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David Vago

(he/him)
MSc, PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

David R. Vago is a contemplative neuroscientist and widely recognized leader in contemplative science, digital health, and well-being. His research focuses on how mind–body practices such as mindfulness meditation, compassion training, yoga, breathwork, and carefully guided psychedelic therapies can help people recover from stress and trauma, reduce anxiety and depression, and build more resilient, caring lives. He studies how these practices change the brain, the body, and our relationships, and works to translate this knowledge into practical tools and technologies that support mental health and human flourishing across the lifespan, with a special focus at the Centre for Mindfulness on children, teens, and families.

With over two decades of research experience and leadership at major US Universities like Harvard and Vanderbilt, Dr. Vago has authored close to 100 peer-reviewed papers that have been cited nearly 18,000 times, and his work has been featured in outlets such as the New York Times, Huffington Post, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Newsweek, Scientific American, and NPR. As President of the International Society for Contemplative Research and an Adjunct Professor and Research Consultant with the Department of Pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital, Centre for Mindfulness, he helps lead a global community of scientists and clinicians, designs long-term research programs, mentors investigators, and advises digital health and wellness companies on evidence-based strategies to improve mental health and support people in living with greater purpose and well-being.

Academic Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor, Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Research Theme: Brain, Behaviour & Development

Contact Information

Location

950 West 28th Avenue, Centre for Mindfulness, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 4H4

david.vago@ubc.ca

Centre for Mindfulness

Contemplative Neurosciences

Neurofluid circulation changes during a focused attention style of mindfulness meditation

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.2504961122

ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide Consortium for Neuroscientific Investigations of Meditation Practices

Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging

DOI: 10.1016/J.BPSC.2024.10.015

Nonpharmacologic Back Pain Treatment Use and Associated Patient Reported Outcomes in US-Based Integrative Medicine Clinics

Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health

DOI: 10.1177/27536130251345481

From Little m to Big M Mindfulness: A Neurodevelopmental and Clinical Perspective on the States and Stages of Mindfulness and Compassion

Handbook of Mindfulness and Self-Regulation: Theoretical, Cognitive Neuroscience, Social-Personality, and Clinical Perspectives

David R. Vago and Sonia Matwin

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-91451-5_9

Clarifying Internally-Directed Cognition: A Commentary on the Attention to Thoughts Model

Psychological Inquiry

Vago, D.R. and Farb, N. and Spreng, R.N.

DOI: 10.1080/1047840X.2022.2141005

From Self-Esteem to Selflessness: An Evidence (Gap) Map of Self-Related Processes as Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Interventions

Frontiers in Psychology

Britton, W.B. and Desbordes, G. and Acabchuk, R. and Peters, S. and Lindahl, J.R. and Canby, N.K. and Vago, D.R. and Dumais, T. and Lipsky, J. and Kimmel, H. and Sager, L. and Rahrig, H. and Cheaito, A. and Acero, P. and Scharf, J. and Lazar, S.W. and Schuman-Olivier, Z. and Ferrer, R. and Moitra, E.

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730972

The Varieties of Self-Transcendent Experience

Review of General Psychology

DOI: 10.1037/GPR0000102

How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective

Perspectives on Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/1745691611419671

Acupuncture in the emergency department (ACUITY): Results from a BraveNet multi-center feasibility randomized controlled trial

Integrative Medicine Research

Jeffery A. Dusek and Gene A. Kallenberg and Alan B. Storrow and Robert M. Hughes and Christopher J. Coyne and David R. Vago and Arya Nielsen and Alison Karasz and Ryung S. Kim and Jessica Surdam and Tracy Segall and Kiran A. Faryar and Natalie L. Dyer and Bruce A. Barton and M. Diane McKee

DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101095

12 / 2024

The Self-Pattern and Buddhist Psychology

Mindfulness

DOI: 10.1007/S12671-023-02118-3

Pattern Theory of Selflessness: How Meditation May Transform the Self-Pattern

Mindfulness

DOI: 10.1007/S12671-024-02418-2

Contemplating movement: A randomized control trial of yoga training for mental health (vol 23, pg 1, 2022)

