Dr. Mauro Zappaterra is a physician and neuroscientist whose work bridges rigorous research and whole-person care. He earned his MD and PhD at Harvard Medical School, where his doctoral work explored neural stem cells and the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in brain development and in the adult. His findings have appeared in numerous scientific articles, and his work was chosen as the cover image for Neuron.

He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the UCLA VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, where he served as Chief Resident. Board certified in PM&R, he focuses on optimizing human performance and reducing suffering. He is Director of Regenerative Medicine and Clinical Research at Synovation Medical Group, a staff physician at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and co-creator and co-host of The PM&R Podcast, which interviews leading voices in the field.

In his practice, he combines his medical training with Polarity Therapy, Reiki, and Craniosacral Therapy, caring for each person holistically: body, mind, and spirit. He researches and designs new programs and techniques to help ease pain, improve function, and enhance quality of life. In 2018, his peers voted him one of Pasadena Magazine’s Top Docs.

His work has been featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, Science Direct, Apple TV, Gaia, and numerous interviews with podcast hosts, documentaries, researchers and foundations.

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