Presenting Author
Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute
I am a clinical assistant professor and licensed acupuncturist who leads the research acupuncturist team at UCI
Cardiovascular Acupuncture Research Program (CARP). I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
Traditional Chinese Medicine in China and obtained a PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Arizona. Upon
my Ph.D. graduation, I did my first Post-doc training with Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, who is a world-renowned cancer
researcher and currently a Distinguished Professor and Executive Vice President at the Translational Genomics
Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, AZ, and my second Post-doc training with Dr. Frank Meyskens, who is
the former Daniel G. Aldrich Chair and Director of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and
current Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine. To better challenge myself in integrating
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine clinically and academically, I obtained my Acupuncture
License after my Post-doc trainings based on my knowledge and solid foundation in Traditional Chinese
Medicine, received my certificate in Clinical Trials after a one-year intensive study at UC Irvine, and joined
CARP at UC Irvine. My role in CARP has allowed me to align my clinical practice with translational research. I
have been involved in developing clinical electroacupuncture protocols and am in charge of training other
research acupuncturists on our team. I have been a co-investigator on funded clinical studies led by Dr. Malik
and Dr. Tjen-A-Looi. I assess needling skills as well as provide guidance in delivering research-based protocols
including the delivery of sham EA. The goal of our proposed research is to evaluate the enhanced effect and
mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) that targets the physiological systems contributing to hypertension in
both men and women with/without medication.