2026 Ayurveda Research Workshop
California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine · Thryv with CAAM
Simple. Focused. Practical.
5 Research Workshop Sessions
Saturdays • 8:30–10:00 AM PST
August 19 – October 10, 2026
3 Journal Club Discussions
5:30–7:00 PM PST
(Dates mentioned below)
$150 Members | $200 Non-Members
Includes all 5 Research Workshop sessions and all 3 Journal Club discussions.
Earn 12 CE credits
Designed for Ayurvedic practitioners, students, and anyone interested in Ayurvedic research.
Why Research Matters
If there is one thing that can help advance Ayurveda in today's healthcare landscape, it is research.
Every practitioner is already gathering valuable clinical observations through patient care. Every intake, treatment plan, follow-up, and outcome contributes to our collective understanding of Ayurveda.
This workshop is designed to help you recognize that value and give you practical tools to document, interpret, and communicate your clinical experience with greater confidence.
Whether you're a student, an experienced practitioner, or simply curious about research, this series provides an accessible place to begin.
Designed for Busy Practitioners & Students
Research can sound intimidating—but this program is intentionally designed to be practical and approachable.
No previous research experience required
No required homework or assignments
Optional activities for those who want to explore the material more deeply
Attend the live sessions and participate at your own pace
Immediately apply what you learn to your own clinical practice
You can attend, absorb, and benefit fully without completing a single assignment.
What Makes This Program Different
This isn't just a lecture series.
The program combines five Research Workshop sessions with three Journal Club discussions, allowing participants to learn research fundamentals while also seeing how research is discussed and evaluated in real-world academic settings.
By the end of the series, you'll have a stronger understanding of research, greater confidence in reading scientific literature, and practical tools you can use throughout your clinical career.
Program Schedule
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Dr. Diana Lurie is Professor Emerita in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana, where she served as a faculty member for 27 years. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania. Her areas of interest include CNS dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and the response of the nervous system to natural products — including pioneering work on Ayurvedic medicinal plant extracts, supported by over $6 million in funding from the NIH and NSF.
A trailblazer in bringing Ayurveda into Western academia, Dr. Lurie introduced one of the first university courses on Ayurvedic Medicine and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Ayurveda Journal of Health. She is a NAMA-Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and lectures extensively, both nationally and internationally, on the intersection of biomedical research and integrative medical systems such as Ayurveda.
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Dr. Archana Purushotham is on the faculty of Neurology at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, and is specialized in Stroke, Neurocritical Care and Headache Medicine. She is the Director of the Headache Center of Excellence at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.
Dr. Archana went to medical school at JIPMER in India, after which she earned her MTech and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from IIT Bombay and the University of Minnesota, respectively. She trained in Neurology at the University of Arizona, and subspecialized in Vascular Neurology at Stanford University. Her research initially focused on Neuroimaging including fMRI and acute stroke imaging, and later turned towards Integrative Medicine – particularly Yoga and Ayurveda. She has stewarded the adoption of the Integrative model of care at the Headache Center of Excellence, and was designated a Whole Health Champion of the Houston VA Medical Center. She has numerous journal, conference and book chapter publications to her credit.
She is the Medical Director and co-founder of Svatantra Integrative Neurorehab Center in Bengaluru, an institution that provides a unique model of integrative care for neurological patients.