Mental Health and Physical Activity

DOI: 10.1016/J.MHPA.2023.100509

The (In)flexible self: Psychopathology, mindfulness, and neuroscience

International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology

DOI: 10.1016/J.IJCHP.2023.100381

Patients Receiving Integrative Medicine Effectiveness Registry (PRIMIER) of the BraveNet practice-based research network: Outcomes of the PRIMIER cohort

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

Jeffery A. Dusek and Qi Gao and Ryung S. Kim and Donald I. Abrams and Benjamin Kligler and Natalie L. Dyer and Kathryn Hansen and M. Diane McKee

DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102904

12 / 2022

Acupuncture in the emergency department for pain management: A BraveNet multi-center feasibility study

Medicine (United States)

Dusek, J.A. and Kallenberg, G.A. and Hughes, R.M. and Storrow, A.B. and Coyne, C.J. and Vago, D.R. and Nielsen, A. and Karasz, A. and Kim, R.S. and Surdam, J. and Segall, T. and McKee, M.D.

DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000028961

Disrupting The Resting State: Meta-Analytic Evidence That Mindfulness Training Alters Default Mode Network Connectivity

ResearchSquare

Rahrig, H. and Vago, D.R. and Passarelli, M. and Auten, A. and Lynn, N.A. and Brown, K.W.

DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1189676

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Preliminary Examination of the (Event-Related) Potential for Modifying Threat-Related Attentional Bias in Anxiety

Mindfulness

Gupta, R.S. and Kujawa, A. and Fresco, D.M. and Kang, H. and Vago, D.R.

DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-01910-x

Contemplating movement: A randomized control trial of yoga training for mental health

Mental Health and Physical Activity

Eusebio, J. and Forbes, B. and Sahyoun, C. and Vago, D.R. and Lazar, S.W. and Farb, N.

DOI: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2022.100483

A preliminary investigation of ERP components of attentional bias in anxious adults using temporospatial principal component analysis (vol 35, pg 223, 2021)

Journal of Psychophysiology

DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/A000303

Personalized Mind-Body Medicine in Integrative Oncology: Meeting the Moment with Each Patient

Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine

Mishra, K.K. and Victorson, D. and Mehta, D.H. and Vago, D.R.

DOI: 10.1089/jicm.2022.0562

Meditation Roundtable Discussion: Cultivating Calm, Connection and Stress Relief in Difficult Times

Integrative and Complementary Therapies

Hart, J. and Frates, B. and Vago, D. and Mehta, D.

DOI: 10.1089/ict.2022.29008.bfr

Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity

Scientific Reports

Rahrig, H. and Vago, D.R. and Passarelli, M.A. and Auten, A. and Lynn, N.A. and Brown, K.W.

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15195-6

The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Neuropsychology Review

Whitfield, T. and Barnhofer, T. and Acabchuk, R. and Cohen, A. and Lee, M. and Schlosser, M. and Arenaza-Urquijo, E.M. and B{\"o}ttcher, A. and Britton, W. and Coll-Padros, N. and Collette, F. and Ch{\'e}telat, G. and Dautricourt, S. and Demnitz-King, H. and Dumais, T. and Klimecki, O. and Meiberth, D. and Moulinet, I. and M{\"u}ller, T. and Parsons, E. and Sager, L. and Sannemann, L. and Scharf, J. and Schild, A.-K. and Touron, E. and Wirth, M. and Walker, Z. and Moitra, E. and Lutz, A. and Lazar, S.W. and Vago, D. and Marchant, N.L.

DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09519-y

HOW MEDITATION CHANGES THE BRAIN: A neurophilosophical and pragmatic account

Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation

Vago, D.R.

