Luciano Garofalo, ND, MS

Dr. Garofalo is a naturopathic physician who performed his medical training at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR. He is a postdoctoral research fellow in the T90 BRIDG program (Building Research across Inter-Disciplinary Gaps) at the University of Washington, funded through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

He is also co-founder of Link Community Clinic, an integrative primary care clinic in Tacoma, WA. His research at UW centers on health equity and health services innovation for children and adolescents. He is affiliated at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Public Health Seattle & King County.

Whole-Person, Urobiome-Centric Therapy for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection

“A healthy urinary tract contains a variety of microbes resulting in a diverse urobiome. Urobiome dysbiosis, defined as an imbalance in the microbial composition in the micro-environments along the urinary tract, is found in women with uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). Historically, antibiotics have been used to address UTI. An alternative approach to uncomplicated UTI is warranted as the current paradigm fails to take urobiome dysbiosis into account and contributes to the communal problem of resistance. A whole-person, multi-modal approach that addresses vaginal and urinary tract dysbiosis may be more effective in preventing UTI and reducing recurrent UTI. This talk will address therapeutic strategies that reduce pathogenic bacteria while supporting commensal urogenital bacteria, encouraging diuresis, maintaining optimal pH levels, and reducing inflammation. Strategies for future research are also suggested.”