Our Roots

Dr. Jeff Chen, a physician and scientist, was pained by the pharma-dominated model of medicine. He wanted to find better and more affordable treatments, so he created and led a first-of-its-kind natural products research center at UCLA. However, he became frustrated with the traditional, slow, expensive approach to generating medical evidence and how it was largely only accessible to pharma.

Meanwhile, Pelin Thorogood, a tech entrepreneur turned philanthropist, was funding innovative natural medicine research, including one of the largest autism clinical trials using botanical products. As a data and AI expert, she realized the historical methods used to generate medical data were too small-scale and did not involve diverse individuals.  This typical approach would never generate the predictive evidence needed for her goal of personalized medicine for all.


Pelin and Jeff joined forces to start a Rebellion against a broken healthcare system that largely ignored natural unpatentable medicines, focused on curing disease instead of promoting wellness, and was a one-size-fits-all approach. 

They drew inspiration from legendary Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton when posting their first job openings for Radicle “The work will be hard, and safety is not guaranteed, but if we succeed, we will permanently alter the course of medicine for all future generations.”

This call is what prompted many to leave comfortable retirement-track positions and take pay cuts in order to join as Rebels in the Radicle Rebellion and revolutionize healthcare.  The Radicle Rebels are driven by our shared mission to make personalized, evidence-based wellness treatments accessible to all.

rad∙i∙cle

/ˈradɪk(ə)l/

The first root to emerge from a plant.

A constant reminder of our radically disruptive approach.

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Our Manifesto

Humans have relied on natural products as medicine for millennia. Many such remedies are still used by billions around the world. Today, more than 80% of Americans use natural products, such as nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, and these industries continue to rapidly grow. However, most wellness companies still don’t have proof of effectiveness for their products and formulations. That’s because they don’t have easy or affordable access to clinical trials.  Traditional trials, developed primarily to support patented synthetic pharmaceuticals, are simply too expensive and too slow for these unpatentable natural products. Worse still, the small size and strict criteria of traditional trials significantly reduces their relevance and ability to be personalized to diverse real-world populations. This has created a huge gap between the benefits wellness companies promise and the scientific evidence to back it up.  

We call this the Proof Gap.  

The proof gap is causing immeasurable damage, limiting the full potential of these non-prescription products as effective treatments accessible by all and eroding trust in this global industry.  And the ramifications are grave for wellness companies, healthcare providers, and consumers alike.

But it doesn’t have to be this way, and it won’t.  We co-founded Radicle Science to create a future of personalized wellness, powered by proof.

Just as importantly, we wanted to seize the unique opportunity to bring much needed equity and diversity into medical research.  The unprecedented scale and reach of our intentionally diverse studies finally enables inclusion of broad ethnicities, genders, and age groups to move us closer to personalized wellness.

We are pioneering Proof-as-a-Service, because proof drives transformation. 

And we’re transforming wellness products into proven personalized health treatments, accessible by all without gatekeepers. Now companies can deliver innovative, effective products optimized for specific populations and supported by proof. Consumers can confidently buy products proven to work for someone like them.  Retailers can readily stock inventory proven for their shoppers.  Healthcare systems can finally integrate proven wellness products to improve outcomes.  

That’s the power of Proof-as-a-Service.  That’s the abundant future we are creating, and we want you to join us. 

It’s not a crazy idea. It’s a Radicle one.

Dr. Jeff Chen and Pelin Thorogood - Proof-as-a-Service

Dr. Jeff Chen & Pelin Thorogoood

Radicle Science Co-founders and Rebels With a Cause
Our Roots Signatures

Our Credo

As a B-corp, we are dedicated to uncovering the objective health outcome data behind natural health products to unlock safe, effective and affordable treatments for all. Who we are, how we operate, and how we grow are grounded in shared values that constantly inspire us to make good on our mission.

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Audacious

A big idea, boldly executed by an inspired team, is the best way to transform the world.

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Collaborative

Cooperation, rooted in aligned goals, is fundamental to both business success and societal progress.

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Transparent

Open, clear, and factual communication is essential for trust and credibility.

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Evidence-based

Rigorously collected and analyzed data, not anecdotes, should drive everything from health choices to business decisions.

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Purpose-driven

Applying modern science to natural products is what’s needed to unlock safe, effective, and democratized treatments for humanity.