International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine, Save the Date: Aug. 13–15, 2026

Adjunct Professor, George Washington University School of Medicine; President, Physicians Committee

Dr. Barnard is the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and an adjunct professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes patients funded by the National Institutes of Health. He has authored more than 80 scientific publications, as well as a number of books. Follow Dr. Barnard on Facebook and on X at @DrNealBarnard.

Vanita Rahman, MD, DipABLM, is the clinic director at the Barnard Medical Center and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, where she conducts clinical research, leads nutrition education programs, and provides patient care with an emphasis on nutrition. Dr. Rahman is currently the principal investigator in trials investigating the role of an online nutrition education program in weight loss and diabetes reversal. She is also a clinical instructor in medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and frequently speaks at international conferences about the role of nutrition in chronic disease. Dr. Rahman is a board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician, certified nutritionist, and personal trainer. She has authored several books on plant-based nutrition and published articles in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Prior to joining the Barnard Medical Center, Dr. Rahman spent more than 15 years practicing internal medicine with Kaiser Permanente, where she launched a very popular and successful plant-based weight loss program. While medications and surgical procedures can be necessary and lifesaving, Dr. Rahman firmly believes that nutrition and lifestyle play a crucial role in the prevention and management of most common diseases. She maintains that it is important to treat all aspects of a patient's health, including diet, exercise, sleep habits, and stress management.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Dr. Kahleova is director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She is an endocrinologist with a doctorate in human physiology and pathophysiology. Her current research interests focus on dietary treatment of metabolic disease and type 2 diabetes. She conducted several clinical trials with a plant-based diet. The studies proved the power of plant-based nutrition to improve oxidative stress and metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. One of the studies showed that a plant-based diet reduces muscle fat more than a conventional hypocaloric diet in people with type 2 diabetes. This reduction in muscle fat was also associated with improvements in glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Her research proved that eating a large breakfast and lunch is more beneficial than eating six smaller meals a day for patients with type 2 diabetes. She completed her postdoctoral research fellowship at Loma Linda University in California, analyzing data from more than 50,000 people, who were followed for more than seven years, on meal frequency and timing in relationship to body weight regulation.

Dr. Alan Desmond is a consultant gastroenterologist who is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet. His bestselling book, The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 Days to a Happier Gut and a Healthier You, is available wherever books are sold. His next book, What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Food, will be published in June 2026.

Dr. Desmond has made evidence-based dietary advice an essential part of his practice as a doctor specializing in gut health problems. He has presented at numerous international medical conferences on the benefits of this approach to food, alongside other renowned advocates including Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Michael Klaper, dietician Brenda Davis, Dr. Kim Williams, and Dr. Neal Barnard. He is an ambassador for Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, a nonprofit group which educates members of the public, health professionals, and policymakers on the incredible health benefits of a plant-based diet. 

Certified in both gastroenterology and general internal medicine, Dr. Desmond completed his medical training in Ireland and Oxford. He has a specialist interest in the role of diet in the prevention and treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. A fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, he has published several influential research papers in the field of inflammatory bowel disease and is a dedicated advocate for the gut health benefits, and overall health benefits, of a whole food, plant-based approach to nutrition. He lives in South Devon with his wife and three children.

He is a sought-after podcast guest and has featured on several well-known podcasts, including Deliciously Ella, Plant-Proof, The Doctor’s Kitchen, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, and PCRM’s own The Exam Room Podcast. Dr. Desmond has also been featured in The Sunday Telegraph and Virgin Radio’s Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

Dr. Desmond shares plant-based meal inspiration alongside the latest research in nutritional science and health on www.instagram.com/dr.alandesmond. Join Dr. Desmond’s online course at  www.alandesmond.com/revolution.