We want to make it possible to live healthily for a longer period of time
In the not-too-distant future, youll be able to check into the Human Longevity Laboratory to find out how old you really are, physiologically speaking.
If the news is less than optimal, clinicians will determine why and check a litany of body systems as well as your neurological and orthopaedic health. Then, youll be prescribed an intervention to stave off further decline or better yet restore your vitality.
Douglas Vaughan, MD, chair and Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine, and director of the new Potocsnak Longevity Institute.
Sounds sci-fi, but its actually the mission of the new Potocsnak Longevity Institute, which launched today at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
The Human Longevity Laboratory is just one part of the ambitious multi-center institute, whose goal is to foster new discoveries and build on Northwesterns ongoing research in the rapidly advancing science of aging.
The biological processes that drive aging may be malleable, said Douglas Vaughan, MD, director of the new institute and chair of medicine at Northwestern. We think we can slow that process down, delay it, even theoretically reverse it. The curtain is being pulled back on what drives aging. We want to contribute to that larger discovery process.
The goal of the institute, funded by a very generous gift from Chicago industrialist John Potocsnak and family, is to extend what Vaughan terms the human healthspan. Scientists and clinicians will address the period of life when people are at the greatest risk for aging-related comorbidities arthritis, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, aging-related cancer and hypertension and frailty.
We want to make it possible to live healthily for a longer period of time, not just live longer, said Vaughan, also the Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine. Aging is the most important risk factor for every disease we care for in adult medicine. If we can push that process back, we can push back the onset of disease.
The new institute builds on the decades of work by Vaughan and scientists across Northwestern, unifying programs studying populations that seem resistant to some of the negative consequences of aging. These include certain members of an Amish community in Berne, Indiana or a group of cognitively young octogenarians called SuperAgers.Other projects will continue to seek biological levers that drive aging and investigate approaches including new drugs to minimize the impact of aging and extend the healthy lifespan of older adults.
We are grateful for the opportunity to support the vision put forth by Northwesterns leaders, scientists, and physicians to help people live their longest, healthiest lives possible, said Potocsnak. The promise of the amazing work being done by Doug, Frank and many others holds the potential to profoundly impact quality of life for millions. My wife Laura, myself and my family are proud to support this important work as we strive to make the world a better place than when we got here.
The Potocsnak Longevity Institute is a momentous step forward for the science of aging and lifespan, said Eric G. Neilson, MD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean. The potential impact of this institutes advancements cant be overstated; the time is now right to push the field forward.
Human Longevity Laboratory
Our tasks, challenges and opportunities at the institute and Human Longevity Laboratory are severalfold, said Frank Palella, MD, associate director of the institute and the Potocsnak Family C.S.C Professor at Northwestern. We plan to ascertain those factors and conditions that determine not just how long people live but how well they live. We will design therapeutic and interventional clinical trials to study important aspects of aging in order to identify ways to extend the healthspan and delay or prevent harmful aging processes.
Our goal is, ultimately, to prolong the period of time during which individuals can enjoy optimal physical and cognitive functioning, independence and a full life. The possibilities are staggering.
What HIV teaches us about aging
The science behind HIV and aging will be a cornerstone of the institutes research at the Potocsnak Center for Aging and HIV, led by Palella.
While the lifespan of people with HIV has been extended with potent antiviral therapy, these individuals experience accelerated aging in heart disease, cancer, dementia, frailty and other diseases. They also die earlier than people without HIV. One primary reason is chronic inflammation and a constantly activated immune system.
HIV becomes a good model in which to explore determinants and interventions for aging processes, Palella said. There is a cross-pollination here between studying what improves and extends the healthspan/lifespan of people with HIV and the general population.
People who treat HIV and people who are subspecialists in geriatrics, cardiology, neurology and other health care disciplines will join forces at the center to discuss approaches that will benefit persons with diverse aging syndromes and persons with HIV, Palella said.
How some longer-living Amish could help us live longer, too
A few years ago, Vaughan discovered an extended family of Old Order Amish in Indiana have a genetic variant that protects them against multiple aspects of biological aging. Amish people with this mutation have significantly less diabetes and a younger vascular age than those who dont have the mutation. It turns out these individuals have very low levels of PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor), a protein that comprises part of a molecular fingerprint related to aging or senescence (death) of cells.
We are collecting data from this natural experiment, and Mother Nature is going to tell us how a drug that blocks PAI-1 could prevent or block aging in an average human being, Vaughan said.
Northwestern has contributed to the development of experimental drug with a Japanese company that blocks PAI-1 that is now being tested in clinical trials. One of these trials is in patients with COVID-19 at Northwestern. PAI-1 causes blood clotting, which is a primary driver of morbidity and organ damage in the coronavirus.
The Geroscience Academy will train and educate clinicians, students and scientists about the rapidly progressing science of aging.
