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Summary: Activating T cells in tumors destroyed most traces of cancer in mice, and had ‘amazing, bodywide effects,’ Stanford University researchers reported. The researchers are recruiting lymphoma patients to test the approach in a clinical trial. [This article first appeared on the website LongevityFacts.com. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine used two novel agents to activate immune system T cells in tumors. The immune-boosting treatment destroyed most traces of cancer in mice the researchers reported in a study published on Jan. 31 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Injecting tiny amounts of two immune-stimulating agents directly into solid tumors in mice can eradicate all traces of cancer in the rodents, including distant metastases, the researchers found. The novel approach works for many different types of cancers, including tumors that arise spontaneously, the new study found.

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We are pleased to announce a special event in San Francisco on Friday, February 2, 2018, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM PST the opportunity to meet Dr. Aubrey de Grey from the SENS Foundation who will also be attending. This is a special screening of Altered Carbon, a new science fiction series coming to Netflix and based on the superb book by Richard Morgan.

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Aging is not a mystery, says famed researcher Dr. Aubrey de Grey, perhaps the world’s foremost advocate of the provocative view that medical technology will one day allow humans to control the aging process and live healthily into our hundreds—or even thousands.

“The cultural attitudes toward all of this are going to be completely turned upside down by sufficiently promising results in the lab, in mice.”

He likens aging to a car wearing down over time; as the body operates normally, it accumulates damage which can be tolerated for a while, but eventually sends us into steep decline. The most promising way to escape this biological reality, he says, is to repair the damage as needed with precise scientific tools.

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We’re not wired to feel safe all the time, but maybe one day we could be.

A new study investigating the neurological basis of anxiety in the brain has identified ‘anxiety cells’ located in the hippocampus – which not only regulate anxious behaviour but can be controlled by a beam of light.

The findings, so far demonstrated in experiments with lab mice, could offer a ray of hope for the millions of people worldwide who experience anxiety disorders (including almost one in five adults in the US), by leading to new drugs that silence these anxiety-controlling neurons.

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We’re no stranger to robotics in the medical field. Robot-assisted surgery is becoming more and more common. Many training programs are starting to include robotic and virtual reality scenarios to provide hands-on training for students without putting patients at risk.

With all of these advances in medical robotics, three niches stand out above the rest: surgery, medical imaging, and drug discovery. How have robotics already begun to exert their influence on these practices, and how will they change them for good?

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Results of NR and pterostilbene clinical trial are promising.


A clinical trial of an NR and pterostilbene anti-aging supplement appeared to be safe over the short-term as it increased NAD levels in a sustained way. [This article first appeared on the website LongevityFacts.com. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

A clinical trial of NR and pterostilbene sustainably increased NAD levels and appeared to be safe over the short-term. Moreover, the study suggests that it increased the mobility of the aging test subjects.

Our NAD levels decline as we age, and as the theory goes, boosting NAD will also increase our energy and keep our bodies in better condition.

Could a protein called klotho block aging and dementia?


Summary: More klotho means better cognitive function says a scientist. By injecting the protein Klotho into mice with Alzheimer’s, a UCSF researcher improved their brain function. The researcher hopes to eventually apply the treatment to humans to treat aging and dementia. [Introduction by Brady Hartman, followed by a link to the full article.]

Neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Dena Dubal wants to prevent dementia and aging with a protein called Klotho. Dr. Dubal, MD, Ph.D. – an associate professor of neurology at UC San Francisco – aims to use this novel approach to battle neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Rather than battle these diseases head-on, professor Dubal aims to block the aging process itself. Dr. Dubal is testing the protein’s potential as a therapeutic. The researcher found that by administering the protein to mice, she gave them a cognitive boost, equivalent to genetically increasing klotho. In fact, after injecting the protein into mice that had a condition similar to Alzheimer’s, Dr. Dubal remarked.