Biography of Dr. Barry Sears

Dr. Barry Sears is a leader in the field of dietary control of hormonal response. A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his efforts over the past 25 years to the study of lipids and their inflammatory role in the development of chronic disease. He holds 13 U.S. Patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The turning point in Dr. Sears' research occurred when the 1982 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for discoveries of the role that certain hormones known as eicosanoids play in the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The inflammation controlled by eicosanoids is the linking factor to these chronic diseases. Since eicosanoids are derived from dietary fat, Dr. Sears reasoned that one could apply intravenous drug-delivery principles to nutrition in order to control these exceptionally powerful hormonal responses with laser-like precision — in essence, by treating food as if it were a drug. His research has led to patents in the area of hormonal control by essentially using food as an oral drug delivery system to modulate eicosanoids, especially for cardiovascular and diabetic patents.

Widespread understanding of the revolutionary impact of Dr. Sears' work began with the 1995 publication of his landmark book, The Zone, which was a number-one best seller on the New York Times book list. Dr. Sears has since authored a total of 10 books on his Zone technology, selling more than 4 million copies that have been translated into 22 languages in 40 countries. His insight into the hormonal consequences of diet has been confirmed by numerous published studies, many of them conducted at Harvard Medical School. As a result of his impact on nutrition and health, Dr. Sears is featured frequently in national media forums such as 20/20, Today, Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, and USA Today.

Dr. Sears continues his research in treating heart disease and type 2 diabetes as President of Zone Labs, a biotechnology company in Danvers, Mass. He has recently expanded his research to develop innovative dietary approaches to treating neurological conditions and improving cognitive functions. His work is funded through the nonprofit Inflammation Research Foundation.