Emerging aging research | Nir Barzilai | TEDxBoston

NOTE FROM TED: Please do not look to this talk for medical advice. Research discussed in this talk around aging remains an emerging field of study. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...
What is the difference between lifespan and healthspan? Lifespan is the number years a person lives, whereas healthspan is the number of years a person is in generally good heath. Dr. Nir Barzilai sheds light on the importance of healthspan in the pursuit of human longevity and shares emerging research on how we might extend both. Dr. Nir Barzilai is the director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging Research and of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging. He is the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, professor in the Departments of Medicine and Genetics, and member of the Diabetes Research Center and of the Divisions of Endocrinology & Diabetes and Geriatrics.
Dr. Barzilai’s research interests are in the biology and genetics of aging. One focuses on the genetic of exceptional longevity, where we hypothesize and demonstrated that centenarians have protective genes, which allows the delay of aging or for the protection against age-related diseases. In a Program he is leading we take full advantage of phenotypes, DNA, and cells from the Ashkenazi Jewish families with exceptional longevity and the appropriate controls and his group have established at Einstein (over 2600 samples of which ~670 are centenarians) and discovered underling genomic differences associated with longevity. Longevity Genes Project (LGP) is a cross-sectional, on-going collection of blood and phenotype from families with centenarian proband. LonGenity is a longitudinal study of 1400 subjects, half offspring of parents with exceptional longevity, validating and following their aging in relationship to their genome. The second direction, for which Dr. Barzilai is holding an NIH Merit award that focuses on the metabolic decline of aging, and his team hypothesize that the brain leads this decline. His lab has identified several central pathways that specifically alter body fat distribution and insulin action and secretion by intraventricular or hypothalamic administration of several peptides that are modulated by aging including: Leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP3 and resveratrol.
He has received numerous grants, among them ones from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), American Federation for Aging Research, the Ellison Medical Foundation and The Glenn Medical foundation. He has published over 280 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and textbook chapters. He is an advisor to the NIH on several projects and serves on several editorial boards and is a reviewer for numerous other journals. Dr. Barzilai is in the Scientific Director and on the board of the American Federation for Aging Research, is its co-scientific director, and has served on several NIA study section. He is also a founder of CohBar Inc., a biotech that develops mitochondrial derived peptides as therapy for aging and its diseases and of Lifebioscince biotech. Dr. Barzilai has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Beeson Fellow for Aging Research, the Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Aging Award, the Paul F. Glenn Foundation Award, the NIA Nathan Shock Award, the 2010 Irving S. Wright Award of Distinction in Aging Research and the IPSEN Longevity Prize (2016). This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@jimj2683]

Imagine being 300 years old, but with the looks, energy and health of a 25 year old! Imagine all the wisdom, experience and knowledge you would have. It is so sad that brilliant people only get a short few decades in good health. How would the world be if Einstein still lived?

[@Lucas-GR]

human demigods are on the horizon, and we may as well be among them. Take care of yourself sir.

[@mcmerry2846]

Imagine living 100 years, but weak af for the last 40-50

[@mcmerry2846]

@@Lucas-GR yeah, we, the young ones have the chance to meet that scenario. I'm 25...so let's give another 13 years, bring 38 forever.

[@USAtoElsewhere]

@@mcmerry2846 that's not what is expected. We have had what you're saying

[@napoleonbonaparte1260]

I be having orgys left and right also Vasectomy to prevent unwanted babies along the way.

[@jimdres7000]

Nir is a brilliant individual and scientist. There is no doubt that he will be recognised as a Nobel laureate in future for his tremendous contributions and sacrifices for the exclusive benefit of mankind.

[@johnreidy2804]

Wow, you really poured it on didn't you?

[@DeadbeatGamer]

Imagine humanity's best scientists being able to finish their work within their own lifetimes

[@user-ze3lk1ov5b]

Reverse ageing process ?

[@gregorysagegreene]

This is the big deal for me about life extension ... the Greats, and those who could accumulate and pass on more wisdom, and even those like me - who want a second chance.

[@BreiiisBreiiis]

Fairly soon AI will be thousands of times smarter and more resourceful than any human mind, so it's not that important in terms of saving productivity. It really is mostly about reducing suffering.

[@MyFirstHandle]

@@BreiiisBreiiis AI can provide eternal life for us?

[@secretname2670]

@@MyFirstHandle i am highly skeptical of AI advancing so quickly but as far as i know, life surprises.

[@jmd1743]

There are around 70,000,000 boomers in America alone. We don't have enough care facilities on the planet for Americans alone so we have no choice but to cure aging to not only to address the current aging population but for our aging populations 100 or 250 years from now as well. We need to adopt the mindset of fighting for our future.