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Foundations of Research in Ayurveda
Why research matters & how to ask the right questions- Dr. Girish
– The role of research in the future of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
– Evidence-based medicine: relevance and limitations in Ayurveda
– Types of research: case reports, observational studies, and trials
– Formulating research questions and clinical hypotheses
– Introduction to literature: why and how to engage with existing evidence
Activity (optional): Identify a clinical question from your own practice and discuss
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Literature Review & Study Design
Learning from existing evidence and structuring inquiry · Dr. Ram Rao
– How to search, read, and critically assess scientific and Ayurvedic literature
– Understanding levels of evidence and study quality
– Basics of study design: observational vs. interventional
– Framing objectives, inclusion criteria, and outcomes
– Introduction to simple protocol development
Activity (optional): Select and analyze 1–2 relevant research papers and discuss
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Clinical Data Collection & Case Documentation
From patient encounter to structured data · Dr. Girish
– What data and how to collect in Ayurvedic clinical practice
– Standardizing documentation: prakriti, vikriti, diagnosis, chikitsa- Per CARE guideline
– Recording treatment protocols (ahara, vihara, aushadhi)
– Outcomes tracking and follow-up
– Introduction to case report structure
Activity (optional): Document one clinical case using a structured template
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Data Organization, Analysis & Interpretation
Making sense of clinical data- Dr. Girish
– Organizing data into meaningful categories
– Identifying patterns, trends, and associations
– Basics of clinical data interpretation
– Integrating Ayurvedic reasoning with observed outcomes
– Common biases and limitations in observational data
Activity (optional): Analyze a case and identify key findings, patterns, and their clinical significance
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Dr. Julia Arnold is currently a member of the NAMA Board of Directors and serves as Co-chair of the NAMA Research Committee. She also volunteers with the NIH National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, working on Ayurveda projects related to cancer.
With over 40 years of cancer research experience, Dr. Arnold holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and completed postdoctoral work at Johns Hopkins Medical School. She spent 22 years at the National Institutes of Health, including roles at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute. She earned a master’s degree in Ayurveda from MIU in 2021 and has published three book chapters and more than 35 peer-reviewed articles, including a major review on integrating Ayurvedic medicine into cancer research.
Shraddha Ravani:Dr. Shraddha Ravani is a researcher with extensive experience in cancer biology, with a particular focus on the tumor microenvironment and the role of radiation in carcinogenesis. She holds a PhD in Physiology and Health and brings an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates decades of cancer biology research with traditional systems of medicine.
Her current work focuses on whole-person, whole-systems approaches to health and healing, with an emphasis on developing and evaluating person-centered interventions that support well-being and improve clinical outcomes. She is particularly interested in advancing scientific dialogue between traditional knowledge systems and modern biomedical research.
Dr. Shraddha Ravani has co-authored peer-reviewed publications and presented her work at national and international scientific conferences. She remains committed to advancing evidence-informed approaches in integrative oncology and whole health, helping to bridge traditional wisdom and contemporary science through research, education, and collaboration.
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Scientific Writing & Communication
Converting clinical work into scholarly output · Dr. Rao
– Structure of a case report / short manuscript
– Writing clearly and avoiding common pitfalls
– Referencing, citations, and publication ethics
– Preparing reports for journals or professional presentation
– Future pathways: research collaboration and contribution to Ayurvedic evidence
Activity (optional):Submit a case report or structured study plan for feedback from the group
Continue Your Research Journey
One of the most exciting aspects of this year's program is what comes next.
Following the completion of the CAAM Ayurvedic Research Workshop, participants will have the opportunity to attend a complimentary three-part Case Report Writing Series offered by the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA).
Research can sound intimidating—but this program is intentionally designed to be practical and approachable.
No previous research experience required
No required homework or assignments
Optional activities for those who want to explore the material more deeply
Attend the live sessions and participate at your own pace
Immediately apply what you learn to your own clinical practice
You can attend, absorb, and benefit fully without completing a single assignment.
The CAAM workshop provides the foundation. The NAMA series offers an opportunity to continue that learning by exploring how clinical observations can be developed into publishable case reports.
Participants will learn how to write a clinical case report using CARE guidelines, understand research ethics and publication best practices, and strengthen their evidence-informed practice.
The NAMA series also offers 6 PACE credits.
Participation is optional, and registration details and session dates will be shared directly by NAMA.
