Reclaiming Mitochondrial Intelligence and Cellular Coherence. Beyond Biochemistry: The Biophotonic Architecture of Human Health

Mitochondria are at the center of human health, disease, and longevity. They are fundamentally biophysical organelles. From a subcellular perspective, mitochondria engage in a complex dialogue with nuclear DNA, RNA, cytosolic structures, and cell membranes through electrical, mechanical, chemical, acoustic, magnetic, and optical signaling. Life organizes itself through information and energy flow, not just chemistry.

To understand this, one must view biology through the lens of physics, particularly quantum biology. Biochemistry, biomechanics, and even consciousness arise from underlying energetic and informational patterns and signatures. Pioneers such as Douglas C. Wallace, Geneticist, mitochondrial medicine pioneer; Nick Lane, Biochemist, evolutionary bioenergetics researcher; Martin Picard, Psychobiologist, mitochondrial psychophysiology expert; Siegfried Hekimi, Professor of biology, redox and aging mechanisms researcher; Valentin Anselm Pavlov, Neuroscientist, mitochondrial signaling and vagus nerve researcher; and other mitochondrial researchers have shown that mitochondrial misfunction is central to nearly all chronic diseases. Their work reveals how mitochondrial DNA, redox signaling, and membrane potential shape every aspect of human physiology. These findings are not speculative they are supported by decades of research and foundational to modern molecular medicine. If you have not read a book or a seminal piece by these authors, I suggest you start there to begin to understand the foundations of all chronic disease and a more productive framework than viewing the body as anatomy responding to diet and exercise cues.

• Douglas C. Wallace
  Notable Work: Contributed foundational chapters to Mitochondrial DNA: Methods and Protocols (Humana Press)
  A highly technical reference detailing mitochondrial DNA manipulation and its link to human disease.

• Nick Lane
  Book: Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life
  Explores how mitochondria shaped evolution, aging, disease, and the energetic foundation of life itself.

• Martin Picard
  Notable Work: Co-authored chapters in Mitochondria in Psychiatry and key reviews like “Mitochondrial Psychobiology”
  Focuses on how mitochondria link stress, mood, aging, and the human brain in a systems biology framework.

• Siegfried Hekimi
  Notable Work: Contributed to Oxidative Stress and Redox Regulation (Springer)
  Addresses how mitochondrial redox mechanisms influence aging, with focus on ROS as signaling molecules.

• Valentin Anselm Pavlov
  Notable Work: Contributor to The Vagus Nerve: The Missing Link in Health and Disease
  Examines mitochondrial inflammation signaling, neuroimmune communication, and bioenergetics in disease resilience.

Physics explains how mitochondria operate as quantum nanorotary engines, hydrogen-powered turbines that generate heat, structure water, and produce the bioelectric fields necessary for cellular life. Without this understanding, discussions about health remain incomplete.

1. First Principles: Light, Electrons & Biophotons Photons are quanta of electromagnetic energy. Every biochemical interaction, oxidation, redox reactions, molecular bonding, is governed by electrons, and electrons are responsive to photons.

Albert Einstein’s Photoelectric Effect (1905, Nobel Prize 1921) demonstrated that light can dislodge electrons from matter, a law foundational to quantum biology. When electrons become unpaired, as in reactive oxygen species (ROS), they emit ultraweak light known as biophotons.

Alexander Gurwitsch discovered this phenomenon in the 1920s; it was later quantified by Fritz-Albert Popp, who used photomultiplier devices to demonstrate that DNA and lipids emit coherent light patterns. This emission is not random but structured, a biological language.

More recently researchers such as the late Luc Montagnier and Roeland van Wijk have continued this work, showing that mitochondria, collagen, blood proteins, and DNA act as resonant, light-emitting systems. Van Wijk's 2014 book Light Shaping Life is foundational reading for anyone interested in understanding how life really works at its core, explaining the most foundational concepts like cell division, energy production, information signaling and ‘electrical aquaphotomic modulation’ and the biophysical processes that are central and drive thee processes to allow life to exist and thrive as we experience it. 

