Santiago Avilés is a Colombian doctor and University professor with a master’s degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine. He is also a practitioner of Zen Buddhism, studying under Roshi Joan Halifax, currently in training to become a Zen monk. As a physician and Zen practitioner, his practice focuses on accompanying patients in end-of-life stages. Avilés is also working on becoming a bioethics specialist, uniting his work in Neurosciences and the study and practice of mindfulness, contemplative, meditative, and reflective techniques.