Melanated People

3 yrs

I'll leave this right here...

Comment

3 yrs

I am delighted to share our latest paper where we show aging is likely driven by changes to the epigenome, a glitch in the software of the body that causes it to malfunction, which can be fixed with a reboot. The data supports The Information Theory of Aging, which you may know about from Lifespan, the book.
The mouse on the left had its epigenome destabilized so that it aged 50% faster. Then we reversed it...
If we are correct, it means that cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's might have the same underlying cause that can be reversed to treat or cure age-related conditions with a single treatment. Experiments in the lab are testing this.
Genetic information is the hardware and the epigenome is the software (the pink protein balls in the image that spool DNA).
We think aging is due to corrupted software, that can be rebooted to restore youth. We show DNA breaks cause the software to become corrupted. We experience DNA breaks by the trillions every day & these advance the biological clock. The age-reversal technology -- which turns on an embryonic gene program -- is being tested at life biosciences in non-human primates to restore vision. Results out in a few months. The work represents 13 years of work by 60 people in my lab and around the world. Great work by Jay-Hyun Yang, lead scientist and 1st author. We also stand on the shoulders of greats - Lenny Guarente, Eric Verdin, Nir Barzilai, Matt Kaeberlein, Brian Kennedy, Jasper Rine, Steve Helfand, Steve Horvath, John Denu, Rafa de Cabo.
Can this age reversal tech extend lifespan? This week David Sohn and colleagues showed our exact system extends lifespan in very old mice, when initiated at the human equivalent age of 70-80! I suspect the rejuvenation process exists in salamanders and reptiles but we have lost this ability (for now).
We dedicate this paper to coauthors Michael Bonkowski (last photo), Norman Wolf, and our patriarch Paul F Glenn, who we lost on this journey. Thanks to all our financial supporters & members of the Sinclair laboratory, past & present