“Fountain is an example of a biotech company emerging as a direct result of basic research, in this case the biology of aging,” said Dr Rando, founder and chairman of Fountain. “The company’s screening and discovery platform is built upon foundational research showing that the age of a cell can be modulated by factors in the cell’s environment. By identifying compounds that work through these pathways, we seek to restore youthful resilience to cells and tissues, leading to therapies that treat or even prevent chronic diseases of aging.”
Longevity funding: Eli Lilly and R42 Group join the party as Khosla-backed biopharma brings total Series A to $26 million.
Incredible new videos show stem cells escaping from hair follicles, which could provide insight on a new, potentially reversible mechanism of hair loss.
Stem cells contribute to tissue regeneration, and they are thought to play an important role in age-related decline — so much so that stem cell exhaustion is one of the hallmarks of aging. These stem cells reside in “compartments” in various tissues. In the hair, the stem cell compartment, known as the bulge, is adjacent to the hair follicle.
It is extremely hard to monitor stem cell activity in live animals over time, yet this is exactly what the researchers of this study have achieved using noninvasive imaging techniques based on lasers. By anesthetizing mice and putting them inside the imaging device, they were able to observe and record the process of stem cells escaping their compartment.
Researchers watched as escaping stem cells changed their shape and shot out of the compartment as if squeezing through invisible holes, which are most likely structural abnormalities in the membrane. The researchers hypothesize that aging somehow harms the structural integrity of the membrane, but this phenomenon demands further examination. The “rogue” stem cells escape to the dermis, which is the lower layer of the skin. Once there they remained stem cells, and seemed to be doing quite well in the new environment. However, this may not be a good sign, since stem cells are known to contribute heavily to tumorigenesis, and the authors call for more research into the role that escaping stem cells might play in the development of cancer.
The researchers studied both young and old mice. In young animals, the stem cell compartment was well defined, and cells were restricted to their rightful place. In many older mice, however, the researchers noticed the shrinkage of the hair follicle and compartment. The shrinkage was even more pronounced when the compartment showed signs of stem cell escape.
The researchers looked for proteins that were downregulated in the follicles that experienced stem cell escape, zeroing in on two transcription factors (FOXC1 and NFATC1). These identified proteins are indeed known to regulate cellular adhesion and extracellular matrix integrity.
In this videoclip, Professor David Sinclair from Harvard University addresses one of the most promising technologies his lab is working on to slow and reverse aging.
Tapping into both AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold, they tweaked the programs to predict which proteins are likely to tag-team and sketched up the resulting complexes into a 3D models.
Using AI, the team predicted hundreds of complexes—many of which are entirely new—that regulate DNA repair, govern the cell’s digestive system, and perform other critical biological functions. These under-the-hood insights could impact the next generation of DNA editors and spur new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders or anti-aging therapies.
Very well said and in just one minute by Dr. Eric Verdin, CEO & President of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.
Videoclip of the intervention of Dr. Eric Verdin, CEO & President of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, referring to Longevity as an investment opportunity.
His remarks where given during an event organized by the SALT Fund that took place in October 3, 2021.
It’s the BIG one! The FINAL LEVEL on the Kardashev Scale! In this video, Unveiled discovers what the world would be like if humanity could complete the Kardashev Scale and become the most advanced civilisation it’s possible to be… This goes beyond gods and monsters, to the incredible, immortal heart of the omniverse!
Let us know what you think in the comments!
This is Unveiled, giving you incredible answers to extraordinary questions!
In one of the mysteries of mammalian development, every cell in the early female embryo shuts down one of its two copies of the X chromosome, leaving just one functional. For years, the mechanics behind this X chromosome inactivation have been murky, but scientists from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have now taken a major step forward in understanding the process.
Their findings, based on research on mouse stem cells, upend previous assumptions about how X inactivation is initiated in female embryos and could lead to new ways to treat some genetic disorders, as well as a better understanding of how genes on other chromosomes are silenced.
“X inactivation is one of the most fundamentally important processes in development, and I think this study is a slam dunk in finally understanding it,” said Kathrin Plath, a professor of biological chemistry and senior author of the paper, published in the journal Cell.
We explore human enhancement and personal performance hacking with Matt Ward (@mattwardio), host of The Disruptors podcast, startup investor, adviser, and business innovation consultant. Matt and I thought it would be fun to do two episodes, one here on MIND & MACHINE and the other on The Disruptors, where we explore what we’ve learned, the ideas we’ve formed and our takeaways across all these different fields that we cover.
So with this episode here on MIND & MACHINE, we focus on human enhancement — technologies that are extending lifespan and enhancing human capability. Then we get into what Matt and I are doing currently to maximize our own performance capabilities — our ability to think more clearly, to live more energetic vibrant lives… which is all heavily informed by all these amazing guests across these different fields that we explore.
Taking a daily multivitamin for 3 years is associated with a 60% slower cognitive aging, with the effects particularly pronounced in patients with cardiovascular (CVD) disease, new research suggests.
In addition to testing the effect of a daily multivitamin on cognition, the COSMOS-Mind study also examined the effect of cocoa flavonols, but showed no beneficial effect.
The results “may have important public health implications, particularly for brain health, given the availability of multivitamins and minerals and their low cost and safety,” said research researcher Laura D. Baker, PhD, professor, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
One-minute-long excerpt of the intervention of Professor David Sinclair during an event organized by the SALT Fund, that took place in October.
In this excerpt, Professor Sinclair talks about the work done in his Lab at Harvard University on partial cellular reprogramming and rejuvenation.
The panel counted with the participation of three antiaging and longevity experts: * Dr. David Sinclair, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School. * Dr. Eric Verdin, Chief Executive Officer & President, Buck Institute for Research on Aging. * Dr. Jennifer Garrison, Assistant Professor, Buck Institute for Research on Aging.
The moderator was Dr. Dina Radenkovic, Partner, The SALT Fund.
In the description of the video is the link to the full event.
