Raphael Kellman, MD
A physician of integrative and functional medicine, and the pioneer of Microbiome Medicine — a field he founded and named. Author of 10+ books on the microbiome, gut health, and the gut-brain axis.
Dr. Kellman trained in internal medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Over more than 25 years of practice, he has treated more than 60,000 patients — many arriving after years of unexplained symptoms and dismissed concerns.
He is credited with coining the term "Microbiome Medicine," recognizing the gut microbiome's role as a central regulator connecting immune, thyroid, and metabolic function. This framework underlies his approach to autoimmune disease, thyroid disorders, mood and cognitive symptoms, and chronic digestive issues. He has written 10+ books exploring the microbiome, gut health, and the gut-brain axis.
Dr. Kellman has also treated many patients on the autism spectrum, addressing underlying gut, thyroid, and immune dysfunction — many have seen significant improvement in symptoms and gone on to lead successful lives.
Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, Dr. Kellman's diagnostic process traces each condition to its underlying system-level cause, using specialized testing not widely used elsewhere in conventional practice.
Dr. Kellman draws on all available modalities to heal, combining traditional pharmaceutical medicine with integrative and functional approaches — using whichever tools best serve each patient.
Foundational Medicine
Foundational Medicine is rooted in the understanding that although the body has many individual systems, they must work together to maintain balance and long-term health. Functional medicine evaluates the body as a whole, with special attention to how one system relates to another — and to the bacterial imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and toxic overload that can disrupt those relationships.
Most illness is chronic, and almost always preceded by a lengthy period of declining function in one or more of the body's systems. Functional medicine replaces the outdated acute-care model with one built to return patients to lasting wellness.
Why the gut comes first
The digestive tract contains its own neural network — the enteric nervous system — allowing direct, continuous communication with the brain. Chronic stress, a key driver of many chronic conditions, disrupts this axis and can be felt throughout the body.
Dr. Kellman uses therapeutic herbs, botanicals, phytonutrients, and targeted probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics to support the gut microbiome directly, combined with state-of-the-art technology and IV therapies for compounding effect.
How we get to the root cause
Deep testing
Comprehensive tests examine how the body’s interconnected systems actually function, not just isolated markers.
Find the reason
We identify not only the condition, but the underlying reason a patient is experiencing that condition.
Personalized plan
A treatment and supplement plan is built specifically around each patient’s test results and history.
Conventional + functional
Conventional therapy is used in conjunction with functional medicine to treat the entire individual, not just symptoms.
Care beyond the doctor's office
Lauren Pelehach Sepe
M.S., University of Bridgeport. Works alongside Dr. Kellman to translate testing results into personalized nutrition protocols.