Lifeboat Foundation

Research at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), published today in the journal Nature Aging, reveals a fundamental quality control mechanism that operates in cells to safeguard the integrity and function of the nucleus. By maintaining nuclear homeostasis, this molecular mechanism contributes critically to promote longevity and fertility.

IMBB researchers Dr. Margarita-Elena Papandreou and Dr. Georgios Konstantinidis, headed by Dr. Nektarios Tavernarakis (Professor at the Medical School, University of Crete, and Chairman of the Board at FORTH), discovered that recycling of nuclear and nucleolar components via autophagy delays aging of somatic cells, and sustains the immortality of germ cells, which are required for reproduction.

The nucleus is the central organelle of all eukaryotic cells that contains the genetic material (DNA), which determines cellular identity and function. During aging and in cancer cells, the ultrastructure of the nucleus is dramatically altered. Moreover, progressive and pronounced deterioration of the nuclear architecture is a common and conserved feature of progeria and numerous other disorders associated with aging.

Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have engineered molecules that act like “cellular glue,” allowing them to direct in precise fashion how cells bond with each other. The discovery represents a major step toward building tissues and organs, a long-sought goal of regenerative medicine.

Adhesive molecules are found naturally throughout the body, holding its tens of trillions of cells together in highly organized patterns. They form structures, create neuronal circuits, and guide immune cells to their targets. Adhesion also facilitates communication between cells to keep the body functioning as a self-regulating whole.

In a new study, published in the December 12, 2022, issue of Nature, researchers engineered cells containing customized adhesion molecules that bound with specific partner cells in predictable ways to form complex multicellular ensembles.

A team led by UCL and UCLH researchers have mapped the parts of the brain that support our ability to solve problems without prior experience—otherwise known as fluid intelligence.

Fluid intelligence is arguably the defining feature of human cognition. It predicts educational and professional success, social mobility, health, and longevity. It also correlates with many cognitive abilities such as memory.

Fluid intelligence is thought to be a key feature involved in “active thinking”—a set of complex mental processes such as those involved in abstraction, judgment, attention, strategy generation and inhibition. These skills can all be used in everyday activities—from organizing a dinner party to filling out a tax return.

Five of our favourite interviews with thought leaders and investors on the opportunity presented by longevity.

From spending billions on research to calls for fundamental changes to way we deliver healthcare, this year we heard from a host of thought leaders who shared their views on how to make longevity a reality. Today we bring you five of the best.

When we spoke to Professor Sir John Bell, we expected to learn more about a new UK initiative to study of the health of five million citizens to enable more effective ways to prevent, detect and treat diseases. But what we got was a stirring call to action for a change in the way healthcare is conducted.

With Christmas Day behind us, it’s the time of year when thoughts make a bend towards the future. And for the longevity space, 2023 is set to be a very exciting year – 2022 certainly kept Longevity. Technology busy news-wise and we suspect the coming year will turn it up to 11.

Longevity. Technology: We spend a significant amount of time analysing the longevity market and the companies therein; to assist us in the mammoth task (there are over 560 longevity companies in our database, and the number is climbing!), we have categorised these companies by domain, and we have 25 domains of longevity.

Here, in no particular order, are five companies (plus Altos, natch) that we expect to be making headlines in 2023; we’ve categorised these by longevity domain for your reading pleasure.

Blood pressure genetic risk score can predict risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Nearly half of all American adults have elevated blood pressure or hypertension and high blood pressure contributes to 65 percent of cardiovascular deaths in the US. Now researchers at University of Alabama at Birmingham have used genomic information to create a blood pressure “genetic risk score”.

Longevity. Technology: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and is responsible for a significant burden of morbidity and mortality. As people age, their risk of developing CVD increases, making it a major contributor to the morbidity and mortality associated with aging. That there is a pressing need for research into CVD in order to identify effective strategies for prevention and treatment would seem obvious, but this research is particularly important as the global population is aging and the prevalence of CVD is expected to rise with it. However, having such an enormous number of people at risk brings extra problems – how can risks be quantified and determined on an individual basis? The answer could lie in understanding and leveraging genetic data.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers aging to be a natural process. This makes it difficult to get FDA approval for drugs that seek to slow or reverse the biological process of aging. Instead, drugs intended to target aging must target a disease that often results from the aging process in order to demonstrate efficacy and gain approval.

But there is growing consensus and effort among scientists to convince the FDA that aging itself should be classified as a disease and an appropriate target for drug development.

As the hardest tissue in the human body, enamel is not an easy material for engineers to mimic, but doing so could mean big things in materials science and regenerative medicine. Researchers are now reporting a breakthrough in this area, by tweaking the composition of a naturally occurring mineral to emulate the microstructure of natural enamel in a new type of dental coating, and do so in a way that offers even greater strength.

Carried out by scientists in Russia and Egypt, the newly developed dental coating uses hydroxyapatite as a starting point. This compound is the primary component in bone tissue and mineralized tissues in humans and animals.

The researchers doped the hydroxyapatite with a complex of amino acids that naturally aid in the repair of bone and muscle structures, such as lysine and arginine, resulting in a mineralized layer with properties resembling the main component of natural enamel. The material was then applied to healthy teeth, so the team could observe its ability to bind to real dental tissue.

We live in an amazing age. New medicines, therapies, and treatments come out every day that help people live happier, more meaningful lives. Things are moving so fast it can be hard to keep up. That’s why I follow futurists like Ray Kurzweil who sift through all these innovations. They make it easier for regular people like me to live happier and healthier lives.

Learn from Ray Kurzweil how to easily improve your health and increase your productive lifespan so you can be happier and more fulfilled.