Ruanjin Zhao , Ph.D., is a licensed acupuncturist in the United States. He is currently the Director of the Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sarasota, Florida and an affiliated member at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. He is also a second-tier specially appointed clinical expert at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and an overseas professor at Henan University of Chinese Medicine. Academically, he is the author of the English book From Legend to Science and has published multiple research papers.
Presentation Abstract：
The effectiveness of acupuncture is based on a chain of physiological responses triggered by physical stimulation. This is achieved through the stimulation of a single needle or the multi-targeted stimulation of a network of needles, facilitating energy conversion and transmission. By varying the nature or parameters of the applied stimulation, effects such as the activation of nociceptors, feedback from mechanoreceptors in cellular tissues, changes in bioelectric currents across cell membranes, opening and closing of ion channels, alterations in the chemical composition of extracellular tissue fluid channels, changes in the activity of antigen-presenting cells in the epidermis, degranulation of mast cells, secretion of anti-inflammatory molecules or immune factors, and even the activation, directed migration, and transformation of dormant stem cells—as well as histone remodeling and the initiation of repair genes—can be achieved. These biophysical effects are directly related to multidimensional variations in acupuncture techniques such as twirling, rotating, lifting, and thrusting. Only by understanding the fundamental biophysical effects induced by acupuncture manipulation can we significantly enhance the clinical efficacy of acupuncture.