Dr. Paul Lam, a family physician in Sydney and a Tai Chi teacher since 1976, is a world leader in the field of Tai Chi for health improvement.  Dr. Lam is dedicated to promote Tai Chi for health and wellness.  He has participated and published in peer-reviewed journals research projects relating to Tai Chi for health improvement.

Dr. Lam has composed several Tai Chi for Health programs that are supported by Foundations around the world including that of Arthritis foundations of Australia, America and UK.  By 2010 over two million people around the world has learned and benefited from one of his programs.  Dr. Lam has written four books:  Overcoming Arthritis, Tai Chi for Beginners, Tai Chi for Diabetes and Teaching Tai Chi effectively. 

Dr. Rhayun Song, is an associate professor of nursing at Chungnam National University, Korea.  She has successfully completed several studies focusing on using Tai Chi for interventions with chronic diseases, such as arthritis and diabetes.  She is currently funded to explore using Tai Chi as an intervention for chronic heart disease patients.

She has been practicing Tai Chi since 2000 when she first introduced Tai Chi for arthritis program as an alternative exercise intervention for her research.  Through conducting research utilizing Tai Chi, she realized this form of low intense exercise would be beneficial to those with chronic disease.

Since that time, she has been practicing Tai chi and at the same time conducting research with a full professional support from Dr. Lam as a co-investigator.  In association of "Korean Association of Joint and Muscle Health" and 14 Master trainers in Korea, along with international Tai Chi colleagues, she successfully help organize the first international conference of Tai Chi for Health in 2006 in Seoul, Korea.

 

Dr. Beverly Roberts, a nationally and internationally known researcher on older adults and exercise, has built a long program of NIH-funded research exploring factors that contribute to function and independence in daily activities, specifically exercise from a physical and psychosocial standpoint.  Her most current research study examines how a low intensity muscle strength program could improve function and recovery of elderly adults who have been hospitalized for a medical condition.  She has written more than 50 books, book chapters and articles in refereed publications.  Dr. Roberts has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Contribution to Research Award from the Midwest Nursing Research Society, Outstanding New Investigator Award from the Council of Nurse Researcher of the American Nurses' Association and the Distinguished Nursing Researcher, Recognition from Friends of Nursing Institute of Nursing Research.  Dr. Roberts is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Gerontological  Society of America.

Dr. Andy Choo, did his Ph.D. at the Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, and postdoctoral training at Oxford University and University of California, San Francisco.  His research interest covers different aspects of the chromosomes relating to their correct segregation, transcriptional regulation, evolution, and disease relevance.  His work has led to the discovery of new genetic mechanisms and insights into a number of significant genomic processes for which he is recognized internationally.  An emerging research interest of Andy's is to understand the effects and benefits of alternative medicine in cellular and molecular terms.  He is a frequently invited speaker to local and overseas conferences and is on the editorial boards of several reputed journals.  He has published over 170 articles, many in top-tier journals and highly cited, and his laboratory has trained over 100 researchers.  He is an executive of MCRI, Director of the Laboratory and Community Genetics Theme, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, and an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow.

 

Dr. Jean Kristeller, is a professor at Indiana State University and the Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Health, Religion, and Spirituality at Indiana State University.  Dr. Kristeller received her B.A. from Swarthmore College in 1974, her Master's degree in clinical and human psychophysiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1978, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an emphasis in clinical health psychology from Yale University in 1983.  She completed post-doctoral training in eating disorders at McClean Hospital and in Behavioral Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  Prior to coming to ISU, she was a member of the staff and faculty in the behavioral medicine services at Cambridge Hospital (Harvard Medical School, Dept. of Psychiatry) and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (Worcester, MA).

Dr. Kristeller is interested in the effects of psychological variables on physical health and illness, which has informed much of her research.  It has included work with compulsive eating and obesity, smoking, the role of the physician in facilitating health behavior change, anxiety disorders and the use of meditation as a way to promote self regulatory processes.  She began developing the Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training Program over 15 years ago, drawing on her work with Jon Kabat-Zinn's Midnfulness Based Stress Reduction Program and on her research and clinical training in food intake regulation and eating disorders.

