The Mid-Career Investigator award (K24) will provide stable support for Dr. Kathi Kemper to continue her seminal research in complementary and alternative medicine for pediatrics. She is the author of The Holistic Pediatrician, eight general and specialty pediatric textbook chapters, and over 70 peer-reviewed scientific publications. She is also the principal investigator on an NIH NLM- funded project, a site principal investigator on an NIH-NCCAM funded R25, and has non-NIH competitive funding. She has mentored many graduate students, fellows and junior faculty members. She initiated and was the first Director for the Center for Holistic Pediatric Education and Research in Boston. She is the past President of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association (APA), past Chair of the APA standing committee on Research, and a current member of the American Pediatric Society. Dr. Kemper initiated and co-chairs the Council on Bioenergetic Research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM), and in 2003-2004 taught an elective course for medical students on Therapeutic and Healing Touch. During 2003, she conducted a pilot study on the stability of heart rate variability (HRV) in pediatric oncology patients; this study provides essential data for future studies on changes in HRV in response to music and Healing Touch therapies for these patients. The three projects for the K24 include: 1) a cross-sectional study describing the relationship between HRV and demographic, disease and psychosocial factors in children with acute leukemia; 2) a prospective cohort study evaluating the effect of music on HRV and psychological state in the same population (both acutely and with additional """"""""doses"""""""" at two subsequent visits); 3) a parallel prospective cohort study evaluating the effect of Healing Touch on these outcomes in the same population. All of these studies will provide data critical to planning and conducting randomized controlled trials of these therapies. We anticipate that Dr. Kemper and her mentees will apply for additional NIH awards based on the work proposed in this application. The WFUSM and the Department of Pediatrics are highly supportive of Dr. Kemper's plans, as reflected in the rich array of CAM research underway and planned in several departments and Centers, the numerous letters of support, and applications for research funding already submitted. The K24 award will free her from clinical, teaching and administrative demands, and allow her to focus her time and attention on research and mentoring activities described in this application.
