Research Summary

I am Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), Director of Research at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, and a clinical researcher with a background in public health. I have been conducting research in complementary health approaches for over a decade using a range of methodological approaches including observational, cross-sectional studies on utilization of complementary medicine, and clinical trials of integrative medicine for chronic disease management.

My current program of research focuses on acupuncture and on group-based, integrative models for chronic pain conditions, particularly in conventional healthcare settings serving diverse populations. My research portfolio includes studies of integrative health approaches in real-world settings, including a prior K01 mentored career development award funded through NIH/NCCIH to study group acupuncture for painful diabetic neuropathy at ZSFG and a PCORI-funded randomized factorial trial of acupuncture and pain counseling to improve cancer-related pain management for hospitalized patients. Since 2017, with Drs. Chloe Atreya and Anand Dhruva, I have co-directed the Integrative Oncology Program at UCSF with the goals of supporting multidisciplinary integrative oncology research; improving access to integrative medicine clinical services for patients with cancer; and expanding and developing professional community in integrative oncology. Our preliminary data support the benefits of integrative approaches for cancer-related symptoms. Building on our prior studies, the next phase of our collaboration will address key gaps to optimize non-pharmacologic interventions for patients during active cancer treatment. I have relevant methodological and technical experience pertinent to this application, including developing study protocols of integrative medicine approaches for symptom management, recruiting patients in clinical settings, and collecting, managing, and analyzing mixed methods data from stakeholders.

Research Funding

  • April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2026 - Building and Sustaining Community Partnerships to Advance Integrative Health Equity , Multiple Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Mount Zion Health Fund, Sponsor Award ID: MZHF Grant #20230858
  • February 1, 2020 - January 31, 2025 - Summer Institute on Integrative Health Equity and Applied Research (IHEAR) , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: T35AT010592
  • August 12, 2022 - April 30, 2024 - Group-based Integrative Pain Management: A multi-level approach to address intersectional stigma and social isolation in diverse primary care safety net patients with chronic pain , . Sponsor: NIH/NIMHD, Sponsor Award ID: 1R61MD018333
  • January 1, 2021 - August 31, 2022 - Addressing Social Isolation and Expanding the Reach of the Integrative Pain Management Program through Telehealth , Multiple Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Mt Zion Health Fund, Sponsor Award ID: MZHF #20210356
  • May 1, 2018 - April 30, 2022 - Pragmatic Research of Acupuncture and Counseling eXtended to Inpatient Services (PRACXIS) , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: PCORI, Sponsor Award ID: CER 1609-36220
  • April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2021 - Establishing an Integrative Oncology Program to Advance Research and Improve Access , Multiple Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Mt Zion Health Fund, Sponsor Award ID: MZHF#20190896
  • September 1, 2017 - February 28, 2019 - Broadening non-pharmacologic options in the primary care safety net , Multiple Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Mt Zion Health Fund, Sponsor Award ID: MZHF#20170996
  • July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2017 - Group acupuncture for painful diabetic neuropathy among underserved patients , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: K01AT006545
  • March 15, 2003 - March 14, 2005 - Women's Use of Alternative Medicine: A Multiethnic Study , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: F31AT001401

Education

University of California, Santa Cruz, CA BA 06/1996 Women’s Studies
Columbia University, School of Intl & Public Affairs, NY MPA 05/1999 Health Policy
Columbia University, School of Public Health, NY DrPH 02/2005 Sociomedical Sciences
University of California, San Francisco, CA Postdoctoral 06/2011 Integrative Medicine

Honors & Awards

  • 2009
    North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine Travel Award; University of California, San Francisco, Post-doctoral Scholar Travel Award
  • 2009
    NIH/NCMHD Loan Repayment Award for Health Disparities Research (competitive renewal)
  • 2012
    University of California, San Francisco, Academic Senate Travel Award
  • 2014
    Mount Zion Health Fund Travel Award
  • 2020
    UCSF Mid-Career Development Award for Bolstering the Pipeline to Achieve Health Equity

