Redox Resilience: How Glutathione and Mitochondrial Function Shape Cardiovascular Risk
Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are increasingly recognized as central drivers of cardiovascular disease, influencing endothelial function, inflammation, lipid oxidation, and metabolic resilience. At the core of these processes lies redox balance—particularly the role of glutathione as the body’s master antioxidant and its intimate relationship with mitochondrial health.
This course explores the mechanistic links between redox biology, mitochondrial function, and cardiovascular risk across the lifespan. Participants will examine how impaired glutathione synthesis and recycling contribute to oxidative damage, vascular dysfunction, and cardiometabolic imbalance, as well as how mitochondrial stress amplifies these effects. The session will integrate emerging research with clinical insights, highlighting assessment strategies and therapeutic approaches aimed at restoring redox resilience and supporting mitochondrial function to improve cardiovascular outcomes.
Designed for clinicians and health professionals, this program offers a systems-based framework for understanding cardiovascular risk through the lens of redox biology and mitochondrial health, with practical implications for prevention and personalized care.
Speakers
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Jeff Bland, PhDDr. Jeffrey Bland is a personable and highly respected thought leader who has spent more than four decades focused on the improvement of human health.
He is known worldwide as the founder of the Functional Medicine movement, which represents his vision for a care model that is grounded in systems biology and informed by research that he has a unique ability to synthesize. His pioneering work has created the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI), as well as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the global leader in Functional Medicine education. Since 1991, hundreds of thousands of healthcare practitioners have participated in PLMI and IFM programs, and this collective knowledge has positively impacted the lives of patients all over the world. -
Nayan Patel, PharmD
Dr. Patel is a recognized expert in clinical pharmacy services. He has built Central Drugs Compounding Pharmacy into one of the leading and fastest-growing compounding pharmacies in the United States. Nayan is a frequent guest lecturer internationally on topics such as hormone replacement therapy, menopause and andropause, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. When it comes to patient healthcare, Nayan believes in a team approach. He is passionate about working together with physicians, nutritionists, and patients to develop a comprehensive plan to improve each patient’s overall health and quality of life. In addition to his work with patients and practitioners at Central Drugs, Nayan is involved with the USC School of Pharmacy as a guest lecturer and faculty member.
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Sanjay Bhojraj, MD
Sanjay Bhojraj, MD is an interventional cardiologist and nationally recognized leader in functional and integrative cardiology. He is certified in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine and serves as a faculty speaker for IFM and several other national organizations. Dr. Bhojraj specializes in cardiometabolic optimization, mitochondrial health, redox biology, and longevity-focused cardiovascular prevention. He is the founder of the Well12 Program and host of The Curious Cardiologist podcast, where he translates cutting-edge science into practical strategies for improving heart health and resilience across the lifespan.
