The Symposium Planning Committee invites you to meet our presenters for this year's 2025 Research Symposium. Join us as we congratulate all of our presenters on making such great strides with their scholarship and dissemination.
Our students, faculty, and BURI scientists work on diverse and fascinating research topics, and this symposium is one opportunity to celebrate their work, and share their scholarship with our community.
Thank you for your interest and participation in this year's symposium event!
Jungmin Ahn
Jungmin Ahn, MS, AEMP, PhD, is an Entrepreneur and Researcher in Integrative Health with over 17 years of experience and a Bastyr University graduate (2008). He specializes in acupuncture and chronic pain management, blending traditional East Asian medicine with precision medicine approaches. Dr. Ahn is committed to providing safe, natural, and collaborative care in partnership with both primary and specialist providers. Passionate about advancing integrative health, he utilizes clinical research to enhance pain management strategies and optimize patient outcomes. Through education and lifestyle medicine, Dr. Ahn strives to empower individuals, uniting ancient healing wisdom with modern science to deliver innovative, holistic healthcare solutions.
Bibianna Ancheta
Born in Washington and raised on the Tulalip Tribes Reservation, located just north of Seattle, she [Bibianna Ancheta, LMP] was highly influenced by the cultural values and traditional teachings of her tribal Coast Salish people; commitment to community and family are placed in a foundational position amongst her values. Currently pursuing the completion of her Bachelor’s of Herbal Science at Bastyr University, she has educational aspirations to apply for the Naturopathic Doctoral program at Bastyr University. Upon her graduation and true to her commitment to her community and family she plans to return to her people and provide a safe and nurturing Traditional Medicines Program with intentions to invite her people to bring their traditional knowledge and teachings for preservation and conservation. At Northwest Indian College, she earned her Associate of Arts in Native American Studies and her Washington State Massage Therapy License at Spectrum Center School of Massage. She holds high hopes to teach future generations the crucial medicinal knowledge.
Through Bastyr University's Faculty Student Grant, she was able to experience Research Laboratory Methods in cell culture analysis. Use of XTT assay of Oplopanax horridus crude extract allowed her to perform research based analysis of data on MCF7 human breast cancer cell growth rates of varying crude concentrations. Her future goals include extending her research to human immune T-cells for observation on activity.
Looking many generations in the future and acknowledging the countless generations of the past, future research on traditional medicines could provide important protection and encouragement of conservation for this vital knowledge of the Coast Salish People. Her pursuit to protect traditional medicine knowledge is held closely to her heart and her work. She dreams of creating a safety network of vital Tribal Elders and allies to establish a coalition of cultural individuals working to preserve and protect medicine knowledge and techniques for processing and harvesting.
Belinda (Beau) Anderson
Dr. Anderson is Interim Dean and Professor at Pace University in the College of Health Professions, and Associate Clinical Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Anderson is an NIH-funded researcher. Her recent research involves acupuncture clinical trials, implementing acupuncture in community-based clinics, educating clinicians in evidence-based medicine, and the use of Chinese herbs to treat COVID-19 symptoms. Dr. Anderson is a Board member of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, serves as Deputy Editor for Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, and is Co-Chair of the Research Working Group of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM). She has been a licensed acupuncturist specializing in women’s health and fertility since 2004, and from 2009-2018 she worked at New York University Fertility Center.
Sara Anis
Sara Anis is a fourth-year Naturopathic Medical Student at Bastyr University with a background in biology and chemistry. Prior to medical school, she conducted research in pain management and medical devices, fueling her interest in patient-centered, integrative care. Her focus now is on women’s health, fertility, and postpartum support, blending traditional healing with evidence-based approaches. After graduation, she plans to continue clinical work and engage in community-based research to promote culturally informed, accessible perinatal care.
