Ann Gill Taylor
Ann Gill Taylor, EdD, MS, RN,
FAAN, a nurse clinical researcher for almost four decades
in academic health care settings, is the founder and director of the
Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies at the
University of Virginia. She directs the University's CAM clinical
research training program and has been the PI on a T32 award funded by
the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine for 11
years. Dr. Taylor brings her combined skills and knowledge of rigorous
clinical research planning and implementation, and knowledge of
curriculum development and instruction, to clinical research
training of predoctoral trainees and postdoctoral fellows
representing multiple disciplines. Giver her long tenure at the
University of Virginia, her familiarity with resources and potential
learning opportunities, and her interdisciplinary collaborations, she
and her Center faculty members are able to offer clinical research
training of the highest quality.
Dr. Taylor's current research spans two major categories of complementary practices, including mind-body therapies (mindfulness, guided imagery, yoga) and body-based modalities (therapeutic massage to reduce symptoms and improve health-related quality of life in different patient populations). In addition, she is conducting studies in comparative effectiveness research comparing selected CAM therapies with conventional therapies in several patient populations.
The ground breaking work that the CSCAT trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and CSCAT faculty members are doing with the leadership of Dr. Taylor continues with clinical trials in a variety of areas, such as mindfulness-based stress relief practices and epilepsy, and yoga and recovery from stem cell transplants for hematologic cancer, among others. Dr. Taylor holds the philosophical position that the combination of CAM-related research and compassionate care is exemplary of a multidimensional approach with the key elements of (1) acknowledgement that we are all multidimensional beings, (2) involvement of both patients and families in the haling process to acheive the best possible outcomes, and (3) awareness that the initial treatment for many patients is often just the first step on a longer journey involving new issues for which CAM modalities, including mindfulness, yoga, and compassionate care have the potential to bring about major breakthroughs in health care.
