Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research at the University of Chicago

(http://tangcenter.uchicago.edu)

The Center was established in January 2000. The mission is to scientifically verify the effects of herbs, particularly those that historically have been used in the Far East and are now becoming more popular in the US as remedies for various illnesses or as enhancements to general health.

In addition to targeting specific herbs or diseases, the Center will also conduct basic research on additional and different aspects of herbal medicine. Some of the recent published discoveries include the effects of ginseng on diabetes and blood clot treatments, use of certain herbs to ameliorate side effects of opioids and to reduce cell damage from normal wear and tear. In addition the Center, jointly with the Institute for Advanced Research in Asian Science and Medicine, publishes the bi-monthly “The American Journal of Chinese Medicine”.

The Director of the Center is Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhD. Dr. Yuan is the Cyrus Tang Professor in the Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care at the University. He is a recognized expert in herbal medicine research, and is engaged in the active investigation of the benefits and adverse effects of commonly used herbal remedies. Members of the Center are drawn from various disciplines in Medicine and Healthcare. The researchers continue the long tradition of academic medicine at the University of Chicago, an institution that has produced more than 70 Nobel laureates.