Cristina Ciupitu-Plath
Dr. Cristina Ciupitu-Plath is an Associate Professor of Public Health at Bastyr University and the supervisor of the Healthy Communities program at Snohomish County Health Department. Her main research interests revolve around the health and well-being of young people and their families, quality of life in patients with chronic conditions, diversity, social inequity,
and stigmatization.
Mack Coker
Mack Coker is an undergraduate senior in the Herbal Sciences program at Bastyr University. His current interests lie in building a strong botanical medicine foundation to prepare him for Naturopathic medicine. His goal is to incorporate botanical and physical medicine into an effective healing modality geared toward those who struggle with being neurodivergent, PTSD, anxiety & depression.
Lisa Conboy
Lisa Conboy has conducted health research and taught research methodology to students of sociology, biomedicine, and complementary medicine for over 30 years. With degrees in public health and sociology, she specializes in the study of traditional and complex health systems. She is published in the areas of Women's Health, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, qualitative research methodology, and complexity science. An Instructor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, she is also the Director of Research and Special Projects at Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine. Dr. Conboy is the chair of the Research Committee of the American Society of Acupuncturists.
Spod Dutton
Spod attained a 1st degree level Lic.Ac acupuncture qualification after studying for three years at The Acupuncture Academy, Leamington Spa. Part of Spod’s role within the world of acupuncture is his work with acupuncture research. As a founding director of ACU-Track, an acupuncture research organisation, Spod is involved in promoting acupuncture research and really helping the world to better understand the mechanisms behind our treatments. From a clinical point of view, Spod specialises in chronic and musculo-skeletal pain and wellbeing problems such as stress and anxiety.
Mariah Emerson
Mariah Emerson, M.S., (she/they) is a dual-degree candidate completing her Master of Public Health and Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. Her academic and professional focus lies at the intersection of integrative medicine, health equity, and community-driven wellness innovation. Her passion is rooted in nourishing and creating systems of care that honor lived experience and cultural wisdom.
Trisha Hodges
Trisha Hodges is an undergraduate senior in the Herbal Science program. She is interested in a career focusing on herbal product development, QA/QC, and botanical illustration. She hopes to expand her skill set further through mentorships, teaching classes to those interested in herbal making, and starting a business to integrate herbs safely into people’s lives through food.
Sandro Graca
Sandro Graca is a postgraduate researcher at the University of Wolverhampton in the UK, with a joint scholarship from University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire to work on research in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). He is a member of the Early-Career Special Interest Group and the Social Media Officer for the Androgen-Excess and PCOS Society. Sandro is a Board member of the Society for Acupuncture Research, Director at Evidence Based Acupuncture, as well as Social Media & Outreach Editor for the European Journal of Integrative Medicine. He is a member of Cochrane Review Groups focusing on acupuncture for assisted reproductive technology and Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis.
Ginger Hultin
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Noor Javidi
Koon Kim
Koon Kim is a graduate student at Bastyr University, completing his Master’s degree in Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine (AEAM) this year. Upon graduation, he will continue his advanced studies by pursuing a Doctor of Acupuncture (D.Ac) degree. In the near future, Koon is hoping to bring a unique and whole perspective to his clinical practice as a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac) by combining with his prior profession as an ordained minister in the Christian religion. He is married to his high school sweetheart, a neuroscientist at the University of Washington, and together they are proud parents of their daughter, Grace.
Naomi Lester
Naomi Lester, Ph.D. is a Health Psychologist and long-time faculty member in the Counseling and Health Psychology department located at the Kenmore campus. Her research areas focus on understanding the roles of stress, social support, coping, and health behavior in human well-being. She is one of the original organizers of the Bastyr Student Research Symposium.
