Despite widespread use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its increasing incorporation into the mainstream healthcare system, there is a need for further scientific evaluation on the safety and efficacy as well as scientific mechanisms of these therapies. The Center for East-West Medicine offers an environment for accomplished medical professionals to apply their expertise to address integrative East-West Medicine questions:

• Developing conceptual breakthroughs
• Elucidating mechanisms
• Performing clinical trials
• Translation research into clinical practice
• Finding innovative ways to create positive behavioral change through effective communication

The rich research environment at UCLA is ideally suited to support the East West Medicine Clinical Research Training Program to train clinicians and researchers who are capable of building the scientific base of integrative East-West medicine. As a core member of the UCLA Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine and an organized unit within the Department of Medicine, the Center staff is developing research projects within the Center and in collaboration with other departments. The research community of UCLA has been enhanced by a National Institutes of Health program in Translational Research in order to provide clinicians with the necessary training to become patient-oriented clinical investigators.