Dr. Cavanaugh is the founder and Principal Investigator of Nutraceuticals Research Institute, an independent clinical research organization specializing in botanical and nutraceutical trials. She completed her doctorate by completing a dissertation based on a clinical trial for olfactory interventions for pre-procedural anxiety among children with an autism spectrum disorder, and her post-doctoral clinical trial methodology training comes from Harvard Medical School.
She has published over 30 peer-reviewed studies on essential oil safety, adaptogen efficacy, women's health, immune function, and pediatric aromatherapy. She is the PI on every single study NRI runs.
25 years at the intersection of botanical medicine and clinical science
Dr. Cavanaugh's research sits at the place where traditional botanical knowledge meets the rigorous evidentiary standards of modern clinical science. Her work has produced the foundational published evidence in several areas where no rigorous research previously existed.
Essential oil safety and efficacy
She published the landmark epidemiological series on lavender and tea tree endocrine safety. She also conducted multiple RCTs on aromatherapy for stress, sleep, respiratory support, including pediatric applications.
Immune health and elderberry
She was the principal investigator on the world's largest elderberry RCT, n=362. She's responsible for establishing elderberry's 32% reduction in symptomatic days. This study set the methodological standard for the field.
Women's health and menopause
As the developer of the NRI Menopause Symptom Scale, a five-domain validated psychometric instrument built under FDA PRO guidance. she's also the PI of multiple menopause RCTs and is a lead researcher in perimenopause and hormonal transition outcomes.
Stress physiology and adaptogens
Developer of the NRI Stress Response Inventory, validated against PSS-10 and DASS-21. Scientific research on ashwagandha, cortisol awakening response, and HPA axis function in healthy populations.
Pediatric aromatherapy
Author of published research on aromatherapy for pre-procedural anxiety in kids with autism spectrum disorder. Conducted studies on lavender for first aid, essential oil safety in children, and home use patterns.
Psychometric instrument development
Developer of the NRI suite of validated psychometric instruments: Stress Response Inventory, Energy Scale, Menopause Symptom Scale, Sleep Scale, and Cognition Scale. All developed specifically for nutraceutical research in non-diseased populations.
A published record across 25 years of botanical research
Sponsor names appear in published records as part of standard disclosure. Active sponsors have included some of the world's leading natural product brands.
Full publication list available here. PubMed-indexed research available at Google Scholar.
Sourcing trips, bench work, and the Lab
Dr. Cavanaugh sources botanicals directly from origin. She has traveled to Provence for French lavender and immortelle, to Tuscany for Italian botanicals, and to Iceland for arctic thyme and crowberry. The sourcing is not recreational; it's how she maintains direct knowledge of the supply chain that feeds both the research and the Botanical Lab.
She is an accomplished apothecary maker who has taught formulation for decades, through her books, including her lates releases: the Evidence-Based Handmade Apothecary and the Female Stress Protocol, as well as through the Botanical Lab's class program at Stovehouse in Huntsville, Alabama.
She is also Scientific Director of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and is regularly a speaker for NAHA conferences and at the Alliance of International Aromatherapists. Her public communication work focuses on research literacy for practitioners who work with botanical compounds.
The Botanical Lab at NRI is where the research becomes something you can touch, smell, and make. It is where 25 years of published work becomes a body oil, a scent experience, or a three-hour class on distillation. Dr. Cavanaugh is there regularly.
Work with Dr. Cavanaugh
Every NRI engagement starts with a direct conversation with the researchers to learn about your unique needs.