Bastyr University's cancer research studies will advance well into the middle of the decade, thanks to a new grant the University received in partnership with the University of Washington. Bastyr was awarded $4.52 million over the next four years for the Bastyr/UW Oncomycology Translational Research Center, which will study the healing power of Asian medicinal mushrooms on breast and prostate cancer.
"As the leading higher education institution in natural health arts and sciences, Bastyr University is at the forefront of cutting edge wellness research and global collaborations," said University President Daniel K. Church, PhD. "This grant will fund rigorous studies relating to natural treatment of prostate and breast cancer."
The funding comes from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and bolsters Bastyr's already strong Research Institute, which has conducted more than 100 basic and clinical research studies in integrative, complementary and alternative medicine through the years.
Co-principal investigators on the grant are Leanna J. Standish, ND, PhD, LAc, FABNO, from Bastyr and Mary L. (Nora) Disis, MD, of the Translational Medicine and Women's Health and Tumor Vaccine Group at the University of Washington. Other collaborators include Celestia Higano, MD, FACP, who directs the UW Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Group, and researchers with both the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Developmental Center for Research in Complementary Alternative Medicine (DCRC) at the University of Minnesota.
The announcement of this latest award follows a $3.1 million grant Bastyr received jointly with Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in July 2010. That grant was awarded by the NIH and focuses on the study of complementary and integrative care for breast cancer.
"The public's increased interest in natural health care has created a growing need for basic and clinical research in natural health practices," Dr. Church said. "To help meet that need, Bastyr University has steadily expanded its research efforts for more than a quarter century. This research is a fundamental part of our mission, and we are proud to be one of the international leaders in this field."
About Bastyr University
Bastyr University, located near Seattle, Washington, is internationally recognized as a pioneer in natural medicine. As the largest accredited university for natural health arts and sciences in the U.S., Bastyr offers more than 17 degree and certificate programs in fields such as naturopathic medicine, acupuncture & Oriental medicine, and whole-food nutrition. Founded in 1978, the University now includes a leading-edge research facility (the Bastyr University Research Institute) and outstanding clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health. The University’s second campus, Bastyr University California, opened in San Diego, California, in fall 2012, becoming the state’s first and only accredited school of naturopathic medicine.