• Electrical aquaphotonic modulation is the process by which electrical signals dynamically influence the structure and photonic behavior of water in biological systems, thereby regulating energy transfer, molecular signaling, and cellular function. For example: In neurons, the electrical activity across membranes modulates the surrounding water structure, which in turn influences light absorption, mitochondrial charge separation, and the speed of intracellular signaling.
  
  

Even basic thermal imaging detects infrared photon emissions from the body, primarily generated by mitochondrial heat. In fact, recent research has demonstrated that mitochondria can maintain an internal operating temperature of approximately 50–55 °C (122–131 °F) far higher than the surrounding cellular environment highlighting their role not only in energy production but also as powerful thermal and photonic engines at the core of life. Some food companies now use biophoton detectors to assess the freshness and vitality of food , a topic that opens broader discussions about food as stored light and water.

• Reference: Chrétien, D., Benit, P., Ha, H. H., Keipert, S., El-Khoury, R., Chang, Y. T., ... & Rustin, P. (2018). Mitochondria are physiologically maintained at close to 50 °C. PLOS Biology, 16(1), e2003992. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2003992

2. Every Biomolecule Has a Photonic Signature Every biomolecule including HDL components like cholesterol, phospholipids, and apolipoprotein A-I—has a specific absorption and emission spectrum. This is measurable via UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy and used in technologies like hyperspectral imaging and MEG and becoming more widely published and available, especially as the field of optogenetics secures funding.

Molecules such as these do not interact metaphorically with light they do so literally. HDL’s surface phospholipids and core cholesterol esters are optically active and vibrationally responsive. That’s why I described HDL as a "photonic capacitor."

What is a capacitor?

In physics, a capacitor stores and releases electric charge. In biology, photonic capacitors absorb light, temporarily store energy as charge separation or vibrational energy, and release it to trigger signaling cascades. Examples include:

• Chloroplasts in plants

• Melanin and hemoglobin

• Mitochondria

• Coherent (fourth phase) water

• Lipid rafts like HDL particles
  
  

HDL contains unsaturated phospholipids and aromatic rings, which interact with photons. While HDL doesn’t carry photons like a beam, it does respond to light altering its redox state, activating paraoxonase (PON1), and modulating its structure under light/temperature/circadian influence.

Hormones and cofactors such as vitamin B12 and B9 absorb in the UV range. mTOR responds to UVA, while leptin is sensitive in UVB and near-infrared. Steroid hormones like testosterone, pregnenolone, and progesterone absorb at the red edge. Aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, histidine, tyrosine, tryptophan and derivatives like dopamine, serotonin, melatonin, NAD+, and T3 also respond to specific light frequencies. These relationships are established in biological optics research, notably by Dr. Alexander Wunsch (German photobiology researcher and physician) and Dr. Jacob Liberman (optometrist and light-health pioneer).

• Dr. Jacob Liberman – Light: Medicine of the Future (1991)
  This book introduced many to the idea that light is a governing force in biology, long before circadian medicine became mainstream.

• Dr. Alexander Wunsch, A., & Matuschka, K. (2014).
  A Controlled Trial to Determine the Efficacy of Red and Near-infrared Light Treatment Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 32(3), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2013.3616
  This paper legitimized photobiomodulation in dermatology and mitochondrial research.
  
  

Polyphenols, carotenoids, porphyrins, chromophores, and non-visual photoreceptors all absorb and emit light. We are not just photoreceptive we are photoelectric transducers. This is not speculation but science, grounded in spectroscopy and photomedicine.

3. Nobel-Level Insights on Semiconductors in Biology In the 1930s, Albert Szent-Györgyi, Nobel laureate and vitamin C discoverer, wrote: “Life is a little electric current kept alive by sunshine. Proteins are semiconductors.”