[@Maefeus]

No

[@SandwichdaddyE]

@@Maefeus any specific reason why no?

[@deborahdean8867]

All of those boomers don't need skilled nursing care . Most people either just drop dead or become actively sick needing hospital care, and then die. Society doesn't HAVE to have nursing homes for every old person (lots of young people there too for various reasons) , they can live with family you know.

[@mbaxter22]

People reject the idea of life extension because they’d rather bankrupt the country and die then let go of their religious beliefs.

[@deborahdean8867]

@@mbaxter22 what you said makes no sense. People who REJECT life extension somehow bankrupt the country? I've got a feeling those religious beliefs you're talking about are there to protect live people from other people who'd rather kill them off. Definitely have to protect people from other people.

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks so much!

[@Dan-uf2vh]

I would expect another 8 years from now for LEV through partial rejuvination, 15-20 years for full rejuvination without restructuring, and 25-30 years with restoring the body to not only its youthful working state but also shape. AI advancements play a huge role in accelerating biotech research.

[@planetdisco4821]

Personally I think a lot of it comes down to attitude. My great grandad was born in 1893 and died at 100 years old when I was 23. Grandma was 99 and only died a couple of years ago. Great uncle was 102 and a full blown war hero and only recently died. Errr yeah, I’m 53 and my gf is 30 years younger than me. Personally, I don’t feel particularly old and other than the fact that I’m bald as a badger and have been for decades I don’t even look my age. To be clear I’m not bragging about anything here (With the possible exception of the gf lol) but what I will say about all my rellies that cracked a tonne is that they were always active, mentally and physically, they all had a certain twinkle in their eyes and a wicked sense of humour they loved taking chances and they barely ever got sick. Dunno. There was always just something about them. Just hope they passed it onto me lol…

[@sleepsmartsmashstress740]

Revolting against the social norm of aging is helpful to add some 22 year then you get to see the inevitable decline. You cannot will yourself to live to 222 .

[@MyFirstHandle]

Why can't they live longer? Huhu....

[@nicholasstarr6096]

It’s their genetics. Pretty simple.

[@Zsaqwes8]

I agree so much with the prioritization of health over space travel. As grateful as we should be for Elon Musk I wish he would see things this way

[@SandwichdaddyE]

Ay if they manage to cure aging in my life you can bet ill be exploring space

[@planetdisco4821]

It will all happen nearly at once….

[@MyFirstHandle]

Elon probably had fantasies about this one.

[@coffeeisthepathtovictory1290]

150 years ago was 1873, that was a pretty tough year for most countries.

[@mohammedaslam2912]

I'm willing to invest money into the research. Also I want to study it. Fixing aging is more important to mankind than anything else ever have been and ever will be combined. Death makes everything meaningless. We've already come a long way towards solving it. There's no stopping now. Please forget Ukraine Russia war and invest the money to science.

[@justwannabehappy6735]

As Dyson once wrote, there is a sense to the universe only as long as there is intelligence in it. And for intelligence to exist, there must be life.

[@Adam-nw1vy]

Wow. Your comment is even more awesome given your name.

[@crukih7527]

I would say it’s second. Survival of the species comes first, and then includes looking after the environment so we can continue to live here, as well as the betterment of society. But I agree with you. I’m half-way through medical school right now but I really want to get involved in this research. I want to see a world where death is a choice, not an inevitability.

[@DayonBledsoe2000]

Thank you friend I feel the same way.

[@mariadosocorromarcelino8759]

Como traduzir?

[@VinitNayar]

I hope we get a pill you pop and become 20 years younger.

[@crukih7527]

I don’t think it will ever be as simple as that. More like a treatment regime you undergo every 10 years to reverse your age by 10 years. Bit more invasive than a pill, but still a possibility one day!

[@mbaxter22]

I continue to find diet and exercise to be more effective than anything else. I remain dubious of the anti-aging field because we humans have a pretty horrible track record at medicating ourselves into a state of health.

[@ojanymolinaii5566]

What a horrible argument. All of humanity's advancement of medicine, knowledge and technology have increased our lifespan drastically from just 300 years ago.

[@Adam-nw1vy]

@@ojanymolinaii5566 I agree. The data says otherwise.

[@squamish4244]

We're starting to change that. The first therapies that can reverse certain indicators of aging to an extent are here.

[@crukih7527]

200 years ago, 40% of neonates did not make it until the their first birthday. Smallpox killed more people in the 19th century than all the wars did in the 20th century. Vaccines eradicated diseases that ravaged entire populations. Average life expectancy has more than doubled over the last few hundred years. I will agree that the current state of medicine needs improvement. I’m a second year medical student right now, but I really want to focus on this area of research. Playing whack a mole once the body starts to fail is a losing strategy. But if we could work towards stopping the body from getting to that point in the first place, well… I hold out hope that death is something we can one day solve, biologically at least. The next step would be fixing all the other issues facing society.

