Dr. Laurie Menk Otto graduated from National College of Naturopathic Medicine (now National University of Natural Medicine) in 2007 with a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine with honors in research from Helfgott Research Institute. In 2008, she was awarded an NIH-NCCAM T32 fellowship at the University of Arizona to study clinical medical research. This two-year research fellowship focused on the study of nonlinear dynamics and complex adaptive systems, and the interface of complementary and alternative medicine with biomedical research. Dr. Menk Otto was awarded a third year of fellowship, during which time she completed her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Menk Otto’s fellowship research focused on the investigation of subjective well-being as a measure of whole person health, and its relationship to self-care management, health and illness. Her master degree capstone project used participant-led photography to document life aspects and experiences that influence psychosocial well-being among cancer survivors. Other areas of interest include the relationship between the gastrointestinal and immune systems in the expression of allergy and chronic disease, and global health.