Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative

Summary

It is becoming increasingly recognized in the literature that ancient practices for wellbeing, including meditation, yoga, and specific herbs, can improve health and promote longevity. While studies have documented such effects for a variety of individual practices for wellbeing, few studies have taken a more whole systems approach that is simultaneously inclusive of numerous practices. This intervention study, the "Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative", will examine the effects of a comprehensive whole systems approach to wellbeing on key biochemical, physiological, and psychosocial endpoints. Participants randomized to the Perfect Health program at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing will be compared to individuals not taking the program.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Perfect Health Course

The Perfect Health course as taught at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Harvard University

  collaborator OTHER

• Scripps Translational Science Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• Duke University

  collaborator OTHER

• Chopra Center for Wellbeing

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, San Francisco

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, San Diego

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Paul J Mills, PHD · University of California, San Diego

• Rudolph E Tanzi, PhD · Harvard University

• Deepak Chopra, MD · Chopra Center for Wellbeing & University of California, San Diego

• Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD · University of California, San Francisco

• Elissa Epel, PhD · University of California, San Francisco

• Sheila Patel, MD · Chopra Center for Wellbeing & University of California, San Diego

• Valencia Porter, MD · Chopra Center for Wellbeing & University of California, San Diego

• Eric Schadt, PhD · MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL

• Steven Steinhubl, MD · Scripps Translational Science Institute, Scripps Research Institute

• Eric Topel, MD · Scripps Translational Science Institute, Scripps Research Institute

• Murali Doraiswamy, MD · Duke University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-09-30

Primary Completion

2015-02-28

Completion

2015-02-28

Countries

• United States

Study Locations