Meet Dr. Nagabhushan Moolky | Yoga Bhushan, Yoga Expert & Scientist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Nagabhushan Moolky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Nagabhushan, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Everyday I do yoga asanas. I started doing yoga when I was 16 years old, Spontaneously yoga asanas were revealed and did not take any class and advise from others. It was a natural process of growing to new dimension. And now I come up with my own new asanas that are simple and easy to do. I think these asanas will transform the field of yoga. I also developed the skill of writing poetry intially in my mother tongue (Kannada, Tulu), later on in English, Hindi and Sanskrit languagues. Poetry helps to tell chapters of stories in few lines. Poetry is of expressing my thoughts, feeling and how others will think about the problems and solutions to a particular topics, it may be in human relations, social problems, humansrights, environmental issues or political views.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After my postgraduation, I left my native place, Mangalore and moved to Bombay. I got a short-term assignment as lab technician to test natural componds for their antitumor avtivity at Tata Cancer Research Institute. It is the top notch cancer center in India at that time.Living in Bombay is really hard, to find accomodation, travel in the train and to make new friends. Because of different spoken languages (Marati & Hindi). I managed to learn Hindi to communicate. English was spoken in the Institute. Then I got a permanent position as a scientist at the Institute. My project was to test dietary ingredients. specially any possible cancer causing especially spices. I could not find any spices contribute to cancer development. Then they about to abandon the project. Then I suggested that any spices will lower or prevents cancer formation. That is how wnd up with showing for the first time (1984) in the world that turmeric and its active yellow colring principles prevents cancer. Once it is published scientists around the world started working on and confirmed that indeed curcumins prevents several types of cancer. I have shown that Turmeric & curcumins, 1. Skin, Stomach, Breast, Mouth, Blood cancer – leukemia and lymphoma at different stages of development
2. Anticancer against human leukemia
3. Reverses anticancer drug (Adriamycin)-resistance in leukemia cells
4. Inhibits progression of viral-induced spontaneous breast tumors
5. Inhibit multiplication of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) that is responsible for human Burkitt’s lymphoma
6. Enhances retinoic acid induced leukemia cell differentiation
7. Reverses retinoic acid developed resistance of leukemia cell differentiation
8. Reduces retinoic-induced toxicity by enhancing leukemia cell differentiation
9. Genetic damage caused by environmental pollutants
10. Genetic damage caused by Radiation
11. Prevents formation of genetic damaging/cancer causing chemicals generated during roasting, frying and cooking
12. Prevents genotoxic/cancer causing Nitrosamines/amide formation – Commercial meat preservation, in water and vegetables
13. Prevents genetic damage caused by Bidi & cigarette smoke in experiment models
14. Prevents genetic damage causing chemicals in human tobacco smokers (Bidi, Cigarette, Hookah, Cigar)
Then in 1988 I came to USA continued some of these research. 1. Enhances Liver preservation 2. Inhibits cyclosporine A resistant pathway of human T-cell activation 3. Prevent cyclosporine A-induced human B-cell multiplication
4. Human lymphocyte alloreaction/graft versus host disease (GVHD) 5. Human lymphocyte xenoreaction 6. Antitumor activity against EBV-induced Lymphoma. One interesting thing happened in one of the USA lab is that under microscope could not view cells because of poor light. I used aluminum foil to enhance light and made it cells are visible. Scientist life is very hard in USA. Every boss need quick results, get grants, publish paper, keep shifting projects, US visa and keep looking for new positions most of the time. With all these I have to take care of children, their daycare, school, home work and finally I have to spend time with them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Most of the visitors, guests and friends like eating Indians delicacies. Chicago is multi-ethinic and multicultural hub. Here immigrants are respected and treated well. I did not come across any untoward incidences. Usually we go to Devon where most the Indian restaurants located about 30 years ago, Now a days they are everywhere. There are many Hindu temples we visit also. We take Bigbus to show Chicago around. There are cruises that take you around historical buildings. Lakeshore beaches is a good place to relax and enjoy on a sunny days. we sit together sing songs and dance to the tunes. My friends are most exciting and entertaining people with lots of fun and jokes floating around. Recollecting olden days hardships, our togetherness and how we succeeded.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My father, M.S. Venugopal was a great inspiration to me and others, He stood up against adverse situations, hardships, with limited income raised the childrens and kept the family together