His groundbreaking insight anticipated the discovery that proteins and cellular membranes conduct electrons through hydrogen bonds and aromatic amino acids functioning in many ways like organic semiconductors. His pioneering work in the early 20th century laid the conceptual foundation for modern technology, influencing everything from semiconductor chips in portable electronics to AI-driven operating systems and advanced motherboard architectures used in aerospace engineering. In 1957, he formally introduced the term bioenergetics into medicine, articulating the electrical and optical properties of mitochondria and their central role in both health and disease. This work became a cornerstone for the emerging field of biophysical optics, shaping research and innovation for the next 70 years.

• Albert Szent-Györgyi -  Bioenergetics (1957)
  A foundational text on the physics and chemistry of energy transformation within the cell—crucial for understanding mitochondrial activity and oxidative metabolism. https://archive.org/details/bioenergetics00szen?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

• Electronic Biology and Cancer: A New Theory of Cancer (mid-1970s)
  Combines his later interests in electrons, redox chemistry, and cancer biology
  
  

In the 1970s, Dr. Robert O. Becker, twice Nobel-nominated, showed that bone and connective tissue act as biological semiconductors. Electrical signals propagate along collagen and water structures, responding to injury, voltage, and light.

• The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life (1985)
  → In this groundbreaking work, Becker reveals that the human body is governed not just by chemistry but by bioelectric fields, laying the foundation for understanding the biophysical regulation of healing, regeneration, and mitochondrial function through electrical and photonic signalling.

4. The Retina, Porphyrins & Internal Light Sensing

Dr. Fritz Hollwich, Ophthalmologist & Light-Metabolism Pioneer demonstrated that light entering the eyes alters hormone levels, neurotransmitters, and redox chemistry in the brain, showing how both UV and infrared light play pivotal roles in regulating neuroendocrine function. Alongside him, Dr. Nicolás Bazan, a world expert in retinal neurobiology and lipid signaling, showed that approximately 1% of UVB and 3% of UVA light penetrate ocular structures and are transmitted to the retina, likely via Müller glial cells, where they interact with porphyrins and mitochondrial membranes. His discoveries underscored the retina’s role not just in vision but as a photoreceptor-rich endocrine interface responsive to the full solar spectrum.

The Bazan Effect

The Bazan effect refers to the retina’s conversion of light stimuli—particularly in the UV and near-IR range—into neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory lipid mediators (notably docosanoids like neuroprotectin D1), which stabilize mitochondrial membranes, support neuronal survival, and modulate oxidative stress responses throughout the brain and eye.

• Fritz Hollwich – The Influence of Ocular Light Perception on Metabolism in Man and in Animal (1990)
  Seminal work showing how light perception by the eye regulates hormone secretion, autonomic tone, and overall metabolism.

• Nicolás G. Bazan – Cell Signaling and Neuronal Death (1998)
  Explores how light and oxidative stress influence lipid signaling in the retina and brain, particularly in relation to mitochondrial survival, inflammation, and neurodegeneration.
  
  

In 1998, Dr. Ignacio Provencio discovered melanopsin, a novel light-sensitive photopigment found in a subset of retinal ganglion cells now known as intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). This breakthrough redefined our understanding of how the body detects light, revealing that vision is not the only light-mediated function of the eye. Provencio’s discovery showed that melanopsin was crucial for regulating circadian rhythms, pupil response, and hormone secretion—laying the foundation for a new era of non-visual photobiology.

Modern discoveries—particularly the work of Hatori et al. (2008), expanded by Díaz et al. (2017) and de Assis et al. (2019)—now reveal that melanopsin, a blue-light photoreceptor once thought limited to the retina, is also expressed in non-visual tissues including blood vessels, adipose tissue, the gastrointestinal tract, and deep brain regions—implying a whole-body light-sensing network that operates even in the absence of direct light exposure.

