Funding Opportunities

A well recognized limitation of conventional medicine is its longstanding specialization, which often results in a view of the body as a collection of separate body parts or systems. Integrative medicine research seeks to understand connections across physiological systems (e.g. Does breathing influence the digestive system? Do body movements influence the immune system?).

In addition, integrative medicine research emphasizes integration of research approaches “from cells to animal models to patients.” For example, we know that mechanical forces have profound effects on cells in a culture dish, but how does this translate to physiological processes in a whole animal or human?

The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine offers research funding opportunities that will help move medicine toward a new model of wellness and healing.

Funding Mechanism Details

Pilot Research Grants

Pilot Research Grants

The Osher Pilot Research Grants provide seed grants to support collaborative projects consistent within the domains of research in the Osher Center’s evolving 2021-2026 Strategic Plan:

  • The Science of Mind-Body Connections,
  • Clinical Effectiveness of Multimodal and Integrative
    Interventions,
  • Systems and Translational Biology in Integrative Medicine,
  • The Science of Human and Nature Connections, and
  • Lifestyle, Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

The purpose of this program is to provide early funding for innovative projects in the field of integrative medicine including basic, translational, and clinical research.

Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis, as pilot grants of $25,000 to $50,000, with up to four grants available each annual funding cycle.

Applications undergo a formal peer-review process and will be ranked for funding priority based on strategic and scientific merit.

Timeline

09/01/2023: RFA Announcement
01/15/2024: Letter of Interest Due
03/01/2024: Full Applications Invited
04/15/2024: Full Applications Due
07/01/2024: Awardees Announced
09/01/2024: Funding and Projects Commence

Eligibility

All members of the Harvard Medical School (HMS) research community with a faculty appointment of instructor and above are invited to apply. Individuals may serve as the PI of only one proposal per application cycle.

Review criteria

The mission of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is to advance leading-edge research, education, and clinical care to promote an integrative model of health, healing, and well-being. The vision of the Osher Center is a systems-based, integrative model of health that recognizes and leverages interconnections of body, mind, and spirit to enhance resilience and promote health, healing and well-being in individuals and their communities.

Therefore, Pilot Projects will be evaluated primarily for their potential to advance the strategic mission and vision of the Osher Center through collaborative, cross-disciplinary innovative research related to integrative medicine.

Projects must be scientifically meritorious and aligned with the one or more of the following strategic themes: the Science of Mind-Body Connections, Clinical Effectiveness of Multimodal and Integrative Interventions, Systems and Translational Biology in Integrative Medicine, and Placebo and the Science of Human Connections.

  • Projects should not be merely an extension of ongoing work but rather novel ideas/programs which require seed funding.
  • Projects creating new collaborations between PIs, research groups, or institutions within the HMS community will be given priority.
  • Priority will also be given to projects that are translational and/or integrate across physiological systems.

Review Process

  • From the letters of interest (LOI), approximately 10 applicants will be invited to submit full applications. LOIs will be reviewed by an ad-hoc Osher Center Pilot Grant Review Committee (chaired by the Osher Center Research Director).
  • Full applications undergo a formal peer-reviewed process and will be ranked according to NIH criteria. Ranked proposals will be reviewed by the Osher Center Directors, and final decisions will be announced on July 1st, 2024.
  • Written critiques will not be provided.

Reciprocity

  • Recipients will be obligated to provide a progress report to the Osher Center at six months, and an oral presentation at the end of the funding period (one year), or at the Osher Integrative Medicine Network Forum, or upon completion of the study.
  • Grantees will notify the Osher Center when other grants are received as a result of pilot funding.
  • Grantees will acknowledge the Osher Center in publications resulting from seed grant support and will notify the Osher Center when such papers have been submitted.

Indirect Cost Policy

The intention of the Osher Center Pilot Research Grants is to foster multidisciplinary collaborative projects across institutions. While these limited funds are intended to cover research, rather than administrative costs, we understand that some institutions require a certain proportion of grants to cover indirect and/or modified direct costs.

The Osher Center pilot award will allow up to 15% of the total award to be used as indirect and/or modified direct costs, including any indirect costs associated with sub-awards.

We encourage applicants to work with their respective parent and subcontracting institutions, if applicable, to reduce administrative costs if possible so that the maximum amount of the awards can be used for the research projects. 

Submitting Letters of Interest 

Questions

For questions about eligibility and the application process, please contact the Osher Center at Email[email protected]

Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Integrative Medicine (NIH funded)

A key element of the education agenda for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is a research fellowship training program, which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) since 1999.

Under the direction of Dr. Gloria Yeh, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a clinician investigator in the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the program allows participants to complete a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, followed by a year of protected time to complete innovative research projects.

This highly successful program has graduated 20 post-doctoral (predominantly MD) fellows, most of whom have gone on to positions in academic medicine. The training program touches all of the major HMS-affiliated hospitals, with fellows past and present conducting research studies at different institutions based on their areas of interest.

Prospective Applicants: Key Dates

  • October 6, 2023 – Application deadline for 2024 start (all materials must be in)
  • November 6 & 7, 2023 – Candidate interviews (group and individual) for 2024
  • December 1, 2023 (anticipated) – Application deadline for 2024 Harvard School of Public Health Master’s Program
  • February 1, 2024 (anticipated) – Application deadline for 2024 Program in Clinical Effectiveness
  • July 1, 2024 Fellowship begins

All application submissions and inquiries may be directed to [email protected].

Download the Application for 2024

More information about the Integrative Medicine fellowship at HMS

Chiropractic Research Fellowship

Chiropractic Research Fellowship Osher Center for Integrative Health

Application deadline: November 1, 2023

Program Location: Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Program Directors: Peter Wayne PhD and Matthew Kowalski DC

Purpose

This fellowship aims to advance chiropractic research through cultivating and mentoring an exceptional candidate in a 3-year postdoctoral program that is focused on the development of research skills to support a career as an independent researcher in clinical musculoskeletal health or pain management research. Secondary opportunities will also be provided for advanced clinical training within a multidisciplinary academic medical clinic. Priority will be given to candidates with existing experience in clinically-related research domains, including clinical, basic, translational, and epidemiological.

Program Overview

This fellowship will run in parallel with the Harvard Medical School Research Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, one of the longest standing NIH-funded training programs devoted to complementary and integrative medicine research (https://oshercenter.org/fellowships/).

Chiropractic fellows will participate in all program activities, including pursuing a Master of Public Health program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completion of an independent research study. Fellowship Eligibility and Qualifications

• Applicants must have a DC degree from an CCE accredited chiropractic college or university.

• Applicants must be a US citizen or permanent resident. Applications from women and minorities are encouraged.

• Selection will favor applicants with prior experience in clinical musculoskeletal health or pain management research with chiropractic care or other manual therapies, and evidence of a commitment to becoming an independent researcher.

• Successful completion of Parts I-IV of the NBCE National Boards and licensed or eligible to apply for a license to practice chiropractic in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

To Apply

The application deadline is November 1, 2023.

A final decision will be announced December 1, 2023.

The fellowship will begin on July 1, 2024.

Questions and completed applications should be addressed to Ms. Shannon O’Brien ([email protected]).

Support

This program is made possible by a generous grant from the NCMIC Foundation, Inc.

———————————————————————

Read Program Curriculum Overview:

Chiropractic Fellowship Academic Curriculum (2024-2027)

Download & Complete Application Form:

Chiropractic Fellowship Application Form (2024-2027)