Hybrid Approaches to Substantially Slow or Reverse Aging - Kamil Pabis Summary

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Summary

The speaker, Kamil Pabis, provided an overview of current approaches and challenges in the field of aging research, with a focus on developing interventions to substantially slow or reverse aging rather than just improving healthspan. He discussed the limitations of wellness supplements and the need for more potent therapies like rapamycin that have shown lifespan extension in animal studies.

Key concepts included the importance of geroscience (targeting fundamental aging processes), the potential of combination therapies like rapamycin and sulforaphane, the promise of reprogramming and cell/gene therapies, and the need to navigate regulatory hurdles in testing therapies in healthy populations. Pabis emphasized the urgency of advancing aging research given the societal impacts of an aging population.

Notable solutions proposed were conducting large trials of promising drugs like sulforaphane in high-risk populations (e.g. smokers), testing interventions in special economic zones with relaxed regulations, advocating for longevity through influencers and philanthropists, and linking aging research to pressing issues like declining fertility rates.

However, major challenges remain, including limited understanding of aging biology, lack of reliable biomarkers, potential negative effects of removing “damaged” cells, public skepticism towards life extension, and regulatory barriers in testing therapies in healthy populations.

Key Takeaways

• Developing interventions to substantially slow aging, not just improve healthspan, should be the key goal of longevity research
• Combination therapies like rapamycin + sulforaphane hold promise and could be tested in high-risk populations initially
• Reprogramming, cell/gene therapies, and “filtering” approaches like senolytics are novel areas with potential
• Navigating regulatory barriers to test therapies in healthy populations is crucial for translation
• Increasing advocacy through influencers, philanthropists, and linking to fertility crisis could drive funding and public acceptance
• Fundamental challenges remain in understanding aging processes, identifying biomarkers, and potential negative effects of interventions
• Advancing aging research is urgent given societal impacts of an aging population

Speakers

• Kamil Pabis
• Affiliation: NUS Singapore
• Expertise: Longevity research, NRF2 pathway, combinatorial approaches
• Key Contributions: Provided comprehensive overview of anti-aging approaches, highlighted major challenges and potential solutions, advocated for advancing geroscience