Cites:

• Provencio, I., Jiang, G., De Grip, W. J., Hayes, W. P., & Rollag, M. D. (1998). Melanopsin: An opsin in melanophores, brain, and eye. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95(1), 340–345. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.1.340

• Hatori, M., Le, H., Vollmers, C., Keding, S. R., Tanaka, N., Buch, T., ... & Panda, S. (2008). Inducible ablation of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells reveals their central role in non-image forming visual responses. PLoS One, 3(6), e2451.
  Díaz, N. M., González, M. M., & Golombek, D. A. (2017). Expression of non-visual opsins in adipose tissues of rodents and humans. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 439, 95–103.
  de Assis, L. V. M., Moraes, M. N., Castrucci, A. M. L. (2019). Non-visual effects of light: How melanopsin-expressing neurons influence physiology and behavior. Pflugers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 471, 519–536.
  
  

Endogenous light (biophotons) may act as the primary signaling mechanism in these tissues—a concept now supported by research in optogenetics, ultraweak photon emission, and aquaphotomics.

Even hemoglobin and porphyrins—chromophores in blood—are photoactive. Structurally, chlorophyll and hemoglobin are nearly identical, except for the central atom: magnesium (Mg) in chlorophyll and iron (Fe) in hemoglobin both surrounded by a nitrite cage. This structural similarity highlights the shared photonic design across life forms. Iron’s ability to shift between oxidation states allows for more complex electron transfers.

Melanin

Melanin, a broadband absorber, further enhances biological light capture. It absorbs across the electromagnetic spectrum, tapering in infrared, just as water begins to absorb. Intracellular water—especially deuterium-depleted structured water—plays a vital role in this interaction.

Photobiomodulation therapy using red and infrared light is often considered effective because mitochondria act as chromophores for these wavelengths. Red and near-infrared light increase ATP production, structure intracellular water, and enhance coherence in microtubules—enabling nearly frictionless energy transfer. However, the broader implications of this light-water interaction throughout every organ and tissue remain largely unexplained without a biophysical lens.

Most commercial devices deliver only four or five discrete wavelengths, while sunlight provides thousands—51% of which are in the red and infrared spectrum. In the 1980s, people spent roughly 50% of their daylight hours outdoors; today, we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors. This dramatic shift in environmental light exposure must be accounted for in any medical or biological framework. Now, we plug in red light panels powered by wall sockets and see profound benefits. But what would happen if we reintroduced full-spectrum sunlight? The therapeutic effect of artificial devices would diminish—because the body would once again be harvesting what it needs naturally, for free.

Since the mid-1990s, the loss of environmental coherence—particularly in light exposure—has disrupted circadian biology and contributed to the rise of chronic, “neolithic” diseases. While most modern interventions depend on narrowband artificial light, natural full-spectrum sunlight remains the original and most comprehensive photobiological input. Central to this process is the metabolic water produced by mitochondria—approximately 10 liters per day—which plays a far more critical role than conventionally understood. This internally generated water hydrates the body’s biological semiconductors, enabling the precise distribution of DC electricity and light with the appropriate fidelity, frequency, power, and intensity. In this way, mitochondria are not just powerhouses but biophysical regulators, ensuring coherence across the entire living system.

Photobiomodulation: Global Experts
If you're looking for credible sources on red and infrared light therapy, here are some of the world’s leading experts:

• Dr. Michael Hamblin – Harvard researcher, prolific author on PBM

• Dr. Francisco Gonzalez-Lima – University of Texas, brain and cognition PBM

• Tina Karu – Russian Academy of Sciences, pioneer in cellular PBM

• James Carroll – Founder of Thor Photomedicine

These experts have collectively published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and continue to shape the field.

5. Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Harm We communicate with devices using invisible light—Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular frequencies. The Ramazzini Institute Study, NTP Study, and many others (including WHO classifications) have shown biological harm from non-ionizing EMFs.

