Research Summary

My work focuses on the study and clinical application of non-pharmacologic integrative medicine approaches for cancer supportive and palliative care. These include diet and lifestyle practices from Ayurvedic Medicine (a traditional medicine from South Asia), as well as Yoga, meditation, and natural products. I am a medical educator with expertise in teaching integrative medicine and research methods.

Education

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, BS, 1994, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, MD, 1999, Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 2002, Internal Medicine
University of California, San Francisco, 2006, Medical Oncology/Hematology
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 2008, Integrative Medicine

Honors & Awards

  • 1993
    Angell Scholar University of Michigan
  • 1994
    Phi Beta Kappa University of Michigan
  • 1994
    Graduated with honors and high distinction, University of Michigan
  • 1999
    Visiting Scholar at Oxford University (U.K.), Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine
  • 2007
    Bravewell Fellow University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine

Selected Publications

  1. Kober KM, Roy R, Conley Y, Dhruva A, Hammer MJ, Levine J, Olshen A, Miaskowski C. Prediction of morning fatigue severity in outpatients receiving chemotherapy: less may still be more. Support Care Cancer. 2023 Apr 11; 31(5):253.  View on PubMed
  2. Harris CS, Miaskowski CA, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Dunn LB, Dhruva AA, Levine JD, Olshen AB, Kober KM. Epigenetic Regulation of Inflammatory Mechanisms and a Psychological Symptom Cluster in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. Nurs Res. 2023 May-Jun 01; 72(3):200-210.  View on PubMed
  3. Harris CS, Kober K, Cooper B, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Dhruva AA, Cartwright F, Paul S, Levine J, Miaskowski C. Symptom clusters in oncology outpatients: stability and consistency across a cycle of chemotherapy. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2022 Nov 29.  View on PubMed
  4. Kober KM, Harris C, Conley YP, Dhruva A, Dokiparthi V, Hammer MJ, Levine JD, Oppegaard K, Paul S, Shin J, Sucher A, Wright F, Yuen B, Olshen AB, Miaskowski C. Perturbations in common and distinct inflammatory pathways associated with morning and evening fatigue in outpatients receiving chemotherapy. Cancer Med. 2023 03; 12(6):7369-7380.  View on PubMed
  5. Harris CS, Miaskowski CA, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Dhruva AA, Levine JD, Olshen AB, Kober KM. Gastrointestinal Symptom Cluster is Associated With Epigenetic Regulation of Lymphotoxin Beta in Oncology Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. Biol Res Nurs. 2023 Jan; 25(1):51-64.  View on PubMed
  6. Harris CS, Kober KM, Cooper B, Conley YP, Dhruva AA, Hammer MJ, Paul S, Levine JD, Miaskowski CA. Symptom clusters in outpatients with cancer using different dimensions of the symptom experience. Support Care Cancer. 2022 Aug; 30(8):6889-6899.  View on PubMed
  7. Harris CS, Dodd M, Kober KM, Dhruva AA, Hammer MJ, Conley YP, Miaskowski CA. Advances in Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Symptom Cluster Research: A 20-Year Perspective. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2022 Oct-Dec 01; 45(4):309-322.  View on PubMed
  8. Banerjee R, Huang CY, Dunn L, Knoche J, Ryan C, Brassil K, Jackson L, Patel D, Lo M, Arora S, Wong SW, Wolf J, Martin Iii T, Dhruva A, Shah N. Digital Life Coaching During Stem Cell Transplantation: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 Mar 04; 6(3):e33701.  View on PubMed
