
Hemal Patel - philosophy, meditation and science. Performance Around The Clock episode 35.
From Performance Around The Clock by Dr. Satchin Panda
August 19, 2025 · 2h 19m · Episode 36
About this episode
Dr. Hemal Patel discusses the intersection of philosophy, meditation, and science, focusing on mitochondrial biology and the mind-body connection.
Welcome to episode 35 of the Performance Around the Clock podcast. We’re joined by Dr. Hemal Patel, a distinguished Professor and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and a VA Research Career Scientist. Holding a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dr. Patel's extensive research career has focused on caveolin and mitochondrial biology. In this episode, he discusses the critical role of cell membranes and mitochondria in cellular energy and disease, highlighting how his lab developed a non-invasive blood-based assay for mitochondrial function. This innovative assay, developed through the NASA Twin Study, can assess overall energetic health and disease states without invasive biopsies. Dr. Patel also shares his work on the therapeutic potential of the protein caveolin in conditions like heart disease and neurodegeneration (ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's), and how his recent research has expanded to explore the mind-body connection through the transformative work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. We also talk about how his longtime interest in philosophy and religion has influenced his life and career. Please join us for…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Satchin Panda
Guest: Dr. Hemal Patel
Topics covered
- philosophy
- meditation
- science
- cell membranes
- mitochondrial biology
- energetic health
- mind-body connection
Keywords
- mitochondrial function
- caveolin
- cellular energy
- heart disease
- neurodegeneration
- non-invasive assay
- NASA Twin Study
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of California, San Diego, VA Research
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