# Combined Chiropractic Care and Tai Chi for Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain

> **NIH NIH R34** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2024 · $179,000

## Abstract

This Administrative Supplement targeting complementary and integrative health (CIH)
practitioners seeks support to enhance the research capabilities of Dr. Wren Burton, MPH, DC.
The proposed award targets a critical phase in Dr. Burton’s career trajectory, aiming to facilitate
her transition to an independent clinician-researcher and to be competitive for a future NIH
career development award to advance her independence. Dr. Burton’s research interests focus on
multimodal chiropractic care (MCC) for older adults with chronic pain, aligning with NCCIH
priorities. This award will support Dr. Burton’s time to serve as a study team member for our
NCCIH-funded R34 trial, which will afford her with essential hands-on training in clinical trial
conduct. The parent award evaluates combined MCC and Tai Chi for chronic nonspecific neck
pain (CNNP). Phase I established treatment regimens through a Delphi process, while Phase II
will investigate feasibility and participant experiences while optimizing data collection
processes. Dr. Burton’s participation in this trial offers a unique opportunity to hone her skills in
clinical trial design, IRB protocols, participant recruitment, outcomes assessment, safety
monitoring, and data management, while addressing a topic central to her research interests.
 In addition to primary hands-on learning in the parent award, she will engage in three
related and complementary training activities with her mentorship team. These include 1)
completing data analyses and publishing multiple peer-reviewed articles related to an
observational study of CNNP and gait health (same study population as parent award), 2)
contributing to the design and initial conduct of an adjunct neuroimaging pilot study employing
the same combined MCC and Tai Chi interventions for CNNP as the parent award, and 3)
drafting a competitive K23 application. The proposed activities will substantially extend Dr.
Burton’s hands-on experience in clinical trial conduct, enrich her data management/analysis
skills, strengthen her writing of peer reviewed manuscripts and grants, and introduce her to the
fundamental neuroimaging research. This training will significantly contribute to the
development of Dr. Burton as an independent clinician researcher and further enhance the CIH
research community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11045394
- **Project number:** 3R34AT011368-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter Michael Wayne
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $179,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-12 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11045394

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11045394, Combined Chiropractic Care and Tai Chi for Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain (3R34AT011368-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11045394. Licensed CC0.

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