Research

The Center's research program, led by Esther M. Sternberg, MD, is at the forefront of integrative medicine scientific inquiry. We promote broad partnerships with other University of Arizona departments as well as national and corporate research programs.

We are engaged in medical research demonstrating the health- and cost- effectiveness of integrative primary care. The Integrative Medicine Primary Care Trial (IMPACT) is under the leadership of the Center's executive director, Victoria Maizes, MD, in collaboration with researchers, economists, and health outcomes analysts at the Pharmarcoeconomics Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.

Because the Center's primary mission is integrative healthcare education, we are also engaged in research to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Integrative Medicine in Residency programs. Multi-year evaluations measure the improvements in residents' knowledge and clinical practices with results published in peer-reviewed journals, leading to the dramatic expansion of our online residency programs.

Converting scientific findings to actionable integrative medicine practices and tools, we are supporting our educational programs and the practitioners who are working to transform healthcare.

Why IM Research?

"The Methods we are developing through our research programs are at the leading edge of personalized and precision medicine and the impact of place on wellbeing. This research is capturing the imagination of leaders in many fields, from those interested in optimizing human health, wellbeing, and performance, to design professionals and military.

Ultimately, the methods we are developing to track human responses to complex experiences in real time will change the way integrative medicine interventions are measured and evaluated. We are breaking new ground in ways that will allow people to effectively use tailored approaches to manage their health and prevent disease."

—Esther M. Sternberg, MD, AWCIM director of research

Publications

Review a list of selected publications by researchers at the Center.

Institute on Place and Wellbeing

The Center's director of research, Esther M. Sternberg, MD, is also the founding director of the University of Arizona Institute on Place and Wellbeing. The Institute is a partnership of the Center for Integrative Medicine, the College of Medicine, and the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture. This collaboration, unique in the nation, is studying the impact of the built environment on health and wellness. Research at the Institute is changing standards for green and sustainable design, leading to the creation of healthy environments of all types and scales—hospitals, office buildings, schools, and homes—as well as urban design.

Building for Health

The University of Arizona Institute on Place and Wellbeing has been selected as a Founding Member of the American Institute of Architects Design and Health Research Consortium. The Institute's Rooms for Wellbeing exhibit, showcasing research on the built environment, won one of the Best Booth awards at the American Institute of Architects annual convention in 2016.