2026 Ayurveda Research Workshop
A 8-Week Professional Development Series for Ayurvedic Practitioners
7 Weeks · 8 sessions · 90 Min / Session
September 12- October 10, 2026
Saturdays, 8:30-10:00 AM, PST
Course Cost:
Members: $150.00
Non- Members: $200.00 (for all 5 sessions plus the 3 journal club series!)
About This Program
Ayurveda is entering a new era — one that demands both clinical excellence and the ability to engage with scientific research. This workshop bridges that gap, equipping practitioners with the skills to read the literature, document their work, and contribute to a growing body of evidence-based Ayurvedic knowledge.
This research workshop has been approved for 12 NAMA Continuing Education (CE) credits, allowing participants to deepen their research knowledge while earning valuable continuing education toward their professional development.
What You Will Be Able to Do
Upon completing this five-week course, participants will be able to read, understand, and critically discuss foundational types of scientific literature — including case reports, simple review, and simple RCT clinical trial report. Participants will also gain the practical skills needed to document and write their own clinical case reports in accordance with research and ethical protocols in the United States.
What to Expect Each Week
Journal Club
Dr. Diana Lurie — August 19th, 5:30–7:00 PM PST
Dr. Archana Purushottam — August 27th 5:30–7:00 PM PST
Dr. Julia Arnold and Dr. Shraddha Ravani — October 7th, 5:30–7:00 PM PST
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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: Identify a clinical question from your own practice and discuss
Session 01- September 12th- Vaidya Girish Tillu
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Learning from existing evidence and structuring inquiry · Dr. Rammohan 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: Select and analyze 1–2 relevant research papers and discuss
Session 02- September 19th- Dr. Rammohan Rao
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Converting clinical work into scholarly output · Dr. Rammohan 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
Assignment: Submit a case report or structured study plan for feedback from the group
Session 03- September 26th- Dr. Rammohan Rao
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Making sense of clinical data- Vaidya Girish Tillu & Dr. Rammohan Rao
– 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
– Introduction to collaborative research and building case series across practitioners
Activity: Analyze a case and identify key findings, patterns, and their clinical significance
Session 04 - October 3rd- Vaidya Girish Tillu & Dr. Rammohan Rao
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From patient encounter to structured data · Vaidya Girish Tillu
– What data to collect in Ayurvedic clinical practice
– Standardizing documentation: prakriti, vikriti, diagnosis, chikitsa
– Recording treatment protocols (ahara, vihara, aushadhi)
– Outcomes tracking and follow-up
– Introduction to case report structure
Activity: Document one clinical case using a structured template
Session 05- October 10th- Vaidya Girish Tillu
Simple. Focused. Practical.
Reading Materials
Course reading materials — including case reports, review articles, and clinical trial papers — will be curated and provided by the instructor at their discretion, selected to match the learning objectives for each session and the level of the participant group.
Take your clinical practice to the next level — learn to read the research, document your outcomes, and contribute to the evidence base for Ayurveda
Ready to Get Started?
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.
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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.
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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.