Throughout many centuries, meditation has been practiced in different forms and in many different cultures. Modern meditation techniques taken from religious practices are widely used in psychological and clinical environments. Meditation has been known to improve a broad range of health and disease outcomes, such as slowing the progression of disease and improving healthy aging. Yet, little is known about the biological changes that produce these beneficial health effects. In this episode, Dr. Christine Schaffner sits down with Dr. Hamal Patel to discuss the biological effects of meditation, and some of the preconceived notions of utilizing meditation. Additionally, they also discuss Dr. Patel’s research on the biology of meditation, and how he became interested in meditation. Dr. Hemal Patel is currently a Full Professor and serves as the Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC-SD. He runs a vibrant research program that includes budding scientists at many levels including high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, Anesthesiology residents, research scientists, and junior faculty members.   To get the full version of the show notes - please visit http://www.drchristineschaffner.com/Episode115