DOI: 10.4324/9781003127253-14

DFT21: Discrete Fourier Transform in the 21st century

Prasanta Pal and Shataneek Banerjee and Amardip Ghosh and David R. Vago and Judson Brewer

DOI: 10.36227/techrxiv.16543521.v1

09 / 2021

Aestheticization of Ultrasound Images

Prasanta Pal and David R. Vago and Amardip Ghosh and Judson Brewer

DOI: 10.36227/techrxiv.16543488.v1

08 / 2021

A Preliminary Investigation of ERP Components of Attentional Bias in Anxious Adults Using Temporospatial Principal Component Analysis

Journal of Psychophysiology

DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/A000275

Emotion-Related Constructs Engaged by Mindfulness-Based Interventions: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Mindfulness

DOI: 10.1007/S12671-020-01561-W

Statistical Outlier Curation Kernel Software (SOCKS): A Modern, Efficient Outlier Detection and Curation Suite

DOI: 10.36227/TECHRXIV.15043695

Changing Minds: A Pilot Feasibility Study of Mindfulness Training for At-Risk Adolescents

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal

DOI: 10.20429/NYARJ.2021.050102

Changing Minds at Concord High School

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal

DOI: 10.20429/NYARJ.2021.050106

Mindfulness-Based College: A Stage 1 Randomized Controlled Trial for University Student Well-Being.

Psychosomatic medicine

Loucks EB and Nardi WR and Gutman R and Saadeh FB and Li Y and Vago DR and Fiske LB and Spas JJ and Harrison A

DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000860 PubMed: 32947581

09 / 2020

Letter to the Editor: Miscommunicating Mindfulness

Perspectives on Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/1745691620924057

MINDFULNESS-BASED COLLEGE: A STAGE 1 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL FOR EMERGING ADULT WELL-BEING

Psychosomatic Medicine

Mindfulness and Behavior Change

Harvard Review of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000277

The effect of mindfulness-based programs on cognitive performance across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association

DOI: 10.1002/ALZ.043562

Measuring cognitive outcomes in mindfulness-based intervention research: a reflection on confounding factors and methodological limitations

Current Opinion in Psychology

David R Vago and Resh S Gupta and Sara W Lazar

DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.015

08 / 2019

Mapping meditative states and stages with electrophysiology: concepts, classifications, and methods.

Current opinion in psychology

DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.01.007 PubMed: 30785068

01 / 2019

Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction: Stage 1 Single-Arm Clinical Trial

Psychosomatic Medicine

Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP): Stage 1 single-arm clinical trial

Plos One

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0223095

The neural chronometry of threat-related attentional bias: Event-related potential (ERP) evidence for early and late stages of selective attentional processing

International Journal of Psychophysiology

DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPSYCHO.2019.08.006

Understanding mindfulness, one moment at a time: an introduction to the special issue

Current Opinion in Psychology

DOI: 10.1016/J.COPSYC.2019.08.001

How Does Mindfulness Affect Cognition? A Reflection on Confounding Issues Surrounding Mindfulness-based Intervention Research Targeting Cognitive Outcomes

David R Vago and Resh Gupta and Sara Lazar

DOI: 10.31231/osf.io/86hrv

11 / 2018

Mapping Meditative States and Stages with Electrophysiology: Concepts, Classifications, and Methods

Poppy Schoenberg and David R Vago

DOI: 10.31231/osf.io/3r46u

10 / 2018

Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science

Plos One

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0205740

Reiterated Concerns and Further Challenges for Mindfulness and Meditation Research: A Reply to Davidson and Dahl

Perspectives on Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617727529

Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation

Perspectives on Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617709589

Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science.

Cassandra Vieten AND Helan{\'e} Wahbeh AND B Rael Cahn AND Katherine MacLean AND Mica Estrada AND Paul Mills AND Michael Murphy AND Shauna Shapiro AND Dean Radin AND Zoran Josipovic AND David E Presti AND Michael Sapiro AND Jan Chozen Bays AND Peter Russell AND David Vago AND Fred Travis AND Roger Walsh AND Arnaud Delorme

Creating Novel School-Based Education Programs to Cultivate Mindfulness in Youth: What The Letters Told Us

Journal of Child and Family Studies

DOI: 10.1007/S10826-017-0761-1

Frontolimbic neural circuit changes in emotional processing and inhibitory control associated with clinical improvement following transference-focused psychotherapy in borderline personality disorder

Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

DOI: 10.1111/PCN.12357

Experiential Self-Referential and Selfless Processing in Mindfulness and Mental Health: Conceptual Model and Implicit Measurement Methodology

Psychological Assessment

DOI: 10.1037/PAS0000300

Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1111/NYAS.13153

The brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1111/NYAS.13171

Altered threat and safety neural processing linked to persecutory delusions in schizophrenia: a two-task fMRI study

Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging

DOI: 10.1016/J.PSCYCHRESNS.2015.06.002

Dynamic Reflexivity in Action

Qualitative Health Research

DOI: 10.1177/1049732315582022

Moving Beyond Mindfulness: Defining Equanimity as an Outcome Measure in Meditation and Contemplative Research

Mindfulness

DOI: 10.1007/S12671-013-0269-8

Dynamic reflexivity in action: An armchair walkthrough of a qualitatively driven mixed-method and multiple methods study of mindfulness training in schoolchildren (vol 25, pg 751, 2015)

Qualitative Health Research

DOI: 10.1177/1049732315592384

All Data Are Not Equal

Qualitative Health Research

DOI: 10.1177/1049732315597655

A Neural Circuit Framework for Somatosensory Amplification in Somatoform Disorders

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

DOI: 10.1176/APPI.NEUROPSYCH.13070170

Mapping modalities of self-awareness in mindfulness practice: a potential mechanism for clarifying habits of mind

Advances in Meditation Research: Neuroscience and Clinical Applications

DOI: 10.1111/NYAS.12270

Contemplative education cultivating ethical development through mindfulness training

Handbook of Moral and Character Education

Roeser, R.W. and Vago, D.R. and Pinela, C. and Morris, L.S. and Taylor, C. and Harrison, J.

DOI: 10.4324/9780203114896

Frontolimbic Neural Circuit Changes Associated With Clinical Improvement Following Transference-Focused Psychotherapy in Borderline Personality Disorder

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Changing minds: A Pilot Study of School-Based Mindfulness Training for At-Risk Adolescents

Tracy Dennis AND Akeesha Simmons AND Laura O{\textquoteright}Toole AND David Vago AND Susan Finley

Potential self-regulatory mechanisms of yoga for psychological health

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

DOI: 10.3389/FNHUM.2014.00770

Contemplative Education

Handbook of Moral and Character Education

Robert W. Roeser and David R. Vago and Cristi Pinela and Laurel S. Morris and Cynthia Taylor and Jessica Harrison

DOI: 10.4324/9780203114896.ch13

Can enlightenment be traced to specific neural correlates, cognition, or behavior? No, and (a qualified) Yes

Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2013.00870

Clinical Applications and Future Directions of Functional MRI

Seminars in Neurology

DOI: 10.1055/S-0032-1331816

Contemplative Practices and Mental Training: Prospects for American Education

Child Development Perspectives

DOI: 10.1111/J.1750-8606.2012.00240.X

Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

DOI: 10.3389/FNHUM.2012.00296

Frontolimbic Gray-Matter Abnormalities in Childhood Sexual Trauma-Related PTSD

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Focused Ultrasound Modulates the Level of Cortical Neurotransmitters: Potential as a New Functional Brain Mapping Technique

International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology

DOI: 10.1002/IMA.20284

Identification of Neural Targets for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: The Role of Functional Neuroimaging

Neurosurgery Clinics of North America

DOI: 10.1016/J.NEC.2011.01.003

Selective Attentional Bias Towards Pain-Related Threat in Fibromyalgia: Preliminary Evidence for Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training

Cognitive Therapy and Research

DOI: 10.1007/S10608-011-9391-X

Design-time Simulation of Domain-Specific Models by Incremental Pattern Matching

Ieee Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-centric Computing, Proceedings

DOI: 10.1109/VLHCC.2008.4639089

Disruption of the direct perforant path input to the CA1 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus interferes with spatial working memory and novelty detection

Behavioural Brain Research

DOI: 10.1016/J.BBR.2008.01.002

Cholinergic modulation of pavlovian fear conditioning in rats: Differential effects of intrahippocampal infusion of mecamylamine and methyllycaconitine

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

DOI: 10.1016/J.NLM.2006.11.001

The role of the direct perforant path input to the CA1 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus in memory retention and retrieval

Hippocampus

DOI: 10.1002/HIPO.20329

Functional characterization of the direct perforant path into the hippocampus.

