Academy for Health & Lifespan Research

David Glass, VP of Research at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, presented at this year’s AHLR Conference on pharmaceutical strategies for developing gerotherapeutics. His talk emphasized the importance of maintaining peak physical performance into old age by targeting key aging pathways. Bulk RNA-Seq studies in rats—whose aging patterns closely resemble those of humans—have revealed critical muscle aging trends, including increased interferon signaling from retrotransposon activation and a decline in mitochondrial gene expression. Notably, motor neuron denervation was identified as a precursor to inflammation-driven muscle decline, offering potential early intervention points. Promising therapeutic strategies include combining GLP-1 with anti-myostatin therapy to support muscle maintenance and using rapalogs to mitigate mTORC1 hyperactivity and age-related inflammation. Successful clinical translation will require clearly defined disease endpoints and strong clinical relevance. Thank you, David, for sharing your insights and expertise!

Academy member and Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn is a strong advocate for science. She speaks with CBS News Bay Area about the nationwide rallies where thousands of healthcare providers, scientists, and researchers have rallied to demand increased funding for medical research and to push back against what they see as an ongoing attack on science. https://lnkd.in/ewD5nBU2

The Academy of Health & Lifespan Research (AHLR) is proud to announce the publication of our first white paper in Nature Aging. As a global society of leading scientists, AHLR is dedicated to advancing geroscience—the study of aging as a biological process that can be slowed or modified to improve healthspan. Our mission is to drive cutting-edge research, fund key initiatives, and raise public awareness about the potential to delay age-related diseases. Led by experts from academia, government, and biotech, AHLR supports research on biomarkers of aging (gerodiagnostics) and therapies to slow or reverse aging (gerotherapeutics). We also mentor the next generation of longevity scientists through training programs and actively collaborate with other longevity-focused organizations. Through major conferences, public outreach, and efforts to combat misinformation, AHLR is working to shift the perception of aging from an inevitable decline to a modifiable aspect of human biology. Special thanks to Andrea B. Maier, Gordon Lithgow, our White Paper Committee Chairs, and Nir Barzilai, AHLR President, for their leadership in this initiative. To access the full correspondence, please refer to the images below or visit https://lnkd.in/eV-mviUE

One of the featured panels at our 5th Annual Conference, Trade-offs of Targeting Aging Between Muscle and Other Organs, was moderated by Brian Kennedy and included panelists Joan Mannick, Pura Munoz-Canoves, James Kirkland, and Nir Barzilai. The discussion underscored the importance of moving beyond single-organ approaches and considering aging as a systemic process. Cross-tissue interactions and functional outcomes are key, and effective interventions may require drug combinations, precise dosing strategies, and improved biomarkers to assess systemic benefits beyond traditional measures like muscle mass. Key topics included: How do muscles communicate with other tissues, and what are the implications for aging? Muscles interact with other organs through signaling molecules like myokines, which influence overall health but decline with age. Therapies must account for both their positive and negative effects, as well as the brain’s role in maintaining muscle function. Muscle function—measured through VO2 max, strength, and wearable technology—may provide a more meaningful endpoint than muscle growth alone. Interventions such as rapamycin, metformin, and caloric restriction must balance systemic benefits with muscle preservation. What are the challenges and trade-offs in using GLP-1 agonists for aging and weight loss? While GLP-1 agonists effectively promote weight loss, they can also lead to muscle loss, negatively impacting physical function. Combining these treatments with exercise or muscle-preserving drugs is crucial, with functional assessments like walking speed prioritized over muscle hypertrophy. What is the role of senolytics in targeting aging? Senolytics, including SGLT2 inhibitors, are undergoing clinical trials to determine their efficacy in targeting aging-related conditions. Identifying predictive biomarkers is key to optimizing drug selection. Trial designs may incorporate drug cycling, frailty targeting, and combination therapies with disease-specific treatments for greater impact. Should aging interventions take a systems-level approach? Addressing aging through multi-pathway, multi-organ interventions is likely to be more effective than single-drug approaches. Future clinical trials should incorporate system-wide biomarkers and functional measures to assess the true impact of interventions on aging. #AgingResearch #LongevityScience #MuscleHealth #Biomarkers #HealthyAging #GLP1 #Senolytics #Geroscience

Reflecting on a standout session from the AHLR 5th Annual Conference, we had the privilege of hearing from Alex Zhavoronkov, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, on the role of AI in developing gerotherapeutics. One of the biggest challenges in longevity research is the lack of financial incentives for clinical trials involving off-patent drugs, which has slowed the progress of gerotherapeutics. AI-driven drug discovery is changing that. Platforms like DORA are revolutionizing the process by streamlining target selection, agent identification, and research planning—dramatically cutting development time and costs. By harnessing generative models, reinforcement learning, and real-world biological data, AI-driven companies are accelerating the design and testing of novel therapeutics, with some already advancing to Phase 2 trials. Thank you, Alex, for joining us and sharing such valuable insights on how AI is shaping the future of longevity medicine!

