JRSM Essay on Positive Biology

My essay entitled "Why the NIH Should Create an Institute of Positive Biology" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Here is the abstract:

The creation of a new NIH Institute dedicated to the study of exemplar positive phenotypes could help stimulate the development of novel interventions that lead to significant improvements in human health, happiness and prosperity. The creation of an Institute of Positive Biology would help divert some of the focus away from understanding the shortcomings of our evolutionary history (e.g. our susceptibility to specific diseases) to appreciating the importance of understanding exceptional healthy aging, the positive emotions and happiness, etc. By transcending the intellectual constraints imposed by the fixation on pathology, we may be able to develop novel interventions that significantly improve the life prospects of the populations living in the twenty-first century.

Cheers,
Colin