LEVITY

In this in-depth conversation, Dr. Aubrey de Grey discusses his Robust Mouse Rejuvenation (RMR) studies at the LEV Foundation and why he believes we're close to achieving the crucial RMR milestone within just three years - a breakthrough that could transform aging research forever.

You'll also hear about:

His predictions for reaching Longevity Escape Velocity by the late 2030s

What he would change about Bryan Johnson's longevity algorithm

How reaching RMR could trigger a global "war on aging"

Why AI won't solve aging without proper experimental data

How Demis Hassabis is the smartest person Aubrey's ever met

His involvement in designing the XPRIZE Healthspan competition

His rebuttal to Mark Hamalainen's "replacement strategy" approach

The divide-and-conquer approach to aging and why it's superior

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

-- CHAPTERS --

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

03:15 The Background to LEV Foundation and the Robust Mouse Rejuvenation Studies

12:05 The Robust Mouse Rejuvenation Studies

18:10 Latest Results from the Mouse Rejuvenation Experiments

25:42 Reaching RMR soon and LEV in 12-15 years

33:47 Healthspanners in public - lifespanners in private?

37:03 The Replacement Strategy Debate with Mark Hamalainen

45:40 The Very, Very Difficult Challenge of Gradually Replacing the Brain

54:46 Advanced bioengineering

57:34 The Debate with Peter Fedichev

01:11:57 Understanding Aging from an Evolutionary Perspective

01:17:05 Artificial Intelligence and Longevity Research

01:26:42 Is believing in AI hopium?

1:28:27 Aubrey’s Involvement in the XPRIZE Healthspan Competition

1:38:56 Special Economic Zones and Regulatory Challenges

1:47:27 What Aubrey would do with Bryan Johnson’s algorithm

1:50:49 What Excites Aubrey Most About the Future

1:51:57 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

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Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie Justice takes us inside the $101M XPRIZE Healthspan competition - one of the world's largest efforts to develop therapeutics that could reverse aging.

As Executive Vice President of XPRIZE Healthspan, Jamie reveals how teams must demonstrate they can restore muscle, cognitive, and immune function in older adults within just one year. The stakes? $81M for achieving a 20-year reversal of aging markers, with $71M and $61M prizes for lesser but still remarkable achievements.

Jamie shares her fascinating journey from studying crickets' lifespans in elementary school to leading groundbreaking aging research, including work on the TAME trial with metformin. She explains why they chose these specific biological systems to measure, how they'll determine success, and what kinds of interventions teams are exploring - from repurposed drugs to gene therapies.

We discuss:

* Why Peter Diamandis pushed for more ambitious goals

* How over 550 teams from 55 countries are approaching the challenge EDIT: Since we recorded this in late 2024 they've now reached over 600 teams.

* The role of biomarkers in measuring aging

* Why they chose to measure actual restoration rather than just preventing decline

* The challenges and opportunities in aging clinical trials

* Her vision for an integrated, multi-generational society that values aging populations

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction

03:00 background

21:30 XPRIZE sculpted by experience

25:20 Collaborating with the entrant teams

29:00 Why muscle, mind and immune functions as targets

36:30 What if no one wins in 7-years?

41:05 Investors attracted

45:01 Does this give us increased longevity?

51:05 What kind of approaches have been entered?

01:00:30 AI

01:09:20 Composit end-points

01:13:10 TAME trial stuck because ...

01:19:10 Biomarkers of aging

01:26:50 AI and Biomarkers

01:29:02 The longbio track (be lucky)

01:36:20 Optimism about what?

