Tracy Rupp PhD, MAc

Education

Duke University, Durham, NC, B.A., 12/1998, Psychology
Brown University, Providence, RI, M.Sc., 08/2003, Experimental Psychology
Brown University, Providence, RI, Ph.D., 01/2006, Experimental Psychology
National Research Council, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD Post Doctoral, 01/2008, Behavioral Biology
Maryland University of Integrative Health, Laurel, MD, M.Ac., 08/2015, Acupuncture

Biography

I contribute a combination of training and experience in both clinical research and Complementary and Integrative Health with a background in Experimental Psychology, sleep research and acupuncture. My research and clinical work support investigation of novel questions in integrative medicine and pain management. During my graduate studies in Experimental Psychology, I received extensive training in research design and assessment, focusing on sleep and circadian rhythms and their effects on cognitive and physiological processes. Conducting sleep studies required rigorous design and strict adherence to human subjects’ protocols, which prepared me for work in clinical trials. My postdoctoral research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research extended this work with an emphasis on practical military applications. Notably, the concept of "sleep banking" from my studies is now a key countermeasure in managing sleep restriction. In addition, I have 10 years of clinical and research experience with Complementary and Integrative Medicine, including acupuncture for which I earned a master’s degree following my postdoctoral work.

Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Current Position: Scientific Director, Henry Jackson Foundation, Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management, Assistant Faculty, Department of Anesthesiology, Uniformed Services University (USU), Bethesda, MD

Ongoing and recently completed projects to highlight include: 1. Massage Service Integration in a Military Primary Care Clinic: Implementation and Impact Study Rupp (PI) 06/01/2019-01/31/2025; 2. Community Acupuncture Sleep Intervention for Hispanic Immigrants: A Preliminary Investigation Rupp (PI) 2/12/2019 – 5/11/2020

Representative Bibliography

Rupp, T.L., Amoaka, M., Johnson, K., Rojas, W., Highland, K. (2024). Massage therapy utilization in the Military Health System. Military Medicine. usae299. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usae299.

Rupp, T.L. (2024). Effects of auriculo-acupuncture on sleep and emotional stress In Hispanic immigrants: A small randomized clinical trial. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine. 30(6), 588–592.