Meet the Speakers
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Vaidya Girish Tillu, M.D. (Ayurveda Pharmacology) and Ph.D. in Health Sciences, leads research at the Ayush Centre of Excellence, Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India. He has contributed to multi-institutional research on drug development for degenerative and autoimmune diseases, clinical trials, and epidemiological studies. Dr. Tillu’s current work includes Ayurveda-based adjuvants for COVID-19, immunomodulation, and the study of Prakriti and gut microbiota associations. He has also been involved in developing Ayurveda knowledgebase like AyuSoft. As an educator, he teaches courses on AYUSH systems, integrative health, dietetics, clinical trials, and bioethics. His multidisciplinary approach integrates traditional Ayurveda with modern research and clinical applications. He is an editor of the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.
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Dr. Rammohan Rao holds a PhD in Neuroscience and serves as a Chief scientist at Apollo Health, focusing on a systems-based, integrative approach to treat Neurodegenerative diseases. Ram is a NAMA board-certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (AP), a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) by Yoga Alliance, and teaches Ayurveda at the California College of Ayurveda. Ram has published several articles in scientific and Yoga/Ayurveda journals and is a featured speaker in several meetings and symposia. Ram is also the author of the best-selling book Good Living Practices-The best from Ayurveda, Yoga and Modern Science For Achieving Optimal Health, Happiness and Longevity.
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Dr. Arnold is currently a member of the NAMA Board of Directors and serves as Co-chair of the NAMA Research Committee. She also volunteers with the NIH National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, working on Ayurveda projects related to cancer.
With over 40 years of cancer research experience, Dr. Arnold holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and completed postdoctoral work at Johns Hopkins Medical School. She spent 22 years at the National Institutes of Health, including roles at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute. She earned a master’s degree in Ayurveda from MIU in 2021 and has published three book chapters and more than 35 peer-reviewed articles, including a major review on integrating Ayurvedic medicine into cancer research.
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Dr. Diana Lurie is Professor Emerita in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana, where she served as a faculty member for 27 years. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania. Her areas of interest include CNS dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and the response of the nervous system to natural products — including pioneering work on Ayurvedic medicinal plant extracts, supported by over $6 million in funding from the NIH and NSF.
A trailblazer in bringing Ayurveda into Western academia, Dr. Lurie introduced one of the first university courses on Ayurvedic Medicine and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Ayurveda Journal of Health. She is a NAMA-Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and lectures extensively, both nationally and internationally, on the intersection of biomedical research and integrative medical systems such as Ayurveda.
-
Shraddha Ravani is a researcher with extensive experience in cancer biology, with a particular focus on the tumor microenvironment and the role of radiation in carcinogenesis. She holds a PhD in Physiology and Health and brings an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates decades of cancer biology research with traditional systems of medicine.
Her current work focuses on whole-person, whole-systems approaches to health and healing, with an emphasis on developing and evaluating person-centered interventions that support well-being and improve clinical outcomes. She is particularly interested in advancing scientific dialogue between traditional knowledge systems and modern biomedical research.
Dr. Ravani has co-authored peer-reviewed publications and presented her work at national and international scientific conferences. She remains committed to advancing evidence-informed approaches in integrative oncology and whole health, helping to bridge traditional wisdom and contemporary science through research, education, and collaboration.
-
Dr. Archana Purushotham is on the faculty of Neurology at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, and is specialized in Stroke, Neurocritical Care and Headache Medicine. She is the Director of the Headache Center of Excellence at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.
Dr. Archana went to medical school at JIPMER in India, after which she earned her MTech and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from IIT Bombay and the University of Minnesota, respectively. She trained in Neurology at the University of Arizona, and subspecialized in Vascular Neurology at Stanford University. Her research initially focused on Neuroimaging including fMRI and acute stroke imaging, and later turned towards Integrative Medicine – particularly Yoga and Ayurveda.
She has stewarded the adoption of the Integrative model of care at the Headache Center of Excellence, and was designated a Whole Health Champion of the Houston VA Medical Center. She has numerous journal, conference and book chapter publications to her credit.She is the Medical Director and co-founder of Svatantra Integrative Neurorehab Center in Bengaluru, an institution that provides a unique model of integrative care for neurological patients.