There has been tremendous progress made in understanding what aging is all about, Vaughan said. It is moving beyond the realm of science fiction to imagine altering the velocity of aging in humans. The potential impact it may have on us and on our children and grandchildren cannot be overstated.
We want to be recognized not only as one of the epicenters of aging research but also in teaching our students, faculty and the world about the rapidly evolving science of aging.
Center for Population Science and Aging
Scientists in this center will utilize and refine existing tools to demystify the aging process in large populations of humans at all ages.
There are already well-defined biochemical and genetic markers that can be used to calculate the physiological age of a person and predict their risk for aging-related diseases, Vaughan said. These tools will only get better and more precise in the years to come.
Our biological age is not determined by how many times weve orbited the sun as passengers on planet Earth. The complex biological changes associated with aging impact nearly every aspect of a persons health, but some populations seem less affected by aging than others.
Center for Nanoscience and Aging
This center will leverage some of Northwesterns unique strengths to develop nanotechnological devices, novel diagnostic measures and innovative anti-aging therapies and drug-delivery platforms.
This center will improve our ability to measure the biological age of patients and bring new precision therapies into being that will alter the trajectory of aging, Vaughan said. Scientists will develop novel devices to measure specific physiological parameters that reflect age. For example, the older you get, the slower you walk, your heart rate variability goes down and blood pressure goes up. We might be able to track these types of functional changes in real time in patients enrolled in clinical trials. The goal will be to see if we can impact the patients physiological age, maybe with specific lifestyle interventions or new therapeutics.
Basic and Translational Biology
There is already a tremendous amount of basic and translational research in the field of aging taking place at Northwestern. Research funding from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) has risen to more than to nearly $40 million since 2016, placing it at number 13 in overall funding from the NIA.
We anticipate the resources and new scientific momentum created by the Longevity Institute will allow Northwestern to be recognized as one the leading institutions in the world in the field of human aging and longevity, Vaughan said.
Original post:
New Potocsnak Longevity Institute Hopes to Lengthen Human ...
- How dogs are paving the way for human longevity drugs - Longevity.Technology - April 12th, 2024 [April 12th, 2024]
- Innovative Approaches to Improving Human Longevity - Securities.io - April 12th, 2024 [April 12th, 2024]
- Top 5 Companies Offering Solutions to Increased Human Longevity - Securities.io - April 12th, 2024 [April 12th, 2024]
- Morning Medical Update: Gut bacteria and longevity; People with ... - Medical Economics - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Artificial Intelligence and the Aging Process: A Match Made for ... - Down to Game - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Saint Bernard Lifespan: How Long Do Saint Bernards Live? - AZ Animals - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- 'Human Resources' Was Poised to Be Netflix's Longest-Running ... - PRIMETIMER - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Early Life Adversity Doesn't Affect Gorillas Like Other Species - The Good Men Project - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Wellness luminaries, experts to meet in KK - The Borneo Post - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- I grew up with hazardous smoke from forest fires in Asia. Here's what ... - Morningstar - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Workplace Networks Are More Important than Promotions to Engage ... - GlobeNewswire - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Accenture staff working at Google training AI move to unionise - The Australian Financial Review - June 12th, 2023 [June 12th, 2023]
- Hair Wigs and Extension Market Size to Grow by USD 5.26 billion from 2021 to 2026, Growth Driven by Technologi - Black Enterprise - April 10th, 2023 [April 10th, 2023]
- Want to age like a fine wine? Here are some tips for longevity and feeling younger - The Indian Express - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Human body | Organs, Systems, Structure, Diagram, & Facts - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Human | Avatar Wiki | Fandom - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Calorie Restriction and Fasting Diets: What Do We Know? - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Emma Thompson On Longevity Of Holiday Fave Love Actually But It Is SEX Actually That Is Earning Her Awards Buzz In Leo Grande - Deadline - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Heads or tails: What statistical models tell us about the probability of living beyond 110 - The Conversation - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- LinkedIn founder and VC Reid Hoffman says human amplification via A.I. will revolutionize large enterprises in the next five years - Fortune - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Human hibernation is possible and could boost longevity | New Scientist - December 2nd, 2022 [December 2nd, 2022]
- Home - Human Longevity Institute - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity - Mayo Clinic - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Life expectancy - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Life Expectancy - Our World in Data - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Longevity Investors Conference Gstaad brought together longevity experts and deep-pocketed investors - Cointelegraph - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Search for a Pill That Can Help Dogsand HumansLive Longer - WIRED - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Aging of the Heart Correlates With a Poor Gut Microbiome - Lifespan.io News - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Aditxt, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADTX) Announces Development and Publication of a Mathematical Model for Predicting Longevity and Variations of Immune Response... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- FOXO Technologies Announces First Distribution Partner and Begins Product Rollout in California; Expands Executive Team With Insurance Industry Talent... