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The Copernican Project was begun in 2017 by a small group of Berkeley Alumni members with research backgrounds in physics & astronomy. Motivated by a friend and family member diagnosed with cancer, we committed ourselves to search for a deeper understanding of what regulates our metabolism. In collaboration with biologists and space scientists at institutions around the globe, we formulate the theory then spearhead experiments in domains where the physics and biology are least understood but which have the most potential for revolutionizing the field. We seek to expose overlooked energy exchange processes coupled to nuclear and gravitational forces and to dynamics associated with Earth’s spin and orbital motion. Our mission is to drive a deeper level of physics into biology and deliver new insight on a full spectrum of energy related diseases - from diabetes to cancer.
TEAM
This is the team of affiliated research scientists and innovators collaborating on experiments to bring the Copernican Revolution to biology.
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       Steve ThorneDIRECTOR OF SCIENCE Founder of The Copernican Project. Dedicated to advancing theoretical basis of cellular energy exchange in all diseases - from diabetes to cancer. 
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       Sean ThornePRESIDENT & CFO President and CEO of People Data Labs. Focused on building innovative research connections to advance business, technology, and medince. 
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       Karl MortenOXFORD EXPERIMENTALIST Director of Graduate Studies and Principle Investigator at Oxford. Research in ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrom, Lyme Disease, and Cancer. 
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       Afshin BehestiBIOINFOMATICIAN Data specialist with Blue Marble Space Institute of Science/NASA Ames Research Center. President of COVID-19 International Research Team. Space Biology Cancer · Mitochondria · miRNAs 
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       Agata ZupanskaRESEARCH SCIENTIST Principal Investigator and Research Scientist at SETI. Disciplines: Space Biology, Molecular Biology, Gene Expression. ISS flown studies on radiation tolerance moss species, ARTEMOSS. 
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       Afshin KhanASTROBIOLOGIST Postdoctoral Fellow, Cleveland Clinic Affiliate at Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. Highly motivated and innovative biotechnology, astrobiology, and molecular medicine scientist. 
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       Dr. Michael A. SchmidtPRECISION MEDICINE & ANALYTICS CEO, & Chief Scientific Officer of Sovaris Aerospace. Professor of Neuroscience, President of the Human Research Program for Civilian Spaceflight. Advisor to TOP GUN, the NBA, and the NFL. 
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       Caleb SchmidtSYSTEMS MODELING Vice President of Research at Sovaris Aerospace. Specializes in applying systems thinking and systems engineering to solve complex problems in biological, natural, and engineered systems. 
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       Julian SchmidtTRIALS & RESEARCH SPECIALIST Clinical Trial & Research Manager at Sovaris Aerospace. Researches the optimization of human performance and on pathological states of breast cancer, traumatic brain injury, anxiety and depression. 
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       Alistair NunnEVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST Director of Science at The Guy Foundation. Visiting Professor at the University of Westminster. Researches bioenergetics & quantum biology at the Research Centre for Optimal Health. 
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       Christopher PoradaGENE TRANSFER SPECIALIST Professor at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Focused on developing safer and more efficient means of gene transfer. NASA-funded investigator on hematopoiesis & stem cells. 
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       Graca Almeida-PoradaSTEM CELL SPECIALIST Professor at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Focuses on the development of cellular and gene delivery and gene editing platforms to treat genetic and immune-mediated diseases. 
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       Jason PodrabskyBIOLOGIST Professor of biology and experimentalist at Portland State. His lab studies embryonic development and life in extreme habitats. 
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       Jim DanhaklEx NAVY F-18 FIGHTER PILOT Ex commercial airline pilot. CIPD Survivor via stem cell treatment. Interested in all things science. Navy call sign FLOYD. 
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       Hamed ChokDATA ANALYSIS Master’s Degree in Computer Science. Interests in AI, Applied Mathematics, Scientific Computing, Space Biology & Computer Science 
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       Clayton Xavier Vanegas AguilarRESEARCH INTERN St Petersburg University; Bachelor in Biology. Interests: Astrobiology, Astrophysics, Space Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Statistics and Fundamental Astronomy. 
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       Esin ÜsküplüRESEARCH INTERN Boğaziçi University, Physics undergrad with a double major in Molecular Biology and Genetics. 
