Anti-aging research: ‘Prime time for an impact on the globe’
Research into longevity and healthy aging has progressed rapidly in recent years, but intense interest from the public, corporations, and the media has created an environment in which unfounded claims can be hard to separate from scientific facts. In February, a group of 16 researchers from Harvard, MIT, and other institutions around the U.S. and Europe launched the nonprofit Academy for Health and Lifespan Research to promote future work, ease collaborations between scientists, and ensure that governments and corporations are making decisions based on the latest facts instead of rumor, speculation, or hype. The Boston-based organization will form a nexus for work on extending the human health span, fighting the myriad diseases associated with aging, and fostering the work of junior researchers. Harvard Medical School Genetics Professor David Sinclair, one of the new academy’s founding members and director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at HMS, spoke...