Hi! I’m Dr Mary Pines, PhD.
I’m a Biomedical Scientist of 25 years with a decade in women’s health & longevity consulting.
For too many of those years, I pushed too hard.
Burnout. Exhaustion. Hormonal Chaos.
The moment I stopped waging war on my body and started supporting it, my whole life transformed...
Once I understood my body as a woman - not a “small man with annoying hormones” - it changed my life completely.
Here’s the irony...
In becoming a PhD Biomedical Scientist studying health & disease, I ended up in the worst shape of my life.
Picture this: late nights hunched over textbooks, Chinese take-out, and a brain-on-a-stick approach to living where anything below my neck was pretty much an afterthought.
Then came the “healthier than healthy” era:
I got tired of my bookworm body and feeling like garbage. So after a rough patch (oops, divorce), I decided to get in shape of my life:
Intense workouts twice a day, calorie restriction (salads all day), cycling 14 hilly km to and from work…and zero recovery time.
That was on top of 60 hour work weeks in the lab, volunteering, socializing, 6h of sleep nightly…
I burned out. Hard.
I lost my period, tanked my energy, ran my hormones into the ground.
To the outsider, I looked super fit; in reality, I was exhausted, inflamed and disconnected.
After hitting a serious low at 33, I drew a line in the sand and asked: what does health actually mean for me as a woman — not as a lab value, a dress size, or a productivity metric?
That question reshaped everything!
I got obsessed…health optimization, hormones, metabolism, peptides, longevity - I ate it up!
The deeper I went on women’s physiology, the clearer it became how absurd it is that women (and the medical system) squeeze our bodies into protocols designed for male bodies…
We were never the problem; the system is.
Now, in my mid-40s — while the world shouts doom and gloom about perimenopause and menopause — I am in the best mental, physical, and spiritual shape of my life.
This is what happens when a woman stops apologizing for her hormones and starts using them as her superpower.
From burnout…
To blossoming!
Philosophy:
We believe…
• Aging should not come with pain, fatigue, frailty or ‘feeling old.’ This is a myth perpetuated by misguided societal norms & industry interests.
• Healthy habits should NOT feel difficult or restrictive if they are a good fit for you.
• The hierarchical ‘provider-patient’ relationship needs to die. We are all equals.
• We always work in your best interests. If you would benefit more from working with another provider who can support you better than we can, we will refer you.
• Your empowerment is key. We teach you what your body and mind need to stay healthy for years to come, and how to advocate for yourself in the medical system.
• Understanding is key to adherence & healing. We don’t just tell you what to do, we make sure you understand why - the power of mind to support our healing is profound. (Listen to this!)
Our commitment is always to put people first: my team & I partner with our clients to empower them every step of their health journey.
Individualized support, attentive listening and genuine care are at the heart of every recommendation we make. This sets our services apart from most, which rely on generic protocols, tends, or concepts learned in Med Schools that are 14-17 years behind the research.
We bridge cutting-edge science & authentic human connection to provide guidance that honours both scientific rigour and you as a unique and important person.
Scientific Publications
Dr Mary has authored & reviewed articles in some of the world’s top scientific journals, including Nature Cell Biology and Cell.
Pines M*, Zhang P*, Lu H*, Peixoto RT*, Ge Y, Oku S, Siddiqui TJ, Xie Y, Wu W, Archer-Hartmann S, Yoshida K, Tanaka KF, Aricescu AR, Azadi P, Gordon MD, Sabatini BL, Wong ROL, and Craig AM. (2018) Heparan Sulfate Organizes Neuronal Synapses through Neurexin Partnerships. Cell. 174(6): 1450-64. *Contributed equally
Pines M, Das M, Ellis S, Morin A, Czerniecki S, Yuan L, Klose M, Coombs D, and Tanentzapf G. Mechanical force regulates integrin turnover in Drosophila in vivo. Nature Cell Biology. 14(9): 935-943.
Ellis SJ, Pines M, Fairchild MF and Tanentzapf G. (2011) In vivo functional analysis reveals specific roles for the integrin-binding sites of talin. Journal of Cell Science. 124(11):1844-56.
Pines M, Fairchild MF and Tanentzapf G. (2011) Distinct regulatory mechanisms control integrin adhesive processes during tissue morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics. 240(1):36-51
Pines M, Housden BE, Bernard F, Bray SJ and Röper K. (2010) The cytolinker Pigs is a direct target and a negative regulator of Notch signaling. Development. 137(6):913-22.
[Featured as a “recommended read:” Faculty of 1000: 2010. F1000.com/2913958]
Education & Experience
[Conferences not listed]
Mastering the Protocols for Optimization of Hormone Replacement Therapy - BHRT Fundamentals - WorldLink Medical (March 2025): ADVANCED MEDICAL COURSE IN HORMONES & BHRT.
Chief Scientific Officer,Wellme.ai (2021 - 2025)
Functional Genomics Practitioner Training - Nutrition Genome (2021)
Research & Development – Physician’s Training program, Richer Health Inc. Whistler, BC, Canada. (2017)
Associate Research Scientist – UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (2013-2016)
AWARD: Postdoctoral Researcher of the Year - UBC Dept of Cell & Physiological Sciences (2012)
Postdoctoral Researcher – UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (2009-2012)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – University of Cambridge, UK. (2005-2009)
Research Assistant & Undergraduate Thesis Student – UBC, Vancouver, Canada. (2002-2003)
Bachelor of Science (Honours). Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UBC, Vancouver, Canada. (1999-2003)
Presenter at conferences worldwide, mentor to university students & designed and led successful international scientific collaborations
Studies: Functional Genomics, Ancestral Health, bodywork, energy work, Reiki.
Trainings: Interpersonal relating, non-violent communication, self-realization & empowerment
“We have reached the limits of medicine 2.0’s capacity, and if longevity is something we are aspiring for, we need a new strategy. Enter Medicine 3.0.”
- Dr. Peter Attia