01:41:00 3 book you have to read

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A pediatric cardiac surgeon turned longevity pioneer, Dr. David Luu shares his journey from humanitarian medical missions to building a global network of physicians focused on prevention. Learn about critical health markers your doctor might be missing, how AI is transforming healthcare, the truth about longevity interventions, and why the future belongs to prevention rather than treatment. Plus, discover the vital link between community, lifestyle, and longevity, and why creating modern "blue zones" might be key to living longer, healthier lives.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction 02:33 A Family Legacy in Medicine 10:41 From Heart Surgeon to Tech Innovator with JuiSci and Hearty 13:47 Building AI-Powered Medical Platforms 21:33 The Heart Fund: Surgery for Those in Need 35:06 The Role of AI in Healthcare 45:22 Creating Longevity Docs Community 01:07:13 Hidden Cardiovascular Risk Factors 01:10:38 The Lp(a) Test Everyone Should Know About

01:18:50 Why Call it ”Longevity Docs” When We Have No Approved Aging Interventions? 01:28:14 Different Levels of Longevity Interventions 01:38:42 Risk vs. Reward in Preventive Medicine 01:43:30 Building Modern Blue Zones 01:47:11 The Future of Medicine 01:52:07 Connecting with David

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

Meet one of the true legends of the longevity space, James Strole, the visionary founder of RAADfest who embodies relentless optimism and dedication to advancing the frontiers of longevity and human potential. His passion for creating a world where individuals can live longer, healthier lives shines through in every aspect of RAADfest, inspiring countless people to embrace the possibilities of radical life extension.

We will learn about RAADfest and the history of the longevity movement. We will also explore Strole's philosophy of immortality.

- CHAPTERS --

00:00 introduction to James Strole

04:20 RAADfest is the largest longevity event in the world

11:50 personal awakening and the early days of the longevity movement

22:00 longevity as a counter-culture

23:00 death-program vs superlongevity

26:30 1960s spreading the word and rebirthing

31.00 people unlimited and science of superlongevity

33:00 a holistic approach science of mind-set

34:00 alternative medicine not always taken seriously

37:40 the immortality mindset

38:50 aged by culture

44:20 optimism vs pessimism

46:10 optimism about longevity science?

58:50 death-program runs deep

01:03:30 Ray Kurzweil's optimistic prognosis

01:11:00 social consequences of longevity

01:12:30 cryonics is an ambulance to the future

01:15:05 imaginary mortality

01:18:18 immortality via children

01:19:19 is superlongevity egoistic?

01:23:10 handle the loss of near and dear as an immortalist

01:37:50 advice on health and where to be in contact with People Unlimited and James Strole

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

-- IN THIS EPISODE --

Nora Cavani, CEO of Alba Health, shares her journey from struggling with severe eczema and allergies to pioneering breakthrough solutions in children's gut health. After reversing her own chronic conditions through lifestyle changes, she learned how the first years of life critically shape our immune system, metabolism, and lifelong health through the gut microbiome.

As the first company to collaborate with leading microbiome research institutions, Alba Health uses cutting-edge metagenomics technology to analyze children's gut bacteria and provide personalized recommendations. Cavani explains why modern factors like C-sections, antibiotics, and processed foods are leading to a concerning loss of essential gut bacteria in Western children - with many babies now lacking microbes crucial for immune development.

Learn how the gut microbiome affects everything from common childhood ailments to chronic disease risk, why diversity in diet matters, and practical steps parents can take during the critical early window of their child's development. A vital conversation for parents, health optimizers, and anyone interested in preventing chronic disease through early intervention.

-- CHAPTERS --

00:00 Introduction to Nora Cavani

05:08 Microbiome and child health

07:16 Nora’s journey from Italy to Sweden

10:43 Meeting the scientist and microbiologist Willem de Vos

15:20 Laying the groundwork for Alba Health

18:45 Gut microbiome is linked to afflictions in newborns

19:29 The ecosystem of the gut microbiome

21:00 The Ecosystem of the Gut Microbiome

28:33 Gut-brain axis

30:50 C-section and antibiotics

35:10 Alba's testing methodology and insights

41:38 Predicting health through microbiome analysis

45:23 The best time to take the test

54:20 Has Nora managed to get rid of her health issues?

57:19 The role of diet diversity in gut health

01:07:52 What can we still discover about the microbiome?

01:10:05 The role of exercise, sleep and stress in adults

01:12:40 Child health and longevity

01:16:40 Nora’s personal longevity regimen and testing

01:23:36 Oura’s investment i Alba Health

01:28:18 Future of microbiome research

01:32:28 Scientific consensus and controversy

01:43:37 The future for Alba Health

01:45:52 How to get in touch with Nora and Alba

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

🚀 Looking for LEVITY Merch? https://levity-7.creator-spring.com/

Sergey Jakimov is a founding partner of LongeVC, a VC fund supporting early-stage biotech and longevity-focused founders who are changing the world.

