Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine

Hochschulzentrum vonRoll Haus 8

The Institute combines conventional and complementary medicine within the framework of integrative medicine. It pursues an interdisciplinary and interprofessional approach in both research and clinical care. By linking research, teaching, and clinical practice it considerably contributes to the advancement of medical knowledge and development of therapeutic approaches.

To the Institute's website

Director

Prof. Ursula Wolf

Profile

  • Teaching students of medicine, dentistry, and pharmaceutical sciences
  • Research profiles: Patient-centered translational and clinical research in Complementary and Integrative Medicine. Research projects on the efficacy, safety, and modes of action of pharmacological preparations and non-pharmacological therapies. Development of new research approaches.

External Partners

Inselspital Bern University Hospital, e.g. Intensive Care, Reconstructive Surgery, Rheumatology, Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (breast cancer group) SAAK, Switzerland; OST University of Applied Science Buchs, Switzerland; Society for Cancer Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany; University of Tübingen, Germany, Bischoff Textil AG, St. Gallen, ISS Inc. Champaign, IL, USA; Multidisciplinary Laboratory of Phamaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia; Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA; University College London UCL, UK

Grants

  • Swiss National Science Foundation
  • Software AG Foundation
  • Pemol Foundation, Homeopathy-Foundation
  • Natural Health Swiss Foundation
  • State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

Highlights 2025

Summary receiver operating characteristic curves for cancer detection by copperchloride crystallization (CCC) of blood with displayed individual study estimates (black ovals), summary point (black dot) and 95% CI (green oval area) and ROC curves (black lines).

Multi-cancer detection using pattern formation in drying body fluids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies

This meta-analysis assessed diagnostic patterning tests (DPTs) for multi-cancer detection. Meta-analysis adhered to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy. Of the 610 identified records, 41 studies involving 15,969 participants were included. Pooled sensitivity and specificity across all DPTs were 0.89 (95% CI, 0.83-0.93) and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.93), respectively. DPTs showed a satisfactory degree of accuracy in detecting over 50 cancer types. Further research is needed to evaluate their potential for early cancer detecttion.

Kokornaczyk et al., Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2025

Second award for best clinical case series at the 3rd World Congress on Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Unfortunately, 50% of breast cancer patients stop endocrine therapy (ET) within 5 years due to side effects and most often joint pain. This case series provides preliminary evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of Arnica/Levisticum 6x comp. as a complementary treatment for ET-induced MSS in breast cancer patients. The consistent symptom relief, excellent tolerability, and long-term safety suggest this anthroposophic medicinal product may be a valuable adjunct to conventional supportive care. By improving quality of life and promoting adherence to ET, it could contribute to better long-term outcomes. A larger controlled study would be needed to further confirm these findings.

Patient Perspective: Patients experienced significant improvements in daily functioning and overall quality of life, which additionally enabled them to adhere to ET.

To the abstract of Jana Ertl et al.