  9. Van Blarigan EL, Dhruva A, Atreya CE, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Milloy A, Kim I, Steiding P, Laffan A, Zhang L, Piawah S, Fukuoka Y, Miaskowski C, Hecht FM, Kim MO, Venook AP, Van Loon K. Feasibility and Acceptability of a Physical Activity Tracker and Text Messages to Promote Physical Activity During Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (Smart Pace II). JMIR Cancer. 2022 Jan 11; 8(1):e31576.  View on PubMed
  10. Harris CS, Kober KM, Conley YP, Dhruva AA, Hammer MJ, Miaskowski CA. Symptom clusters in patients receiving chemotherapy: A systematic review. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2022 Mar; 12(1):10-21.  View on PubMed
  11. Dragomanovich HM, Dhruva A, Ekman E, Schoenbeck KL, Kubo A, Van Blarigan EL, Borno HT, Esquivel M, Chee B, Campanella M, Philip EJ, Rettger JP, Rosenthal B, Van Loon K, Venook AP, Boscardin C, Moran P, Hecht FM, Atreya CE. Being Present 2.0: Online Mindfulness-Based Program for Metastatic Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients and Caregivers. Glob Adv Health Med. 2021; 10:21649561211044693.  View on PubMed
  12. Harris CS, Miaskowski CA, Dhruva AA, Cataldo J, Kober KM. Multi-Staged Data-Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis for Symptom Science Research. Biol Res Nurs. 2021 10; 23(4):596-607.  View on PubMed
  13. Kober KM, Roy R, Dhruva A, Conley YP, Chan RJ, Cooper B, Olshen A, Miaskowski C. Prediction of evening fatigue severity in outpatients receiving chemotherapy: less may be more. Fatigue. 2021; 9(1):14-32.  View on PubMed
  14. Banerjee R, Lazar AA, Dunn L, Knoche J, Lo M, Arora S, Wong SW, Wolf JL, Martin TG, Dhruva A, Shah N. Benzodiazepine and zolpidem prescriptions during autologous stem cell transplantation. EJHaem. 2021 May; 2(2):276-279.  View on PubMed
  15. Dhruva A, Wu C, Miaskowski C, Hartogensis W, Rugo HS, Adler SR, Kaptchuk TJ, Kelkar R, Agarawal S, Vadodaria A, Garris E, Hecht FM. A 4-Month Whole-Systems Ayurvedic Medicine Nutrition and Lifestyle Intervention Is Feasible and Acceptable for Breast Cancer Survivors: Results of a Single-Arm Pilot Clinical Trial. Glob Adv Health Med. 2020; 9:2164956120964712.  View on PubMed
  16. Singh KP, Dhruva A, Flowers E, Paul SM, Hammer MJ, Wright F, Cartwright F, Conley YP, Melisko M, Levine JD, Miaskowski C, Kober KM. Alterations in Patterns of Gene Expression and Perturbed Pathways in the Gut-Brain Axis Are Associated With Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 06; 59(6):1248-1259.e5.  View on PubMed
  17. Thompson-Lastad A, Atreya CE, Chao MT, Pollak C, Dhruva A, Santana T, Abrams DI. Improving Access to Integrative Oncology Through Group Medical Visits: A Pilot Implementation Project. J Altern Complement Med. 2019 Jul; 25(7):733-739.  View on PubMed
  18. Dhruva A, Atreya CE, Chao MT. Applying New Models of Care to Meet Patient Needs in Integrative Oncology. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Sep/Oct; 24(9-10):1010-1011.  View on PubMed
  19. Atreya CE, Kubo A, Borno HT, Rosenthal B, Campanella M, Rettger JP, Joseph G, Allen IE, Venook AP, Altschuler A, Dhruva A. Being Present: A single-arm feasibility study of audio-based mindfulness meditation for colorectal cancer patients and caregivers. PLoS One. 2018; 13(7):e0199423.  View on PubMed
  20. Mazor M, Cataldo JK, Lee K, Dhruva A, Paul SM, Smoot BJ, Dunn LB, Levine JD, Mastick J, Conley YP, Miaskowski C. Influence of Menopausal Status on the Symptom Experience of Women Before Breast Cancer Surgery. Cancer Nurs. 2018 Jul/Aug; 41(4):265-278.  View on PubMed

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