Brigitte Linder
Brigitte Linder earned her Advanced Diploma of TCM in 2001 in Melbourne under Dr. Samuel Zheng, whose mentorship still shapes her practice. Over 20 years, Brigitte has honed skills in five-element acupuncture, classical herbal medicine, and Dr. Tung’s distal acupuncture. Treating patients is deeply rewarding as she strives to support their physical and emotional well-being. Brigitte is equally passionate about mentoring practitioners, guiding them in delivering TEAM services and managing TEAM-based businesses. From 2021 to 2023, she completed a master’s degree with NICM at Western Sydney University, focusing on case study research. She now collaborates internationally to advance case reporting and showcase TEAM's unique value.
Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe MSc is a highly qualified and experienced acupuncture practitioner based in Ivybridge South Devon. He has undertaken extensive further clinical training in the UK, USA and China, studying with many of the world’s leading experts in fields of acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
Nick combines his use of traditional techniques and skills with a comprehensive understanding of modern anatomy, pathology and the latest scientific research. Using a practical ‘hands-on’ approach, Nick is adept at finding the root of your pain or issue. He is a results driven practitioner and combines the use of different therapies within an individualised treatment plan to try to achieve the best results.
Kathleen Lumiere
Kathleen Lumiere, DAOM, LAc, is a Professor of Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine (AEAM) at Bastyr University, where she also serves as Director of AEAM Research. Among many academic interests, her primary focus is the intersection of scientific understanding and acupuncture. Dr. Lumiere works with graduate students in didactic and integrative clinical settings, and has maintained a private practice in Seattle for over 20 years. Dr. Lumiere is the founding editor of Convergent Points: An East-West Case Report Journal and the co-chair of Practice-Based Research, a Society for Acupuncture Research special interest group.
Kaleb Lund
Dr. Lund is a core faculty member in the Department of Botanical Medicine where he teaches various courses on medicinal plant chemistry, materia medica, dietary supplement regulation, analytical chemistry, and research. He also mentors undergraduate and graduate students in natural products research.
Alexandra Madsen
Alexandra Madsen is a senior in the Herbal Science program. She is an avid reader, writer, and has loved learning about herbs since she was very young. She enjoys sharing her knowledge about herbs with others and hopes to teach and educate others
about herb in a fun and playful way through a series of herbal “autobiographies”.
Chloe Miller
Chloe Miller is a fourth-year naturopathic medical student with a strong interest in integrative approaches to brain health, gastrointestinal health, environmental medicine, and complex chronic illness. Her recent case report explored the use of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback and naturopathic interventions in the management of post-concussion syndrome.
Chloe recently matched at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute at UC Irvine for residency, where she will continue her clinical training in evidence-based integrative medicine. She is passionate about providing thoughtful, whole-person care and contributing to clinical research that strengthens collaboration between naturopathic and conventional models.
Hattie Patterson
Hattie is a senior in the Herbal Science program and plans to work with clients as a clinical herbalist after graduation. She enjoys wildcrafting plants and spending time with her hands in the dirt. She has a passion for research on the human brain and is interested in focusing on furthering research of the effects of plants on the brain.
David Riley
David Riley, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician and a senior editor with The Permanente Journal (TPJ). He participated in the development of health research reporting guidelines, first with CONSORT for randomized controlled trials in 2000 and then CARE for case reports in 2011. First published in 2013, the CARE guidelines are available in multiple languages and have been accepted as the standard for publishing case reports in many medical journals.
Dr. Riley teaches medical writing and publishing, and case report writing internationally. With his guidance in 2018 Scientific Writing in Health and Medicine (SWIHM), an online training platform for writing scientific articles following CARE was launched. And in 2019 CARE-writer, an online app assisting authors writing case reports was released.
Maya Roth
Maya Roth, ND is an assistant professor, clinic supervisor and core faculty member at School of Naturopathic Medicine, Bastyr University, California. At Bastyr University, Dr. Roth specializes in didactic instruction of case studies and diet and nutrient courses and supervises mind-body/biofeedback and general medicine shifts. Dr. Roth's primary interest is in utilizing biofeedback training to improve human health and performance.
