The Special Studies in Symptom Management team, led by founding director Dr. Joyce K. Anastasi, focuses to provide a comprehensive site for multidisciplinary scientific inquiry, clinical research, and educational training in the area of symptom management. Our mission is to advance the field by developing and testing noninvasive, non-opioid interventions that reduce symptom specific problems, promote long term health, prevent disease, and improve overall health and quality of life. This team has a long history of federal funding to conduct research in the area of symptom management associated with gastrointestinal, neurological and immunological conditions in persons with HIV. The team combines their expertise in symptom management and integrative therapies to bridge research and clinical education and training associated with symptom management. They are one of the first in the country to develop two sub-specialty curriculums focusing on integrative therapies and herb/nutraceutical/supplement safety, use and evidence for symptom management of chronic illnesses.
Collaborations with New York City community based organizations (CBOs) provide another important focus of our work. Members of this team volunteer to conduct presentations about clinical trials, health promotion, disease prevention, nutrition, integrative therapies practices and serve in healthcare advisory roles. This philosophy stems from the understanding of how relationships with CBOs are essential to recognize the needs of the population both short-term and long-term and the potential to develop new projects and the application of translational research into practice.