The NFX Podcast The Past, Present, and Future of Longevity w/ Joe Betts-LaCroix Alex Colville
Apr 10, 2024
Two experts in the longevity industry, Joe Betts-LaCroix and Alex Colville, discuss the past, present, and future of longevity including evaluating founders, societal impacts, and the business case for longevity drugs. They explore challenges in FDA approval, risks in the biotech industry, and misconceptions surrounding longevity.
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Focus on Aging
- Joe Betts-LaCroix's motivation for pursuing longevity stems from a desire to alleviate human suffering.
- He sees aging as the root cause of most diseases, thus tackling it offers the greatest potential for positive impact.
Longevity Research History
- The scientific history of longevity research can be traced back to the early 1900s with the study of calorie restriction.
- Key milestones include Leonard Hayflick's work on telomere biology and the discovery of the first longevity genes in worms.
Advancements in Biology
- Single-cell sequencing and improved bioinformatics have revolutionized biological understanding in the last five years.
- This progress has led to an exponential increase in legitimate scientific endeavors within the longevity field.