Professor of Genetics David Sinclair joined Fifteen Minutes to discuss anti-ageing research, wellness industry trends and his grandmother. Recent studies using partial cellular reprogramming demonstrated it is possible to reverse ageing in mice and monkeys.
No matter if it be gene therapy or pills, these techniques help restore cells to more youthful states by altering the epigenetic information stored within. Furthermore, autophagy allows the body to eliminate damaged or old cells more efficiently.
How it works
Substantial Cell Reprogramming involves administering a cocktail of molecules that restore epigenetic information back to a more youthful state and can allow scientists to reprogramm the genes that regulate protein production. Longer term, partial reprogramming could help slow the aging process and protect against disease. Furthermore, it could reduce fibrosis and senescence–tissue conditions in which tissues lose the ability to repair themselves–which cause tissues to no longer regenerate properly. At this time, partial reprogramming trials are underway with animal models as well as human cell cultures. Life Biosciences of Boston is making strides forward with this research with their new treatment ER-100, which has shown significant success with mice reversing age-related vision loss and rejuvenating optic nerves. They hope to start human trials of this treatment sometime between now and 2022.
Shinya Yamanaka, the pioneer of cellular reprogramming, first used viruses to deliver Yamanaka factor genes directly into cells. He discovered that these Yamanaka factor genes activated certain parts of cells and prevented them from returning to stem-cell-like states; however, these expensive and difficult-to-afford genes cannot easily be administered in pill form; to make treatment more affordable Sinclair’s team is using AI technology to identify molecules similar to Yamanaka factors but which can be administered orally instead.
These molecules will be tested using virtual screening methods that can conduct thousands of experiments quickly, making the screening process far more cost-effective than traditional laboratory work. Once discovered, these molecules could eventually become therapies to reverse biological clock in many organs and tissues – with Sinclair projecting that age-reversing pills could become available within 10 years and scientists discovering ways to double human lifespan altogether.
Sinclair employs various strategies to stay young, such as eating more plants and cutting back on sugar intake, drinking green matcha tea with polyphenols (plant compounds that fight inflammation), prioritizing sleep and engaging in at least ten minutes of cardio exercise per day to keep his heart rate up, prioritizing meditation sessions for stress reduction, and prioritizing restful nights’ rest.
Safety
Dr. Sinclair has established numerous longevity biotechnology companies and earned widespread acclaim for his research, not to mention lucrative investments and an avid following of followers. But recently he has found himself at the center of controversy for claiming scientists are close to reversing aging; in his latest book Lifespan he details his Information Theory of Aging which suggests aging occurs due to errors in epigenetic instructions rather than mutations in DNA, and these errors can be reversed through partially reprogramming cells–similarly rebooting computers!
Sinclair had made similar claims before, drawing much criticism from fellow longevity researchers. In February 2024, Sinclair released a press release from Animal Biosciences proclaiming their supplement had reversed aging in dogs – prompting many scientists to leave the Academy for Health and Lifespan Research which seeks to foster future longevity research.
According to a piece published by WSJ, Sinclair’s claims were exaggerated. Although his research had positive results in lab settings, clinical applications will take much longer before becoming reality. While it is possible to slow the rate of aging by decreasing cell turnover rate and cell damage accumulation over time, reversing it entirely would present formidable obstacles.
Reversing age-related diseases would only marginally extend lifespans, according to Dr. Whelan. Instead, attention should be focused on reversing or at least slowing aging itself and not targeting specific diseases such as cancer – this would only add about 2.5 years on average to average life expectancies.
Sinclair asserts that aging is caused by errors in the epigenetic instructions that govern gene expression. His team’s experiments on mice and monkeys supporting this theory. Reprogramming experiments conducted on them are used as proof; similar to rebooting hardware in computers which restore programs’ functions, this process restores their functions too.
However, it should be remembered that Sinclair may have financial interests in the products he promotes. For instance, he sits on the scientific advisory board of ChromaDex which produces nicotinamide riboside as precursor for NMN, an agent which increases cellular reprogramming. Furthermore, he co-founded and was on its scientific advisory board of Metro International Biotech that produces an MIB-626 derivative similar to NMN.
Side effects
Harvard professor David Sinclair made an extraordinary claim at the World Government Summit in Dubai: pill-sized compounds will soon be available to reverse the effects of aging in human bodies. Professor of genetics at Blavatnik Institute of Harvard Medical School said scientists are closer than ever before to reprogramming biological clocks allowing people to live longer.
His research is groundbreaking, yet some experts believe that his claims regarding reversing the aging process have gone too far. Additionally, he has become notorious for glorifying products from companies where he holds financial interests as well as for glorifying products from companies where he holds financial interests himself. Unfortunately, many of his claims have been disproven by other researchers leading him to resign as president of the Academy for Health and Lifespan Research in 2024.
Sinclair’s claim that Animal Bioscience had developed a supplement which reverses canine aging has been met with much skepticism from other researchers. He didn’t specify which chemicals were involved, instead directing his followers to their website.
Sinclair’s supplements contain a combination of molecules that have been scientifically shown to extend mouse lifespans, drawing from Shinya Yamanaka’s work reprogramming cells into more youthful states without turning them into stem cells. Sinclair is now working towards translating his technology to human cells in order to treat disease-causing processes more effectively.
Matt Kaeberlein, a professor from the University of Washington, cautions that while this “cocktail may work in lab conditions”, its effectiveness on living systems hasn’t been tested yet. Kaeberlein warns Elon Musk, owner of Twitter and Tesla, could be misled by false claims like these and notes it’s common among researchers to oversaturate their research in order to gain attention or money for furthering it.
Cost
Dr Sinclair has become one of the leaders in longevity research. His work is regularly published in top-tier journals and his investments number in the millions; furthermore he has amassed an enormous following on social media as an Internet influencer and founder of several companies including Life Biosciences and Animal Bioscience which specialize in anti-ageing supplements and products.
Sinclair has proposed that aging is due to an accumulation of damage that can be undone with partial cellular reprogramming; his research on partial cellular reprogramming has already restored vision in mice! His company, in partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, hopes to be among the first companies offering epigenetic reprogramming pills specifically targeted towards humans.
Reprogramming pills will work by increasing expression of Yamanaka factor genes found throughout all tissues. These molecules cause cells to reboot their physiology – similar to restarting an overheated computer – extending lifespan and slowing or even reversing aging processes.
Harvard professor David Sinclair recently made an optimistic prediction to American engineer and entrepreneur Peter Diamandis: that within 10 years we will have pills that rejuvenate organs and tissues to combat aging and reverse chronic diseases, thus lengthening human lives and increasing longevity.
These predictions may seem ambitious, yet are unproven. Sinclair has been heavily criticized by his fellow longevity researchers for making overblown claims regarding age-reversal technologies and recently stepped down as President of the Academy for Health and Longevity Research after receiving backlash from members due to claims made about how his supplement had reversed aging in primates and dogs.
