The female vaginal biome is an ecosystem of good bacteria and bad bacteria. When those bacteria are out of balance, problems such as vaginal infections occur. On the show today. we welcome Dr. Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, an Associate Professor of Cancer Prevention and Control at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Among many other topics, Melissa explains what the female vaginal biome is, how it changes as we age, and why it’s important to our health. We also talk about what we can do to keep our biome in balance. The Herbst-Kralovetz lab, which she founded, focuses on understanding the microbiome and host-microbe interactions in the female reproductive tract related to gynecologic and oncologic health outcomes. For more information about this episode and the Beyond The Paper Gown podcast series, please visit Beyond The Paper Gown.

On today’s show, we speak with Pita Navarro, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Clinical Research and Operations at Evvy, an at-home test that provides information on the makeup of each person’s vaginal ecosystem. Throughout our conversations, we discuss how you – the listener – can use that information now in speaking with your Doctor, as well as the future potential for providing solutions to vaginal issues many women experience. Pita Navarro is a molecular biologist by training, and, as you’ll quickly learn from this episode, her north star has always been empowering women through health and education. For more information about this episode and the Beyond The Paper Gown podcast series, please visit Beyond The Paper Gown.

In today’s episode, we welcome Dr. Teri Pipe, a Professor and Dean Emerita of the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, where she served as Dean from 2011-to 2018 and as ASU Chief Well-Being Officer from 2017-to 2021. Teri is the Founding Director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion, and Resilience. Prior to ASU, Dr. Pipe served as Mayo Clinic Arizona’s Director of Nursing Research and Innovation for 11 years. She loves spending time in nature and exploring ways of bringing compassion and well-being more fully into our world. Dr. Pipe was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow in 2014 and currently serves on the NurseTrust Board of Directors. Teri is also an expert on mindfulness, a skill set to increase the ability to experience being fully present, focused, and alive. Mindfulness has important implications for resilience within and beyond the healthcare and higher education sectors. Dr. Pipe is an expert on nursing leadership with a focus on interprofessionalism, bringing nurses together with physicians and other health professionals, business people, and policymakers, to help redesign and improve health in the U.S. Her research interests include mindfulness, resilience in professional and clinical populations, health promotion and wellness, positive coping and stress management, oncology, and gerontology. She is a sought-after speaker on the topics of mindfulness, workforce resilience, and self-compassion. For more information about this episode and the Beyond The Paper Gown podcast series, please visit Beyond The Paper Gown.

In today’s episode, we welcome Dr. Teri Pipe, a Professor and Dean Emerita of the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, where she served as Dean from 2011-to 2018 and as ASU Chief Well-Being Officer from 2017-to 2021. Teri is the Founding Director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion, and Resilience. Prior to ASU, Dr. Pipe served as Mayo Clinic Arizona’s Director of Nursing Research and Innovation for 11 years. She loves spending time in nature and exploring ways of bringing compassion and well-being more fully into our world. Dr. Pipe was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow in 2014 and currently serves on the NurseTrust Board of Directors. Teri is also an expert on mindfulness, a skill set to increase the ability to experience being fully present, focused, and alive. Mindfulness has important implications for resilience within and beyond the healthcare and higher education sectors. Dr. Pipe is an expert on nursing leadership with a focus on interprofessionalism, bringing nurses together with physicians and other health professionals, business people, and policymakers, to help redesign and improve health in the U.S. Her research interests include mindfulness, resilience in professional and clinical populations, health promotion and wellness, positive coping and stress management, oncology, and gerontology. She is a sought-after speaker on the topics of mindfulness, workforce resilience, and self-compassion. For more information about this episode and the Beyond The Paper Gown podcast series, please visit Beyond The Paper Gown.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Karen Anderson, a medical oncologist and an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic Arizona. She additionally serves as a professor at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University’s Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics and ASU’s School of Life Sciences. Dr. Anderson is focused on understanding how the immune response can be used to detect and alter cancer development. To create effective cancer immunotherapy, Anderson’s team identifies target antigens and pushes the scientific understanding of the mechanisms of immune regulation that limit effective immunotherapy.

Candid. Credible. Curated. Listen in to learn how Beyond the Paper Gown, hosted by Mitzi Krockover MD, can inspire, empower, and inform women with the latest information about their health and healthcare choices. Join us in each episode to take a look beyond the health care system with doctors, scientists, clinicians, and policymakers. Hosted by Mitzi Krockover, M.D. A Production of Woman Centered LLC.