Dipping Our Toes in the Fountain of Youth

With the advancement in modern medicine, people are living longer than ever. In fact, the average life expectancy has largely risen over the last 40 years, and is predicted to rise to 85 by the year 2060. But the real question is, why do we age? And, is there a way to reverse it?

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About the author:
Matt Quinn, Ph.D.

Transcript

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Welcome back to Womble Perspectives. Today, we’re taking a dive into the potential for a fountain of youth and discussing the advancements in modern medicine that are helping us live longer than ever. The average life expectancy has significantly increased over the past 40 years and is projected to hit 85 by 2060. But that leads us to a big question: why do we age, and is there a way to turn back the clock? 

Researchers across academia, government agencies, and private biotech companies are digging deep into the complexities of aging, looking for ways to manipulate the process to our advantage.

Let’s talk about some promising studies in this area. For instance, there’s a process known as plasma therapy. In a recent study, scientists connected the circulatory systems of young and old mice. After they separated them, the older mice that were exposed to factors from the younger ones ended up healthier and lived longer. 

Then there's partial reprogramming. In a groundbreaking study, researchers managed to reverse aging at the cellular level by reprogramming older cells to act like younger ones. They did this by introducing a mix of transcription factors, which are basically proteins that help read DNA and produce genes. Since the discovery in 2016, this approach has been explored further, with scientists discovering different combinations that can extend lifespan in mice.

Yet another interesting avenue is senolytic therapy, which targets and eliminates senescent cells—those cells that stop dividing and accumulate as we age. A study showed that these therapies could actually increase the lifespan of mice, and since then, numerous other studies have confirmed these findings.

Of course, while the idea of extending human life sounds incredible, there are still significant regulatory hurdles to clear before these benefits can reach the public. 

In future episodes based on the "Longevity Series" on our Law Meets Science blog, we'll cover some of the regulatory complexities that scientists must overcome in order to reach patients with their potentially life extending new therapies, take a dive into the funding of the longevity research community, and even investigate the possibility of extending the lives of our pets. 

The quest for immortality isn't new but thanks to research like the processes mentioned in this episode, are we closer than we think?

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