Venki Ramakrishnan

Yes, that's very perceptive. So that was a question people asked that maybe the young mouse was actually acting like a dialysis machine, for example, cleaning out the old blood because its organs and kidneys were better and so on. But what people did was then they took actual young blood from the young mouse without connection. and gave it to an old mouse and did vice versa.

Yes, that's very perceptive. So that was a question people asked that maybe the young mouse was actually acting like a dialysis machine, for example, cleaning out the old blood because its organs and kidneys were better and so on. But what people did was then they took actual young blood from the young mouse without connection. and gave it to an old mouse and did vice versa.

And there, it's interesting, they found that the old blood actually was more deleterious to the young mouse than the young blood was beneficial to the old mouse. And that perhaps why these transfusions

And there, it's interesting, they found that the old blood actually was more deleterious to the young mouse than the young blood was beneficial to the old mouse. And that perhaps why these transfusions

aren't quite having as big an effect as you as as you might have hoped you know brian johnson the tech billionaire who spends i i guess i'm told he spends like two million dollars a year on various longevity treatments and diagnostics And clearly, he has an agenda. He says he thinks of himself as an experimental animal out at the forefront.

aren't quite having as big an effect as you as as you might have hoped you know brian johnson the tech billionaire who spends i i guess i'm told he spends like two million dollars a year on various longevity treatments and diagnostics And clearly, he has an agenda. He says he thinks of himself as an experimental animal out at the forefront.

And he wants to try all the stuff and be an aging pioneer, if you like. Anyway, he did this intergenerational transfer where he took blood from his son, gave it to himself, and then he gave blood to his father. So it's a sort of three-generation. I joke he was keeping it all in the family. Anyway, but after a while, he was also measuring all these various markers of aging.

And he wants to try all the stuff and be an aging pioneer, if you like. Anyway, he did this intergenerational transfer where he took blood from his son, gave it to himself, and then he gave blood to his father. So it's a sort of three-generation. I joke he was keeping it all in the family. Anyway, but after a while, he was also measuring all these various markers of aging.

And I think he came to the conclusion it wasn't having much of an effect, and I think he stopped.

And I think he came to the conclusion it wasn't having much of an effect, and I think he stopped.

I think, well, there are a number of possibilities. I think to me, cellular reprogramming is perhaps, if it pays off, one of the most powerful ways of doing it. But I will tell you, you could reprogram many tissues perhaps, but reprogramming the brain is going to be a real challenge because the brain doesn't naturally regenerate.

I think, well, there are a number of possibilities. I think to me, cellular reprogramming is perhaps, if it pays off, one of the most powerful ways of doing it. But I will tell you, you could reprogram many tissues perhaps, but reprogramming the brain is going to be a real challenge because the brain doesn't naturally regenerate.

There's only a very small amount of new neurons being synthesized compared to things like skin or blood or even liver. And of course, when neurons decay, or become dysfunctional, how you would reprogram them or even replace them, it's not at all clear. And you would have to do this in a way that, you know,

There's only a very small amount of new neurons being synthesized compared to things like skin or blood or even liver. And of course, when neurons decay, or become dysfunctional, how you would reprogram them or even replace them, it's not at all clear. And you would have to do this in a way that, you know,

maintains the connections between neurons and their states, because that's after all what determines the workings of a brain. And I think that is going to be a huge challenge. And there is this worry that we're all getting older, we're staying healthy. Eventually, if it means that we're going to come down with dementia, And, you know, the incidence of dementia is growing tremendously.

maintains the connections between neurons and their states, because that's after all what determines the workings of a brain. And I think that is going to be a huge challenge. And there is this worry that we're all getting older, we're staying healthy. Eventually, if it means that we're going to come down with dementia, And, you know, the incidence of dementia is growing tremendously.

It's already the largest killer of an old age in the UK. You know, it surpassed other causes. That could be a ticking time bomb. And so I'm optimistic that we'll be able to improve health in many ways in old age. I'm not so optimistic about this, you know, eventual thing of extending life dramatically. I think that's going to be much harder than people think.

It's already the largest killer of an old age in the UK. You know, it surpassed other causes. That could be a ticking time bomb. And so I'm optimistic that we'll be able to improve health in many ways in old age. I'm not so optimistic about this, you know, eventual thing of extending life dramatically. I think that's going to be much harder than people think.

Well, cellular reprogramming is, you know, I mentioned how you start with a fertilized egg and it slowly develops. And as it develops, the cells become more and more differentiated into different types. And And eventually you still have stem cells, but then those stem cells are differentiating into the final tissue. Those final tissues can only divide a certain number of times and then they die.

Well, cellular reprogramming is, you know, I mentioned how you start with a fertilized egg and it slowly develops. And as it develops, the cells become more and more differentiated into different types. And And eventually you still have stem cells, but then those stem cells are differentiating into the final tissue. Those final tissues can only divide a certain number of times and then they die.