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QIGONG BIOGRAPHIES

Francesco Garri Garripoli is the president of the Qigong Institute and enjoys being an author, television producer, Qigong practitioner and wellness advocate. He began his formal training in Eastern healing in Hawaii in 1977 after leaving a full medical school scholarship. His documentary Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century (watch a 10 minute version), airs on PBS Television, where he has produced programs for 20 years. Francesco teaches Qigong workshops around the world and through www.wujiproductions.com and is a past Chairman of the National Qigong Association. Author of Qigong Essence of the Healing Dance and Tao of the Ride, Francesco current resides on Kauai, Hawaii at the non-profit Kahuna Valley Retreat facility www.kahunavalley.com .
Dr Sancier is the founder and Chairman Emertius of the Qigong Institute. He is a professor at the American College of Traditional Medicine in San Francisco. He received a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and has carried out basic and applied chemistry research. As a research chemist he published 70 articles in scientific journals and holds 12 patents. He is an editor of the Journal of the International Society of Life Information Science (JISLIS), Director of the California Information Center of ISLIS, on the Advisory Board of the Journal Of Alternative Therapies, and is on the Council of the World Academic Society Medical Qigong.

Since 1986, he applied his scientific background to study and evaluate reports on Qigong that claimed health and healing benefits. This evaluation depended on a series of activities including participating in international Qigong conferences in China, Japan, Canada and USA and sponsoring the First World Congress of Qigong in San Francisco. He was the first person to be honored with a life-time achievement award from the National Qigong Assoication.

To summarize the information on Qigong that he had collected, he led the development of the Computerized Qigong Database which contains English abstracts of almost all research on Qigong since 1986. The scope of the database was expanded to include other energy therapies and disciplines and is now called the Qigong and Energy Medicine Database. The Database has been used as a source for six books, seven dissertations, and numerous research projects.

He has carried out and published experimental studies of mind/body interactions. Including experimental studies and reviews, he has published about 25 papers in peer reviewed journals. He can be contacted at

Martin has been serving as a director of the QI since 1997. He is a senior scientist and a vice president of WIS, an information service and consulting firm in San Francisco Bay area. He is interested in promoting public health, improving life quality through a total health conditioning program, which includes Qigong as the key approach for stress management and healing enhancement. He believes total life style management for disease prevention such as regular moderate physical activities, balanced intakes, supportive working environment and routine physical examinations as well as updated vaccinations. His research work covers the area of gene therapy, gene discovery and molecular immunology. He consults investors in biotech company evaluation, strategic planning.

Martin did his postdoctoral training at University of California at San Francisco, and University of Pennsylvania after earned his Medical Doctor degree and Master of Sciences from Xi'an Medical University, P.R. China.

Kevin is an assistant professor of psychiatry in the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at UMDNJ. With a doctorate degree in social psychology and statistics, and a master in public health, his major research interests include research methodology, epidemiology of substance use/abuse, and medical applications of Qigong and mind-body interaction. He is currently working on some NIDA-funded research projects with a focus on the etiology of adolescent substance abuse and dependence, as well as the application studies of qigong therapy for addiction, arthritis and other health conditions. With the Chinese origin and long-time practice of qigong himself, Dr. Chen has observed many successful outcomes from qigong therapy, and is willing to put this therapy into serious scientific examination. He is considered to be of the few scientists who have both knowledge of Qigong and active involvement in Qigong research in the U.S. He has been involved in a clinic trial in China to use qigong treating heroin addicts. He has directed a series of experiments with master He and other scientists at UMDNJ on the effects of qigong on lymphoma in mice, on PPT-I _expression in breast cancer cells, on arthritis pains in patients and on treatment for addiction. In April 2000, he was named the Research Scientist of the Year by the Qigong Summit 2000 in Washington DC. Working with other qigong lovers and scholars, Dr. Chen is one of the founders to the non-profit organization World Institute for Self Healing, Inc. ( http://www.wishus.org ) and the International forum for Qigong research ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qiresearch ) on the internet to actively promote education and research of qigong therapy and self-healing movement.
Tom has been studying eastern healing arts since the mid-1980's. He began by practicing yoga to treat chronic back pain due to a rock climbing injury and has studied Tai Chi and Qigong since 1994. In China he has trained in Taoist Medical Bagua Xundao Qigong with Master Wan Su Jian and in Wuji Hundun Qigong with lineage holder Master Duan Zhi Liang. Tom's primary teaching interests are Qigong for corporations, schools, fitness, conferences and seminars, and personal self-initiated health-care. He is a Practitioner Member of the National Qigong Association and is currently studying with 20th generation Chen style Tai Chi Master Wong Wai Yi, researching the integration of western science with eastern health modalities, and enjoying many forms of Qigong. He is also a certified Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher with the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi. In a previous life Tom earned an M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University and spent over twenty years in the Silicon Valley computer industry specializing in database system performance and reliability.
Devatara teaches Medical Qigong at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and practices Oriental medicine and Medical Qigong at her private clinic in Sausalito, California. She focuses on the transformative potential of health, healing and dying. Her work encourages the nonsectarian development and authentic integration of the physical and non-physical being, for health, healing, life passage and spiritual awakening. She is a recognized Master of MedicalQigong in the Emei Linji Chan Lineage of Chinese Buddhism.

Devatara Holman has studied Asian culture, philosophy and spirituality since childhood. She has traveled widely in Asia and has studied closely with numerous teachers. During the 1980?s, she lived in China and Tibet for 7 years where she worked as a professional translator and interpreter, and began her study of Buddhist Spiritual-Medical Qigong and Oriental medicine.

Devatara Holman's credentials include: Director of the Qigong Institute; Faculty of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Licensed Acupuncturist; Master of Science, Traditional Chinese Medicine; Master of Arts, Chinese Language and Culture. Recognized teacher of Medical and Spiritual Qigong; Eastern Spiritual and Energetic Arts Training since 1980.

Graduate study at: American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine; National Taiwan University, Republic of China; University Of Washington; Stanford University; UC Berkeley; Advanced Training in Orthopedic Acupuncture; Board of Directors at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (1995-97); American College of TCM Alumni President (2002-2004).

For Further Information Contact:
Devatara Holman, MS, MA, LAc.
(415) 332-1013
Marin Oriental Medicine
38 Caledonia Street, Suite One
Sausalito, CA 94965
www.MarinOrientalMedicine.com