Selected Publications

  1. Bahl S, Ritter V, Thompson-Lastad A, Ruvalcaba D, Jackson J, Fernando CM, Turchin C, Finch MA, Soldaini A, Swedlow P, Wennik J, Chao MT. Evaluating Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telehealth Integrative Pain Management Program Among Primary Care Safety-Net Patients. Glob Adv Integr Med Health. 2025 Jan-Dec; 14:27536130251321460.  View on PubMed
  2. Adams MCB, Bann CM, Bayman EO, Chao M, Hergenroeder GW, Knott C, Lindquist MA, Luo ZD, Martin R, Martone ME, McCarthy J, McCumber M, Meropol SB, Ridenour TA, Saavedra LM, Sarker A, Anstrom KJ, Thompson WK. Building Community Through Data: The value of a Researcher Driven Open Science Ecosystem. Pain Med. 2025 Jan 21.  View on PubMed
  3. Thompson-Lastad A, Hussein SN, Harrison JM, Zhang XJ, Ikeda MP, Chao MT, Adler SR, Weng HY. "May we be the bridge and boat to cross the water": Community-engaged research on metta meditation. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2025 Jan 09.  View on PubMed
  4. Huang AJ, Subak LL, Rowen TS, Schembri M, Raghunathan H, Gibson C, Pawlowsky S, Cheng J, Chao MT. A Multisite Randomized Feasibility Trial of a Remotely Delivered Pelvic Yoga Program for Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. J Integr Complement Med. 2024 Dec 26.  View on PubMed
  5. Chao MT, Thompson-Lastad A, Swedlow P, Prathikanti S, Hartogensis W, Wolfe-Modupe F, Wennik J. Group-Based Integrative Pain Management in Primary Care: A Study Protocol for Multilevel Interventions to Address Health Disparities. Glob Adv Integr Med Health. 2024 Jan-Dec; 13:27536130241302043.  View on PubMed
  6. Mishra KK, Leung IC, Chao MT, Thompson-Lastad A, Pollak C, Dhruva A, Hartogensis W, Lister M, Cheng SW, Atreya CE. Mindfulness-Based Group Medical Visits: Strategies to Improve Equitable Access and Inclusion for Diverse Patients in Cancer Treatment. Glob Adv Integr Med Health. 2024 Jan-Dec; 13:27536130241263486.  View on PubMed
  7. Chloe Evelyn Atreya, Ivan C. Leung, Maria T. Chao, Ariana Thompson-Lastad, Christine Pollak, Anand Dhruva, Wendy Hartogensis, Michael Lister, Stephanie W. Cheng, Kavita K. Mishra. Mindfulness-based group medical visits: Strategies to improve equitable access and inclusion for diverse patients in cancer treatment. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2024 Jun 1; 42(16_suppl):e13717-e13717.  View on PubMed
  8. Thompson-Lastad A, Harrison JM, Taiwo TK, Williams C, Parimi M, Wilborn B, Chao MT. Postpartum care for parent-infant dyads: A community midwifery model. Birth. 2024 Sep; 51(3):637-648.  View on PubMed
  9. Chao MT, Adler SR. Integrative Health Equity: Definition, Principles, Strategies, and Reflections. Glob Adv Integr Med Health. 2024 Jan-Dec; 13:27536130241231911.  View on PubMed
  10. Ashby J, Toveg M, Ye H, Rubin LH, Reddy S, Chao MT. The Assessment and Treatment of Inpatient Cancer-Related Pain with Acupuncture: Development of a Manual. Med Acupunct. 2022 Feb 01; 34(1):15-23.  View on PubMed
  11. Ho EY, Agne RR, Santana T, Thompson N, McClendon G, Ng E, Merrick S, Gonzalez F, Smith T, Drewke K, Gutierrez A, Floyd G, Chao MT. A Communication Perspective on What Patient Advisory Boards Do: Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis and Negotiating Advice. J Gen Intern Med. 2022 04; 37(Suppl 1):99-104.  View on PubMed
  12. Daubenmier J, Chao MT, Hartogensis W, Liu R, Moran PJ, Acree MC, Kristeller J, Epel ES, Hecht FM. Exploratory Analysis of Racial/Ethnic and Educational Differences in a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindfulness-Based Weight Loss Intervention. Psychosom Med. 2021 Jul-Aug 01; 83(6):503-514.  View on PubMed
  13. Ho EY, Leung G, Chao MT, Chan D, Hsieh E, Pritzker S, Chi HL, Huang S, Ruan Q, Seligman HK. Integrative Nutritional Counseling Combining Chinese Medicine and Biomedicine for Chinese Americans with Type 2 Diabetes: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2021 Aug; 27(8):657-668.  View on PubMed
  14. Ho EY, Thompson-Lastad A, Lam R, Zhang X, Thompson N, Chao MT. Adaptations to Acupuncture and Pain Counseling Implementation in a Multisite Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2021 May; 27(5):398-406.  View on PubMed
  15. Weng HY, Ikeda MP, Lewis-Peacock JA, Chao MT, Fullwiley D, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Gazzaley A, Hecht FM. Corrigendum: Toward a Compassionate Intersectional Neuroscience: Increasing Diversity and Equity in Contemplative Neuroscience. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:631816.  View on PubMed
  16. Weng HY, Ikeda MP, Lewis-Peacock JA, Chao MT, Fullwiley D, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Gazzaley A, Hecht FM. Toward a Compassionate Intersectional Neuroscience: Increasing Diversity and Equity in Contemplative Neuroscience. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:573134.  View on PubMed
  17. Ho EY, Pak S, Leung G, Xu S, Yu CK, Hecht FM, Jih J, Chao MT. Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Integrative Nutritional Counseling Versus Standard Diabetes Self-Management Education for Chinese Americans with Type 2 Diabetes. Health Equity. 2020; 4(1):410-420.  View on PubMed
  18. Weng HY, Lewis-Peacock JA, Hecht FM, Uncapher MR, Ziegler DA, Farb NAS, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Chao MT, Gazzaley A. Focus on the Breath: Brain Decoding Reveals Internal States of Attention During Meditation. Front Hum Neurosci. 2020; 14:336.  View on PubMed
  19. Liu R, Santana T, Schillinger D, Hecht FM, Chao MT. "It Gave Me Hope" Experiences of Diverse Safety Net Patients in a Group Acupuncture Intervention for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy. Health Equity. 2020; 4(1):225-231.  View on PubMed
  20. Chao MT, Schillinger D, Nguyen U, Santana T, Liu R, Gregorich S, Hecht FM. A Randomized Clinical Trial of Group Acupuncture for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Among Diverse Safety Net Patients. Pain Med. 2019 11 01; 20(11):2292-2302.  View on PubMed

Go to UCSF Profiles, powered by CTSI