[@glgl1472]

His own work doesn't seem to be doing a lot for him he's 67-68 he looks every bit of it

[@user-op7of6oj4p]

If that woman didn't smoke she would still with us.

[@franki3Ru550]

The middle age people in the audience were hoping to have that young look lol

[@mayj257]

as well as you

[@mohammedaslam2912]

Do not write "lol" at the end of everything, especially if it's a serious topic.

[@gshrdy5415]

@@mohammedaslam2912 , They put LOL when they feel guilty.

[@Cheekiemoney]

We'll know they have something when Bezos looks 20 years old outta nowhere

[@pradyumn2692]

He's not gonna come out in public because then, all 8 billion people will be after him. He can't have that.

[@crukih7527]

His physique has already improved due to HRT. Humans are forever trying to make themselves appear younger. The next logical step is to do it for real. I’m in my 20s, so I hold a lot of optimism this can be found in my lifetime, preferable sooner. I’d love to never be have to say goodbye to my mum.

[@chrisw7402]

Until I see a longevity peddler who actually looks a couple of decades younger than their age, then I’ll believe it. Most of these talks are done by scientists who are themselves have financial interest in unproven supplements like Resveratrol or NMN.

[@mene03]

ok

[@golgipogo]

APOE4 does not mean that Alzheimer’s disease is inevitable. Even with +/+ nearly 50% do not get Alzheimer’s.

[@runcheatthereaper9016]

How is life expectancy determined to be 20 years old at 100,000 years ago?

[@Adam-nw1vy]

Fossils? Carbon dating?

[@crukih7527]

We use Radiometric dating. Scientists can predict the average age of dinosaurs using this technique. Because if this we know the average life expectancy of a T-Rex was about 28 years.

[@ehaitem]

"stop aging" ..... what does that even mean? .... people will be able to live for ever?

[@AL_THOMAS_777]

. . . we will be changed/transformed into GMO´s ! It´s even written down in the bible: -> The Mystery of the Transformation of the Saints: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, suddenly, in a moment, at the time of the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality, then the word that is written will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory! Death, where is your sting? Death, where is your victory? But the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Cor. 15:51-57)

[@nicholasstarr6096]

more like reverse it over and over again, many factors go into aging, likely not immortality for a while but extension yes

[@crukih7527]

It would likely be in the form of treatment that you undergo every 10 years. You hit 35, reverse it back to 25. Wait 10 years and do it again. It would sadly never be a one off treatment, but a regime we would learn to periodically incorporate into our lives.

[@sueme1954]

Someone should start a food chain store that sells only healthy foods with prescription only buying from intelligent well educated doctors and let insurance cover it.

[@tarekhanna6556]

Check out for vitamin B3 in niacin form with flush at low dose . Or vitamine B13 (oroic acide) again at low dose too . It act in NAD+ pathway .

[@88Superphysics88]

Longevity genes? They don't exist. That's a fallacy. This scientist doesn't know what he's talking about. Гены долголетия? Их не существует. Это заблуждение. Этот учёный не понимает что говорит.

[@KWifler]

Humans lived with a lot of parasites and mercury and lead poisoning. Not to mention wars and general fighting dangers. Suddenly now we mostly don't.

[@squamish4244]

MAKE SOMETHING WORK. AND NOT IN MICE, DOGS OR MONKEYS. HUMANS. HUMANS. HUMANS.

[@lydiamalcolm257]

Not as easily done as it might seem

[@AL_THOMAS_777]

Its all written down in the bible ! -> The Mystery of the Transformation of the Saints into immortal beings: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, suddenly, in a moment, at the time of the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality, then the word that is written will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory! Death, where is your sting? Death, where is your victory? But the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Cor. 15:51-57)

[@mayj257]

chart is wack....he says we lived to about 35 years until about 150 years ago, read the bible they lived longer than we do now

[@D33257]

They were also aliens

[@johnreidy2804]

@@D33257 They were not aliens LOL man the Internet brings in all kinds

[@DeadbeatGamer]

They used the average age not the oldest

[@davidjones8965]

The bible is fiction….obviously

[@Metacognition88]

uh oh someone forgot to take their meds. Bruh, I hate to tell you but a person living until 950 years and having kids at the age of 500 is made up 😂

[@Holypikemanz]

Fasten your seat belts, no new information

[@mcmerry2846]

If that woman didn't smoke she would still with us.

[@MyFirstHandle]

I can't believe she lived up to 110 years as a smoker :/ she must've had good genes.