Dr. Bent's main research interest is the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of herbal remedies and dietary supplements. He served as the project director for one of the first large randomized controlled trials of saw palmetto for enlarged prostate, which gained international recognition for demonstrating that this commonly used herb was no more effective than placebo. Dr. Bent has also served as the principal investigator or co-investigator of several other large randomized controlled trials, including a study of a Chinese herbal remedy used to treat fatigue in the elderly and an internet-based study examining the efficacy of the herbs valerian (for sleep) and kava (for anxiety). Recently, Dr. Bent has conducted clinical trials of complementary and alternative therapies in children with autism, including studies of omega-3 fatty acids, methyl B12, sulforaphane, and vitamin D. Dr. Bent was also the Principal Investigator of the first-ever fully internet-based randomized controlled trial of a pharmaceutical drug and the first internet-based trial of a treatment (omega-3 fatty acids) conducted in children with autism. He plans to further develop internet-based technology to speed the testing of promising new therapies. Dr. Bent is an expert in evidence-based medicine and ambulatory care, and has coauthored textbooks in both areas.