.edu
Obstetrics - Gynecology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (estrogenic)
• Disease/Population: Menopause
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, survey research

Laura Struble, PhD, RN
lstruble@umich.edu
Nursing

• Primary Research Interest(s): Acupuncture/acupressure, energy medicine (therapeutic touch), massage
• Disease/Population: Older adults, dementia
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral

Roberta Tankanow, PharmD
robertat@umich.edu
Pharmacy Services

• Primary Research Interest(s): Dietary supplements, aromatherapy, holistic nutrition
• Disease/Population: Asthma, cystic fibrosis, menopausal women
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, survey research

Alan Tsai, PhD
atsai@umich.edu
Environmental Health Science

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals (Western), dietary supplements, holistic nutrition
• Disease/Population: Weight reduction
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, observational/behavioral, survey research

Virginia Uhley, PhD, RD
vuhley@umich.edu
Integrative Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, dietary supplements, holistic nutrition
• Disease/Population: Obesity, menopausal women, cancer, diabetes
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, animal models, observational/behavioral, preclinical work, qualitative research

Brenda Volling, PhD
volling@umich.edu
Psychology

• Primary Research Interest(s): Whole system research (incl. health psychology), spirituality/religiosity, energy medicine (touch with premature infants)
• Disease/Population: Prematurity, stress and pregnancy, cardiovascular health and social relationships
• Research Methods: Observational/behavioral, survey research

Sara Warber, MD
swarber@umich.edu
Integrative Medicine - Family Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Whole system research, energy medicine, Shamanism
• Disease/Population: Cardiovascular disease, menopausal women, cancer
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, qualitative research, survey research, health services
• Current Studies:
  • Healing the Heart: A Pilot Research Study
  • University of Michigan Integrative Curriculum for Medicine and Allied Health

Suzanna Zick, ND, MPH
szick@med.umich.edu
Integrative Medicine - Family Medicine

• Primary Research Interest(s): Botanicals, holistic nutrition, dietary supplements
• Disease/Population: Healthy adults, individuals w/high risk for cancer, chronic heart failure, cancer survivors
• Research Methods: Clinical trials, preclinical work, survey research
• Current Studies:
  • Ginger Control of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Emesis
  • Trial of Essiac to Ascertain its Effect in Women with Breast Cancer
  • Phase I Single Dose Pharmacokinetic Trial of an Encapsulated Ginger Standardized to 5%-6-Gingerols

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