Research
Breakthroughs only matter if they reach people. We make sure they do.
Our research focuses on real-world ways to address chronic disease through food, movement, connection and science-backed lifestyle changes.
Our findings don’t sit on shelves — they show up in clinics, community programs and classrooms.
Collaborating to change lives
Exploring nutrition, behavior, and digital health to support communities across Arizona.
What we’re focused on
Food is medicine
Food has power. We’re studying how nutrition can prevent or treat chronic conditions—and how to make that power accessible to everyone.
Key areas:
- Produce prescription programs
- Medically tailored meals for cancer and heart care
- Culinary medicine and clinician training
- Nutrition equity
Lifestyle interventions
We’re building the evidence that lifestyle medicine works, then helping more people benefit from it.
Current research:
- Diabetes and obesity: Restoring insulin sensitivity with plant-forward eating, movement, and stress reduction
- Heart disease: Intensive lifestyle changes alongside cardiac rehab
- Cancer: Nutrition and movement during and after treatment
- Brain health: Reducing dementia risk with multimodal interventions
Longevity and healthy aging
How can we help people live longer andbetter?
• Tracking biomarkers of aging
• Enhancing cellular resilience with lifestyle change
• Exploring mind-body practices to reduce stress and support vitality
• Adapting community longevity models from Blue Zones
Implementation and equity
We study what works and then scale it up.
We measure impact through:
• Real health outcomes and quality-of-life changes
• Cost savings and reduced ER/hospital visits
• Population reach and equity gaps
From idea to impact
Our research is designed to move quickly.
Our network includes:
- Clinical research
- Community and behavioral studies
- Medical engineering and tech development
- Nutrition and policy innovation
Help fuel the future
- Run clinical trials on healing foods and lifestyle care
- Train the next generation of integrative health leaders
- Expand our teaching kitchen and data capabilities
- Host annual summits to share what we’re learning