• National Toxicology Program (NTP) Study (2018)
  National Toxicology Program. (2018). NTP Technical Report on the Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies in Rats and Mice Exposed to Whole-body Radio Frequency Radiation (GSM and CDMA).
  Found "clear evidence" of carcinogenic activity from long-term exposure to non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in rats.

• Ramazzini Institute Study (2018)
  Falcioni, L., et al. (2018). Report of final results regarding brain and heart tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed from prenatal life until natural death to mobile phone radiofrequency field representative of a 1.8 GHz GSM base station environmental emission. Environmental Research, 165, 496–503.
  Found increased incidence of heart schwannomas and brain tumors in rats exposed to RF radiation at environmental levels, corroborating the NTP findings.
  
  

Notable researchers include Dr. Paul Héroux, Dr. Devra Davis, Dr. Martin Pall, Dr. Andrew Marino, and Dr. Martin Blank. These researchers have demonstrated DNA damage, oxidative stress, and calcium channel disruption caused by EMFs.

• Dr. Andrew Marino – Going Somewhere: Truth About a Life in Science (2011)
  An autobiographical and scientific work detailing his research battles with industry and government over EMF health risks, particularly bioelectromagnetics and legal challenges.

• Dr. Martin Blank - Overpowered: What Science Tells Us About the Dangers of Cell Phones and Other WiFi-age Devices (2014)
  Written by a Columbia University physicist, this book translates complex biophysics into a powerful case for EMF regulation, showing harm at the DNA and cellular levels.

• Dr. Paul Héroux – Key Publication:
  Héroux, P. (2021). A Proposal for the Biological Regulation of Electromagnetic Pollution.
  Discusses the bioelectric basis of life and proposes a scientifically grounded policy shift to protect biological systems from EMF harm.
  Available in Frontiers in Public Health.

• Dr. Devra Davis – Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family (2010)
  A highly cited, investigative book that exposes industry influence in hiding the biological risks of wireless radiation and provides practical protection strategies.

• Dr. Martin Pall – Key Publication:
  Pall, M. L. (2013). Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 75, 43–51.

Demonstrates that EMFs activate voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), leading to oxidative stress and neurological symptoms.

The World Health Organization classifies both low-frequency (ELF) and high-frequency (RF) EMFs as possible carcinogens. I’ve compiled an extensive document on this topic, showing that EMF mitigation is not fringe—it ranks just behind artificial light pollution in biological impact, above microplastics, heavy metals, glyphosate, fluoride, and even x-rays. If you’d like to listen to it you can listen to it here and read it here.

In closing, the future of medicine and human health depends on restoring coherence between biology and the forces that shape it—light, dark, water, electrical charge, magnetic flux, seasonal nutrients, movement under full spectrum light, and sound; just to name a few. These are not esoteric fringe elements but the true first principles of life. From mitochondrial heat engines to photonic capacitors in biomolecules, from structured water distributing electric current to melanopsin receptors deep in the gut and brain, the evidence is overwhelming: we are fundamentally electromagnetic and photonic beings, organized by the laws of physics, not just the products of chemical cascades. Continuing to treat chronic illness as purely a matter of biochemistry while ignoring biophysics is like trying to decode software using only hardware schematics.

The science is already here. From Nobel laureates like Albert Szent-Györgyi to pioneers like Becker, Wunsch, Liberman, and Wallace, the roadmap is laid out. We must evolve our frameworks to integrate these insights and reclaim a paradigm rooted in the truth of how life operates—not in the artificiality of reductionism or the convenience of technological substitutes. Full-spectrum sunlight, endogenous light emission, photonic signaling, and mitochondrial coherence are not optional—they are the biological defaults. Health is not merely the absence of disease; it is the resonant harmony of the living system with its native environment. To regenerate health at scale, we must reconnect the human body to its original operating conditions—starting with the biophysics of mitochondria.