This is part of the October 2016 Special Issue on Immunology.
Heather Zwickey, PhD, is the dean of research and graduate studies and professor of immunology at the National College of Medicine, as well as the director of the Helfgott Research Institute. In this interview with Natural Medicine Journal's Editor-in-Chief, Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, Zwickey explains how immune processes can influence brain health—including in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and depressive disorders. She discusses nutrition, supplements, and the complicated ways gut health and immunity interact with cognitive function.
Approximate listening time: 20 minutes
About the Expert
Heather Zwickey, PhD, earned a PhD in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with a focus on infectious disease. Zwickey went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship and teach medical school at Yale University. At the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR, Zwickey launched the Helfgott Research Institute and established the School of Graduate Studies, developing programs in research, nutrition, and global health, among others. She currently leads an NIH funded clinical research training program. She teaches at many universities and speaks at conferences worldwide. At Helfgott Research Institute, Zwickey applies her immunology expertise to natural medicine, with specific interest in the gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation.
