Brain, Mind and Healing

There is a longstanding history of healing practices that compel the detailed study of the roles of the brain, mind and consciousness in health and illness. The growing body of basic and clinical scientific evidence supports the premise that a number of mind-body effects may be evoked by various spiritual and religious practices, experiences within the clinical encounter of medicine, and interactions with the environment. Researchers in our basic sciences laboratories are committed to employing state-of-the art developments in biosciences, coupled with innovative strategies and methods to study the outcomes, mechanisms and applications of novel approaches to health and healing. By employing a translational approach that is oriented toward advancing basic research to impact patient care and public health policy, this work is designed to implement an agenda of research applications “from bench to bedside to boardroom.”

Specific Objectives:

• Further clinical research on consciousness and mindfulness on health, illness and healing processes
• Develop a research program to study complexity, emergence, non-locality and causality within the brain and mind
• Develop a research program to study the effects, mechanisms and utilization of placebo effect(s) and responses in healing paradigms
• Develop research programs to study the effects and impact of spirituality on health
• Develop research paradigms that study and affect public perception of spirituality in health care
• Further clinical research on selected mind-body approaches (e.g., yoga, meditation, hypnosis, tai-chi) to enhance healing

View our program brochure (application/pdf, 2.6 MB, info).

Recent Publications

Click here to view recently published journal articles and book chapters.

Working With Us

Information coming soon.

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