Stars in our Constellation: Yogi Hendlin

Yogi joins Luminous as Advisor, Biosemiotics

Yogi has worked at the intersection of environment and health for almost 20 years, bringing a rich background in public health and environmental philosophy to his endeavors. He holds joint appointments as a professor at a European business school within its philosophy department and as a researcher at one of the top medical schools in the United States. Yogi thrives on the intellectual tensions that interdisciplinarity brings, a hallmark of his distinguished academic career.

Yogi has an extensive publication record, with dozens of peer-reviewed papers across disciplines such as medicine, public health, semiotics, law, philosophy, and environmental history and policy. He is also the co-editor of two notable books: one on the societal implications of algae and another exploring food and medicine through a biosemiotic lens.

Currently, Yogi leads several high-impact research projects, including initiatives on clean fuels in shipping, alleviating energy poverty, comparing extractive with sustainability investment in the Amazon, and investigating the commercial determinants of health.

Yogi's academic journey is as diverse as his research interests. He holds degrees from UC Berkeley, UCLA, the London School of Economics, and the University of Kiel in Germany. His studies have taken him across the globe to Spain, Chile, and Vienna, enriching his perspective on cultural and linguistic diversity.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Yogi is a professional musician, an AcroYoga teacher, and a budding naturalist, reflecting his commitment to a balanced and holistic approach to life.

Q & A with Yogi Hendlin

Q: What experience and expertise do you bring to Luminous?

I am the Editor-In-Chief of the journal Biosemiotics, the flagship journal of the International Society for Biosemiotic Studies. Biosemiotics is the philosophy of biology that integrates the theoretical biology of Jakob von Uexküll, the semiotics of Charles S. Peirce, and system thinking from luminaries like Gregory Bateson, applying these insights to all organisms, humans included. By understanding the basic communicative stances of different species according to their species-specific apertures of perception and meaning-making, I am informed in my work on human ethology, which treats the evolutionary, instinctual, and animal aspects of our species that drive much of our perceptions and actions.

My cross-cutting background in public health, understanding how the largest corporations interface with the world, and environmental philosophy provides a unique blend of insights into the game-changing shifts occurring as every aspect of our society reconfigures in the face of the metacrisis of climate, technology, social, and psychological instability we’re experiencing. My hope is that my contributions can help those with the most means to create more social impact with less anxiety, making bold initiatives that require little effort and unnecessary expenditure but much bravery.

Q: What motivates you about Luminous and its mission?

I love working with Luminous because of the calibre of the people and the high-stakes projects we get to tackle. It is always refreshing when the other people in the room have such a high degree of integrity and ethics that I can relax and feel comfortable being my inquisitive, justice-loving self. Since joining Luminous, this impression has only deepened, as Noël and her team have doubled down on our commitments to diversity and inclusion. Working with such people makes the work worthwhile. And the topics! Within semiotic consulting, there are few more important issues than those with which we have had the opportunity to engage.

“ Patients need to trust their providers, yet providers—including scientists—can never guarantee outcomes. People are different, all the way down, which is why specificity of treatment is so important.”

Q: What types of projects do you find most rewarding, and why?

Combining my work as an academic and biosemiotician, I’m most excited about helping organizations attend to societal ripples that they can support to benefit health. This process involves deep dives with colleagues to identify themes that are salient in public discourse but might not yet have been integrated into the long-term planning of the relevant organization. Examining the hidden assumptions and finding creative and constructive ways to address blind spots is an art that allows us to move forward on social alignment, which can be a truly rewarding journey.

Q: What are the big challenges and opportunities you’re seeing related to patients, life sciences and impact?

Patients need to trust their providers, yet providers—including scientists—can never guarantee outcomes. People are different, all the way down, which is why specificity of treatment is so important. We see this being acknowledged with the advent of precision and personalized health, but for most diseases and challenges patients face, such approaches have not yet been implemented. Of course, there are practical considerations for this: it takes an inordinate amount of time, expertise, and resources to deliver personalized care. However, with AI, better databasing, and more comprehensive health histories, these challenges will be met with a new assortment of tools. While such big data approaches can never fully replace the expertise of human diagnosis (in most areas), nor substitute for the strong benefits (and placebo) of healing touch (who knew? People actually get better when they feel genuinely cared for!), such technologies can go a long way toward finding zebras among the horses.

Q: What is a quote or mantra that guides your work/ purpose?

A guiding mantra is “all flourishing is mutual,” which comes from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass. In my work on interspecies health, this quote shines as one reflects the nature of reality, how by better understanding our ecology and designing our environment to reflect our evolutionary scaffolding benefits health at all levels, biologically, psychologically, and socially. 

If you wish to learn more about Yogi and his work, visit his LinkedIn Page.

About Luminous

Luminous is a consultancy that partners with global life sciences organizations, meaningfully connecting lab and life to achieve better outcomes for patients, business, and society. Founded in 2005, we empower our clients with deep and revealing insights that can be leveraged across the development pathway through to commercialization. Our work drives healthcare solutions that are truly patient-centric.