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

Niklas Anzinger is the founder of Infinita VC based in the charter city of Prospera in Honduras. He is the co-founder of Vitalia, a longevity focused community. His fund Infinita focuses on a new trend of charter cities and other forms of alternative jurisdictions. He also hosts a podcast about how to accelerate the future by unblocking “stranded technologies”.

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

When I first met Emil Kendziorra at the Longevity Biotech Fellowship retreat in Sweden, I found myself captivated by his ability to explain every aspect of cryopreservation for hours. His deep knowledge, combined with his remarkable skill in communicating complex ideas, made me realize this conversation needed to reach a broader audience.

In this comprehensive episode, Emil, CEO of Tomorrow Bio, takes us through the fascinating world of cryopreservation, leaving no stone unturned. We explore:

• The science behind cryopreservation and how it differs from simple freezing
• The history of cryonics and its evolution into modern cryopreservation
• Step-by-step details of the preservation process
• The logistics of emergency response and stabilization
• Long-term storage solutions and safety measures
• The challenges and possibilities of future revival
• Ethical considerations and philosophical implications
• The current state of research and future developments
• Practical aspects of signing up and funding
• Common misconceptions and concerns

Whether you're curious about cryopreservation as a backup plan for longevity or simply interested in understanding this fascinating field, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of what might be our best bridge to a longer-lived future.

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership#mobilize-sign-up

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available shortly after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

Todays guest is another California resident, distinguished Professor John Martin Fisher at University of California Riverside. Professor Fischer has as worked on the metaphysics of death and philosophy of religion and led a multi-year, multi-pronged research project on "immortality," funded in 2012 by the John Templeton Foundation. 

He is the author of several books including Death, Immortality, and Meaning in Life. (Oxford University Press, 2019). And Near-Death Experiences: Understanding Visions of the Afterlife (co-authored with Benjamin Mitchell-Yellin) (Oxford University Press, 2016)

Learn about:

✅ Near-death experiences

✅ The fear of death

✅ The desirability of immortality

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 Special offer for our LEVITY audience: Join Vitalism today and receive a 30% discount on your membership using the code LEVITY at checkout. https://www.vitalism.io/membership#mobilize-sign-up

🚀 Show notes for this episode will be available Wednesday Oct 2. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: https://peterottsjo.beehiiv.com/

Longevity superstar Bryan Johnson made waves when he traveled to the Bahamas for a stem cell treatment. But who's behind this cutting-edge therapy? Meet Maria Rankka, co-founder of Cellcolabs, the Swedish startup that's caught the attention of one of the world's biggest longevity influencers.

In this episode of LEVITY, hosts Peter Ottsjö and Patrick Linden dive deep into Cellcolabs' ambitious mission: to revolutionize healthcare by producing cheap and abundant mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Could this be the key to combating inflammation and extending healthspan on a global scale?

Maria Rankka shares the inside story of Cellcolabs' journey, from its inception during the COVID-19 pandemic to its current position at the forefront of regenerative medicine.

Learn about:

✅ The science behind MSCs and why they're creating buzz in longevity circles

✅ Cellcolabs' innovative approach to scaling stem cell production

✅ Maria's personal experience with MSC treatment

✅ The potential of MSCs to transform preventative medicine

✅ Making regenerative treatments accessible to the masses

🗞️ SUBSCRIBE to the LEVITY newsletter: reachlevity.com/subscribe

Get all LEVITY DeSci content here: reachlevity.com/t/desci (sorry about the wrong link in the episode)

📕 Check out Patrick's book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262543163/the-case-against-death/

📗 Check out Peter's book (only available in Swedish): https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/evigt-ung-min-och-manniskans-drom-om-ododligheten-9789179652524

-----

Show notes for this episode will be available soon after this airs. Sign up for the LEVITY newsletter to get them straight to your inbox: reachlevity.com/subscribe

LEVITY is co-hosted by Patrick Linden, philosopher and author, and Peter Ottsjö, journalist and author.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.