Hushang M. Payan was born in Tehran, Iran in 1925. After graduating from medical school in Tehran in 1951, he continued his education in New York City, where he practiced as a board certified pathologist eight years later. At the New York Medical College he served as assistant professor of pathology. At West Virginia University Medical School he became associate professor. In 1969 he began a 20-year career as director of the laboratory in a community hospital in Michigan. During that time he published 60 articles in medical journals dealing with human pathology and experimental medicine. In 1979, when Iran experienced a revolution that resulted in a change of government under the religious faction of Khomneini, many people, especially professionals, were forced to flee. When many people began to wonder about their religious background, an interest in the pre-historic philospher Zoroaster surfaced. Even though Dr. Payan had never returned to his homeland, he kept abreast of the turmoil. This led to his intense research about Zoroaster and his philosphical ideas.