Dr. Mingshan Lu
Ph.D. · TCMD · Health Economist
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Director of Research · Director of Huatuo Cancer Care Specialty Clinic · University of Calgary Professor
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Meet Dr. Mingshan Lu
Health Economist · Educator · TCM Doctor
Dr. Mingshan Lu, Ph.D., TCMD, is a highly respected health economist, educator, and Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor with over thirty years of experience in research and teaching in health economics. She is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Calgary and an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Community Health Sciences at Cumming School of Medicine — having joined the faculty in 1997. Dr. Lu is also a Faculty Member of the O’Brien Institute of Public Health at the University of Calgary, and a registered acupuncturist in Alberta.
With her extensive background, Dr. Lu is a renowned expert in mental health and substance abuse. She has served as a consultant for various organisations — including the World Bank, the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She has also been a member of the Science-Policy-Practice Network in Children’s Mental Health in Alberta and the Network of Alberta Health Economists (NOAHE).
Her passion for Traditional Chinese Medicine led her to study as an apprentice with TCM masters since 2010. She received her Diploma in Acupuncture and Diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Alberta College of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACATCM) in 2022. Additionally, to effectively integrate psychological counselling into her TCM treatment, she is currently working on her MSc in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary.
As a leading expert in integrative medicine, Dr. Lu has played a pivotal role in spearheading groundbreaking programmes aimed at providing TCM to vulnerable populations struggling with mental health and pain conditions. Her treatment style is centred around Chinese herbal medicine therapy supplemented by acupuncture, with the option of telemedicine.
I.
Roles & Affiliations
University of Calgary
Professor, Department of Economics — joined faculty 1997.
AcademicCumming School of Medicine
Adjunct Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences.
FacultyO’Brien Institute of Public Health
Faculty Member, University of Calgary.
TCM EducationACATCM
Diploma in Acupuncture & Diploma in TCM (2022). Apprentice to TCM masters since 2010.
In ProgressMSc Counselling Psychology
Currently underway at the University of Calgary — integrating counselling with TCM care.
ConsultancyInternational Advisory
Consultant to the World Bank, NIAAA, and NIDA. Member of Alberta’s Children’s Mental Health Network and NOAHE.
II.
Research Programmes
World-First Interventional Studies on TCM Integration
CHIP Complementary Health Integration Project
A research collaboration delivering complementary and TCM services to support recovery and well-being across mental health and pain.
SHIP Societal Health Integration Project
An Alberta-wide initiative bringing TCM into integration with conventional medicine for community recovery and economic participation.
AIDP Alberta Innovative Disabilities Program
A pioneering programme addressing pain and mental health for people with disabilities through TCM integration.
These three world-first interventional studies on TCM integration have contributed significantly to evidence-based research — demonstrating the potential of TCM in managing mental health and pain conditions for vulnerable populations.
III.
Specialties
Mental Health & Cognitive Conditions
Dr. Lu’s specialties are particularly prevalent among students and professionals:
- I.
Chronic Fatigue & Burnout
Long-standing depletion and exhaustion patterns — the body and mind’s response to sustained overload.
- II.
Avoidance & Procrastination
Patterns of avoidance and procrastination — often rooted in deeper constitutional and emotional imbalances.
- III.
ADHD & ASD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder — TCM as a complementary, regulatory approach.
- IV.
Memory Loss
Amnesia and dementia — support for cognitive function and the constitutional patterns behind cognitive decline.
- V.
Panic, Phobias, PTSD
Acute and chronic stress conditions — panic disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
- VI.
Anxiety · Depression · Bipolar
Anxiety, depression, mania, and bipolar disorder — TCM and herbs integrated with psychological understanding.
Begin Your Care with Dr. Lu
Dr. Lu’s distinctive combination of health economics, TCM, and counselling psychology makes her especially well-suited to complex mental health and cognitive concerns — particularly for students, professionals, and those navigating chronic burnout. Consultations are available by appointment, including via telemedicine.