Topic：Targeting Human Aging — Can We Extend Healthspan

Speaker：Prof. Brian Kennedy

Time: 4:00 pm, April 17

Venue: Room 317, Yifu Building of Beihang University

Abstract：

There is a growing sense that a holistic understanding of ageing biology may be achievable. This would represent a tremendous advance in our collective biological understanding and afford opportunities for novel interventions to enhance human healthspan. Ageing is the biggest risk factor for the major chronic diseases growing in prominence. These include cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and cancer. If ageing can be slowed, the effect would be simultaneous protection from many of the chronic diseases. One strategy is to use animal model organisms to find common pathways that modulate ageing and then to seek methods for their manipulation in humans. The TOR pathway is one point of convergence and a clinically approved drug targeting the TOR kinase, rapamycin, extends murine lifespan and healthspan. Many more small molecules are being added to the list of anti-ageing compounds. Here, I will summarize the ageing field and use examples to conceptualize how agents extending healthspan might be developed to improve human health. We are now entering a stage in aging research where it is imperative to test ageing interventions in humans. The potential to directly impact human healthspan is emerging from ageing research and this approach, if successful, will have global impact.

Biogrophyof the Speaker：

Prof. Brian Kennedy is internationally recognized for his research in the basic biology of aging and as a visionary committed to translating research discoveries into new ways of delaying, detecting, and preventing human aging and associated diseases. He is professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology at National University of Singapore and director of the Centre for Healthy Ageing in the National University Health System. From 2010 to 2016 he was the president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Currently he remains as a professor at the Institute. Dr. Kennedy also has an adjunct appointment at the USC Davis School of Gerontology. Dr. Kennedy is also actively involved Biotechnology companies, serving in consulting and board capacities, as well as scientific director of Affirmativ Health. Dr. Kennedy also serves as coeditor-in-chief of Aging Cell.

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering