Lisa Taylor-Swanson

Dr. Lisa Taylor-Swanson is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on improving symptom management, particularly in midlife women’s health, using Traditional East Asian Medicine (e.g., acupuncture, herbal therapies) and integrative approaches. She leads the MENOGAP project, an integrative group medical visit designed to address healthcare gaps in menopausal women. Dr. Taylor-Swanson has over 23 years of clinical experience in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, emphasizing women’s health and the menopausal transition.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science, Psychology (cum laude), University of Utah (1996)
• Master of Science, Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine (2001)
• PhD, Nursing Science, University of Washington (2015)

Research Interests: Dr. Taylor-Swanson’s work centers on reducing symptom burden in vulnerable populations, including urban American Indian/Alaska Native women and global health contexts. She employs complexity science frameworks to study integrative health interventions, such as acupuncture for chronic pain and opioid misuse, and collaborates internationally in Guatemala to improve maternal and reproductive health outcomes.

Publications & Grants: Her recent work includes studies on interoceptive awareness in chronic pain, acupressure training for Guatemalan midwives, and the role of acupuncture in pandemic response. She has secured grants such as the Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity award for Gulf War Illness research and a project on American Indian/Alaska Native women’s healthcare access.

Awards & Honors: Includes the Excellence in Research & Scholarship (Sigma) and recognition from the Society for Acupuncture Research. She is a member of multiple honor societies, including Sigma Theta Tau International.

Teaching: Teaches in DNP and PhD nursing programs, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research. Courses include Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice and Thesis Research.

Labs/Teams: Leads the MENOGAP initiative and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in global health and integrative medicine. Her work emphasizes community-based participatory research and cultural competence.