Research
The research activities of the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (SAOM) are supported by NYCC’s very developed Research Department. With a history of engagement in both clinical trials and basic science research the College’s Research Department, under the direction of Jean Marie Burke, offers substantial resources to the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine as its faculty engage in research activities.
Kevin Ergil (Associate Professor) and
Lixin Lao (Researcher at WFAS)
The SAOM Research Coordinator, Kevin Ergil, acts as a liaison with the Research Department and works with faculty and students to support both the integration and development of research within the school. The Research Coordinator has worked with members of the faculty and student body on a variety of projects which include developing materials to facilitate the integration of acupuncturists into area hospitals, developing research studies with collaborators at other colleges and universities, developing intramural collaborative research projects, creating teaching materials that support classroom integration of research development in the field, and establishing opportunities for members of the student body to participate in projects as research assistants.
fMRI image of human brain
Current active projects at the college include a pilot study using fMRI to assess differential responses (measured as cerebral activation) to real and sham acupuncture points, and two submissions to NIH one dealing with acupuncture in childhood obesity and the other (a collaborative project) examining acupuncture in the treatment of post-surgical illeus.
SAOM’s curriculum includes coursework that examines research fundamentals, and explores current developments in both basic science and clinical studies in acupuncture and Oriental medicine.
NYCC is an institutional member of the Society for Acupuncture Research and is proud to support the activities of the Society.