We’re excited to share that Academy member Professor Johan Auwerx from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne will be speaking at the 2025 Health & Demography Conference. His co-session, "The Many Trajectories of Longevity: Which Way Are We Heading?" will explore the trends shaping human longevity, including scientific breakthroughs, healthcare access, and socio-economic factors. The 2025 Health & Demography Conference is now open for virtual registration. This event will examine how longevity is transforming societies and creating new opportunities in policy, insurance, and beyond. We invite you to join as the conference explores what it takes to thrive in an era of 100-year lives. https://lnkd.in/dAS9viza

Great news! The Academy for Health and Lifespan Research is now on BlueSky. We’re excited to connect with you all and share the latest updates in health, aging, and longevity research. Follow us for insights, discussions, and updates from our community of experts. Follow us here: https://lnkd.in/eNWmcAtU We look forward to engaging with you!

The Academy for Health and Lifespan Research (AHLR) just wrapped up its 5th Annual Conference—a four-day event full of discussions about translational strategies, outreach, and the challenges of integrating gerotherapeutics into clinical practice. With thought-provoking panels and inspiring guest speakers, the conference was a success. We welcomed newly elected 2024 Academy members: Vishwa Deep Dixit, Holly Brown-Borg, Björn Schumacher, Monica Driscoll, P. Eline Slagboom, and Coleen Murphy. Their expertise will help push our mission forward and strengthen aging research efforts. Our guest speakers—Alex Zhavoronkov, David Glass, and Lee Hood—shared fascinating insights on topics like AI’s role in developing gerotherapeutics, pharmaceutical strategies, and personalized medicine. Their talks inspired everyone to think bigger and push the boundaries of innovation in geroscience. Some key topics discussed during the meeting included: ·      Integrative Physiology and Animal Models – chaired by Steven Austad ·      Trade-offs of Targeting Aging Between Muscle and Other Organs – chaired by Brian Kennedy ·      The Relationship Between Healthspan and Lifespan – chaired by Rozalyn Anderson ·      Translational Clocks/Biomarkers – chaired by Vadim Gladyshev ·      Reprogramming as a Realistic Intervention in Humans – chaired by Ken Raj ·      Optimal Measurements for Resiliency – chaired by Gordon Lithgow Looking ahead, the Academy has some exciting programs lined up for 2025: ·      MBL Summer Geroscience Course (May 24–June 12): With support from AFAR and the Glenn Foundation, this course has been revamped into a 2.5-week format with an expanded faculty, making it more engaging and accessible. ·      Symposia Series: A series of symposia featuring senior geroscientists will be organized to highlight cutting-edge research. ·      Branding Initiative: A media audit is underway to refine how we share geroscience with the public, making it more engaging and easier to understand. ·      TIME Initiative: Our prestigious undergraduate fellowship program continues to attract global talent, with over 200 applicants from six continents. ·      Outreach & Speaking Engagements: Academy members have represented geroscience at over 20 global conferences, including the Vatican Longevity Summit, ARDD, and the upcoming Osaka Expo 2025. This year’s meeting reinforced the Academy’s role as a leader in aging science and highlighted the collaborative efforts needed to turn groundbreaking research into real-world health benefits. A heartfelt thank you goes out to AHLR President Nir Barzilai, Executive Director Risa Starr, and all the board and council members who worked tirelessly to make this conference a success. With their dedication and leadership, the Academy continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in health and lifespan research and are more committed than ever to advancing health and lifespan research.

The Academy for Health and Lifespan (#AHLR) proudly participated in this year’s 12th Annual Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting (#ARDD), with over a dozen members presenting their insights and work. Since its inception in 2014, the ARDD Meeting has evolved from a small forum to a globally recognized event, hosting over 700 participants onsite and more than 6,000 viewers online in 2023. Several talks were recorded and are available to view via the link below. Recorded AHLR member talks include: David Sinclair: The Information Theory of Aging: Where Do We Stand? Steve Horvath: DNA Methylation Studies of Maximum Lifespan in Mammals Brian Kennedy: Where Are We in the Longevity Quest Vadim Gladyshev: Organ Aging and Rejuvenation Eric Verdin: Defining and Measuring Human Immune Aging John Sedivy: Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders with Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors This meeting continues to showcase the remarkable progress being made in aging research and drug discovery, driving advancements in health and longevity worldwide. https://lnkd.in/emtCc3hJ

Professor Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and President of The Academy for Health & Lifespan Research emphasized the importance of prioritizing both physical and mental health to achieve healthy aging during his visit to Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology. He highlighted two approaches: adopting a healthy lifestyle—including exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and minimizing air pollution—and drug-based interventions to address aging-related issues such as mental decline, muscle loss, and organ function deterioration. Barzilai noted that after the age of 60, people often accumulate multiple diseases, leading to a decline in quality of life. He advocated for focusing on health optimization rather than solely treating diseases. He delivered the Dr. K.D. Gupta Memorial Centenary Oration, speaking on strategies to live healthily for longer.