Society for Neuroscience Abstract Viewer and Itinerary Planner

Time-dependent involvement of PKA/PKC in contextual memory consolidation

Behavioural Brain Research

DOI: 10.1016/S0166-4328(01)00476-4

INTRAHIPPOCAMPAL BLOCKADE OF alpha7, alpha3beta2, alpha2beta4, AND alpha4beta4 NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS DISRUPTS EARLY CONSOLIDATION AND ACQUISITION OF CONTEXTUAL FEAR.

Society for Neuroscience Abstract Viewer and Itinerary Planner

Intrahippocampal Scopolamine Impairs Both Acquisition and Consolidation of Contextual Fear Conditioning

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

DOI: 10.1006/NLME.2001.4005

PKA/PKC inhibition produces a time-dependent retrograde deficit of contextual fear conditioning

Society for Neuroscience Abstracts

Immunocytochemical localization of selective glutamate receptor subunits in kainic acid treated rats

Society for Neuroscience Abstracts

Hippocampus

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b0-12-226870-9/00733-4

Children’s and Women’s Mental Health Programs, BC Mental Health and Addictions Services - Investigating Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents

This study examines whether mindfulness and resilience skills training can improve emotional health and coping in adolescents receiving mental health services. It focuses on teaching practical awareness and stress-management tools that may reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and support better functioning at home and school.

Hybrid digital-in-person mindfulness for distressed adolescents: A randomized trial of MARS-A plus app-supported practice

This study will compare three conditions for adolescents aged 15–19 with significant psychological distress: (1) the standard 8-week MARS-A group program, (2) MARS-A plus structured use of the Breathr mindfulness app (including brief EMA check-ins and between-session practices), and (3) enhanced usual care. The primary hypothesis is that MARS-A plus Breathr will produce greater reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and functional impairment than MARS-A alone, which in turn will outperform enhanced usual care. A secondary hypothesis is that app-captured practice dose and momentary changes in affect and mindfulness will mediate clinical improvement, and that greater use of hospital mindful spaces will be associated with better outcomes and higher adherence.

App-supported mindfulness for caregivers and families: A dyadic trial of MARS-PC with parallel youth app use and mindful spaces

This study will randomize caregiver–child dyads (with the child receiving care at BC Children’s Hospital) to: (1) the virtual 8-week MARS-PC program, (2) MARS-PC plus Breathr use for caregivers and youth and encouraged use of hospital mindful spaces, or (3) enhanced usual care. The primary hypothesis is that caregivers in the MARS-PC plus Breathr condition will show greater reductions in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and parenting stress, and greater gains in mindfulness and self-compassion than those in MARS-PC alone, which will outperform enhanced usual care. A key mechanistic hypothesis is that improvements in caregiver mindfulness and self-compassion, along with reductions in dyadic “stress contagion” (as indexed by EMA and app data), will predict better youth emotional and behavioral outcomes, with mindful space use further enhancing these effects.

Mapping Meditation Depth: A Neurophenomenological Framework for Awakening

This study develops and validates a concise scale (PESM) to measure moment-to-moment meditative experience across key domains such as attention, emotion, self-transcendence, and sensory awareness. Using a large sample of experienced practitioners (N=150) and machine learning applied to high-dimensional EEG and physiological data, it aims to identify reliable neurophysiological signatures of meditation depth, nondual awareness, and awakening-related traits. The project establishes a scalable bridge between first-person experience and brain dynamics, generating candidate biomarkers and a cross-tradition model of contemplative
development.

Grants

Consultant/Mentor. Mitigating Psychosocial Drivers of Heart Failure Risk among Individuals with Low Socioeconomic Position. Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Co-Investigator. Quantitation of Glymphatic Functioning in Sleep and Meditative States. Funding Souce: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Consultant. Mechanisms and Predictors of Change in App-Based Mindfulness Training for Adolescents. Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Co-Investigator. Acupuncture in the Emergency Department for Pain Management: A Bravenet Multi-center Feasibility Study. Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Co-Investigator. Evaluating Specific and Non-specific Mechanisms in Two Distinct Complementary Interventions. Funding Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Primary Sponsor. The Effect of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy on ERP Markers of Attentional Bias in Anxiety. Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Consultant. Creating and optimizing mindfulness measures to enhance and normalize clinical evaluation (COMMENCE). Funding Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

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