Sana Samreen
Sana holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and is currently completing her Master of Public Health (MPH) at Bastyr University. Her research interests focus on the social and cultural factors that influence health and well-being, with a particular emphasis on underserved populations. Passionate about clinical care and community health education, Sana is dedicated to advancing holistic, integrative approaches that combine physical, mental, and public health strategies.
Masa Sasagawa
Masa Sasagawa is an Associate Research Scientist at Bastyr University and Affiliated Faculty of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. His research experiences range from basic laboratory sciences to FDA-regulated clinical trials. As for the disciplines, he has interests and experiences in naturopathic medicine, mental health, psychology, geriatrics, substance abuse, health economics, statistics, research designs, mixed-method research, fatty acids, brain-evoked potential, nutrition, sleep, exercise, and other fields. Please stop by and share your research interest. He likes teaching and
mentoring anyone with a humble attitude, and working together to accomplish goals.
Xiaoming Sheng
Dr. Sheng provides statistical guidance for clinical investigations in the Pediatric Clinical and Translational Research (PCAT) program and collaborates across the School of Medicine. He teaches advanced statistical methodology in the Masters of Statistics-Biostatistics and Ph.D. in Public Health programs, leads medical school curriculum sessions, and serves as Statistical Mentor for PCAT Scholars.
Dr. Sheng holds engineering degrees from China, an M.S. in Statistics from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He previously served in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine before joining Pediatrics as Research Associate Professor at the University of Utah.
Kelly Shepherd
Kelly Shepherd is an undergraduate senior in the Bachelor of Science in Health Psychology program. Her interests include examining individual differences that impact social bonding and designing socially inclusive and supportive environments that can assist people who may be experiencing heightened stress.
Erin Sweet
Dr. Sweet graduated from Bastyr University and completed her residency training at the National University of Natural Medicine. She went on to earn a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Washington School of Public Health and completed a three-year NIH postdoctoral research fellowship at Bastyr University Research Institute. Dr. Sweet is an Associate Clinical Scientist at Bastyr University studying the effects of integrative oncology on health-related quality of life and clinical outcomes in people living with cancer. Her goal is to continue working toward greater understanding and acceptance of integrative medicine through research.
Lisa Taylor-Swanson
A nursing scientist and licensed acupuncturist at the University of Utah, Dr. Lisa Taylor-Swanson’s program of research aims to reduce disproportionate symptom burden during the menopausal transition across socioeconomic strata by developing and implementing effective interventions feasible in health systems and utilizing complexity-informed research methods. Her current work is developing an integrative medicine group visit that delivers education about menopause and integrative health self-care such as acupressure and mindfulness, medical care, and health screenings.
Wen Tu
Wen Tu is a certified Chinese Medicine nurse with experience as a faculty member at a nursing school in China, where she taught Chinese Medicine theories and nursing techniques. Currently, she is a third-year PhD student in Nursing, specializing in women’s health, gerontology, and integrative medicine. Her research focuses on using mixed-methods approaches to improve the quality of life and well-being of midlife and aging women, older adults, and caregivers. Outside of academia, she is passionate about music and staying active through running and hiking. She is always excited to collaborate with innovative teams and professionals who share dedication to holistic health and research excellence.
Joel Yates
Born and raised in the United States’ Midwest with an upbringing that was influential when it came to travel. Seeing and being able to experience many different cultures and walks of life throughout his upbringing has allowed him to shape and build values that are built around those many different cultural values. It is also important that knowledge of our ancestors don’t get lost; to continue to help pave the way for future generations to continue to use the knowledge that has been passed down from past generations. Currently completing his Bachelor’s of Herbal Science at Bastyr University and has been accepted into Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor of acupuncture. Before finding his way into the world of academia, he is known to be meandering and climbing in places that allow him to reconnect with the world around him and allow him to keep a different outlook on life. Herbal science has allowed him to explore a whole new frontier and helped further shape how he envisions his future practice. He believes that we should always do our best to leave the world a little better than we came into it.