Research at Bastyr

Research Philosophy

Bastyr University's Research Institute was established in 1986 and recognizes the integral role of research in the fulfillment of our teaching and clinical missions as an evidence-informed health science university that focuses on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine and health.  Research literacy is incorporated into Bastyr curricula; research evidence is used to inform and examine clinical practices and clinical outcomes in the natural health sciences; research is a key area of scholarship to which faculty contribute. 

Bastyr recognizes that there are many forms of knowledge and levels of evidence, and we strive to both draw on and contribute to the rigorous research in the natural health sciences and the foundational theories underpinning the field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine and health.   Grounded in a deep respect for traditional wisdom and practices and the tenets of evidence informed medicine, Bastyr’s research aims to rigorously examine the safety, efficacy, application and mechanism of action of natural health science approaches to health and wellbeing in order to bridge the gap between traditional practices and wisdom, and the scientific evaluation necessary to ethically and effectively provide evidence-informed natural medicine.