Heather Zwickey PhD - The Role of the Microbiome in Infectious Disease (1 General CE Credit)

2022 Thaena Microbiome Symposium - The Rise of Postbiotics: The Roles they Play in in immunology and women's health.

DESCRIPTION

As research into the microbiome progresses, we are developing a new understanding of how our gut microbiome contributes to health and disease. Intimate interaction between the microbiome and the immune system contributes to overall immune health and may explain why one person gets a more severe infection than another. In this talk, we will discuss acute and chronic infection and how the microbiome influences disease outcome. We will dive into new research on how baseline microbiome may contribute to the outcomes of Lyme disease, research suggesting that EBV should be considered commensal, and discuss why strategies to address UTIs with vaccines could be problematic.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

1. Explain how the environment impacts the microbiome and subsequent immune health.
2. Discuss how the microbiome affect infection severity.
3. Describe how the microbiome impacts response to Lyme disease.
4. Describe EBV as an endogenous virus.
5. Discuss how vaccines may impact the microbiome.

INSTRUCTOR

Heather Zwickey brings light and positivity to her role as the Director of Communication and Innovation at Thaena.  Heather earned a Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Zwickey went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship and teach at Yale University School of Medicine. 

Dr. Zwickey launched the Helfgott Research Institute and established the School of Graduate Studies at the National University of Natural Medicine. She currently co-leads an NIH funded clinical research training program focused on training the next generation of integrative medicine researchers. She speaks at conferences world-wide.

CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVAL

1 General CE Credit - American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)