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- A conversation with Holocaust scholar Dr. Irving Berkowitz - South Florida Sun Sentinel - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Nine postdoctoral fellowships in aging research awarded by the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR - EurekAlert - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The 5 Wellness Habits That Slow Down Aging, Science Reveals Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Winning Federal Contracts on the Top 20 Contract Vehicles - Bloomberg Government - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Lawrence Austin promoted to rank of colonel - Winona Times - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The longevity dividend: Work in an era of 100-year lives - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Retirement Savings Calculator - Northwestern Mutual - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Clues to Human Longevity Unearthed in Largescale Mouse Genetic Study - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Can we find ways to live beyond 100? Millionaires are betting on it. - MIT Technology Review - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Restrict Calories to Boost Immune Function - The Epoch Times - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The Black Progress Index: Examining the social factors that influence Black well-being - Brookings Institution - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Kevin Williamson on Scream 6 and Franchise Longevity - Bleeding Cool News - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 507-Year-Old Clam May Be the World's Oldest Living Being - History of Yesterday - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- I should look forward to early retirement, but I think I'm dreading it - CBC.ca - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- International Coffee Day 2022: How The Beloved Brew Helps Fight Cancer, Kidney Disease And Depression - ABP Live - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Corey Feldman And Jamison Newlander Talk The Lost Boys And The Birth Of The Two Coreys - Forbes - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Proven Levels of Human Longevity | NextBigFuture.com - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Prolonging healthspan by delaying ageing -- NUHS opens Singapore's first Centre for Healthy Longevity to increase healthy lifespan of Singapore... - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- What is the Secret to Longevity in Real Estate? - CandysDirt.com - Candy's Dirt - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Jeff Stukey & Jay Olshansky, Ph.D with Wealthspan Advisors, Interviewed on the Influential Entrepreneurs Podcast Discussing How Aging Science... - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- The Queen of the World - The Atlantic - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- THR Icon: At 100, Norman Lear Looks Back (And Ahead) at Whats Changed Since the Maude Abortion Episode - Hollywood Reporter - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- TIFF 2022: The Colour of Ink Review - ThatShelf.com - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Should Age Be on the Ballot? - Next Avenue - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Was The Spring Water At Balmoral Castle The Secret To Elizabeth II's Longevity? - Nation World News - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- A complete guide to the health benefits of nuts europeantimes.news - The European Times - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Debut Launches its Bio2Consumer Platform to Become the Leader in Vertically Integrated Synthetic Biology - PR Web - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Rapamycin Drug Used in Cancer Therapy Found to Increase Human Lifespan [Study] - Nature World News - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Eating Healthy: Why Eating Grapes Would Increase Lifespan | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News Guardian Life The Guardian Nigeria... - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Beauty Bets on Longevity WWD - WWD - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Analysis of the impact of success on three dimensions of sustainability in 173 countries | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- You might have glowing skin in no time by making few easy changes to your skincare routine - TDPel Media - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Nucleai Appoints New Head of Pathology to Support Expansion in Biopharmaceutical and Clinical Markets - Business Wire - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- Daily AI Roundup: Biggest Machine Learning, Robotic And Automation Updates - AiThority - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- Prolonged and intense heatwave affecting parts of western and northern Europe breaks temperature records; globally, July 2022 was one of three warmest... - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- YLEM: Augmenting sustainable futures through material exploration and testing - STIRworld - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- Do you want to live forever? Big Tech and the quest for eternal youth - The New Statesman - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- This startup wants to copy you into an embryo for organ harvesting - MIT Technology Review - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Renewal Bio Acquires Breakthrough Stem Cell Technology With Applications in Infertility and Longevity - Benzinga - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Get married or get a degree to live longer says study, debunking theories of womens longevity over men - Times Now - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Nucleai Appoints New Head of Pathology to Support Expansion in Biopharmaceutical and Clinical Markets - StreetInsider.com - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Some species are immortal but dying of old age is humanity's secret weapon - The Telegraph - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Opinion: Changing When and How Much We Eat May Extend Health Span - The Scientist - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Vieroots uses genome testing to win over a growing tribe of wellness enthusiasts - YourStory - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- Herbs radiate and give you youthful skin - The Hans India - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- How Pop Culture, Politics, Science, and Business Got So Old - The Atlantic - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- John Hood: How to read this column | Columnists | journalnow.com - Winston-Salem Journal - August 6th, 2022 [August 6th, 2022]
- How Long Is The Human Lifespan? Here's What Studies Have Found | mindbodygreen - mindbodygreen - July 31st, 2022 [July 31st, 2022]
- Employees are livingand workinglonger. CEOs are introducing initiatives like phased retirements to harness the longevity economy - Fortune - July 31st, 2022 [July 31st, 2022]
- Why Do We Get Old, and Can Aging Be Reversed? - Quanta Magazine - July 31st, 2022 [July 31st, 2022]