Dr. Kevin Chen, Ph.D. M.P.H., Associate Professor in the Center for Integrative Medicine and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  Dr. Chen is a NIH-funded investigator conducting survey research on adolescent substance abuse, and conducting clinical studies investigating the clinical feasibility and efficacy of Chinese energy therapy for treating osteoarthritis and addiction.  With intensive training in research methodology and statistics, Dr. Chen has had extensive experience in designing and implementing various research projects, including clinical trials, and has long been interested in the scientific study of qigong and its medical applications.  As long-time practitioner of quigong, Dr. Chen has observed many unexplained successes in quigong healing, and is willing to subject this ancient therapy to serious scientific examination.  His major research interests include research methodology, epidemiology of substance abuse, and health applications of energy therapy and mind-body integrative medicine.  Dr. Chen is among the few scientists who have both first- jhand knowledge of quigong practice and active involvement in scientific research of Qigong in the U.S.  His research includes both verification of qienergy through laboratory detectors, and medical application of qigong therapy in clinical settings.  He has been involved in clinical trials to examine the feasibility and efficacy of adding quigong therapy in treating heroin and cocaine addiction, as well as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, cancer and chronic pain.   He is currently working on NIH and foundation-funded research projects on the application of bio-energy therapy and self-help methods in the treatment of addiction, arthritis, cancer and other health problems.      
 

Dr. Margaret Moga, is an associate professor of Anatomy & Cell Biology, at Indiana University School of Medicine.  As a neurobiologist, Dr. Moga has published over 30 refereed articles on the circadian timing system and the autonomic nervous system.  Her current research is focused on magnetic field activity as a potential measure of "Qi", emotions and consciousness, and the role of magnetic fields in health and healing.  She has observed significant magnetic field changes during Healing Touch, a form of bioenergy healing endorsed by the American Holistic Nursing Association, and during a variety of bioenergetic practices, including guided imagery meditations.  She is active in a number of organizations supporting consciousness and energy medicine research including ISSSEEM and the Monroe Institute.  She has attended four of Dr. Lam's weeklong workshops, and practices Tai Chi regularly, including the Fan and 24 Yang-style forms.

 

Sensei Jef Morris, has been a hospice volunteer since 1986.  Jef has studied Quigong and Buddhist studies with several teachers and began to share Qigong and Tai Chi practice with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's and stroke recovery support groups.  Jef received his TCA certification in 2002, TCD certification in 2003, TCBP certification in 2004, his TCA Update certification in 2005.  Jef, with the support of the Office of the Mayor, the Miami County Parks and Recreation and the Health Foundation of South Florida, offers the TCA program for individuals living with chronic and/or terminal illness.  Most classes began  with wheel chairs, canes and walkers doing TCA chair practice.  Most if not all are standing, and practicing the walking forms.  A former Wall Street executive, Jef finds sharing Dr. Paul Lam's TCA program is the path to a meaningful life, especially for those whose need is so great, to experience the benefits of TCA practice.  "When they cross that doorway to practice, however they got here, it is a sign of great determination to feel better, so we can practice." (taken from http://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/instructors/find_instructors/instructor.hph?id=45)

George Wolfe, is currently Coordinator of Outreach Programs for the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State University where he served as Director of Peace Studies from 2002 to 2006.  He chairs the Muncie Interfaith Fellowship and was trained to conduct interfaith dialog and peace building through All Faiths Seminary International in New York City where he was ordained as an interfaith minister.  He is the author of the recently published book "The Spiritual Power of Nonviolence:  Interfaith Understanding for a Future Without War" which has been endorsed by Arin Gandhi, Bishop William E. Swing, and peace educator Michael N. Nagler.  Conservative political commentator David Horowitz has listed professor Wolfe as "one of the 101 most dangerous academics in America".

Jacqueline Shin, Dr. Shin earned her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at the Pennsylvania State University with a focus in motor control and skill acquisition.  Subsequently, her NIH funded postdoctoral work on brain processes in motor learning was carried out with Parkinson's patients and people with damage to the cerebellum at the University of California, Berkeley.  After teaching and conducting research at the University of Virginia, Dr. Shin is now an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Sociology at Indiana State University.  Her research interests include the cognitive and brain mechanisms of skill acquisition across the life span and in neurodegenerative diseases.  Dr. Shin is a skilled violinist and Tai Chi practitioner.