How Reprogramming Our Genes Can Extend Our Lives with George Church

Aug 31, 2022

Dr. George Church, a Harvard professor and a pioneer in gene editing, discusses groundbreaking advances in gene reprogramming aimed at extending human lifespans. He explores how innovative approaches could reverse aging and improve healthspan. The conversation delves into the potential of gene therapies, ethical implications, and personalized medicine strategies. Church also touches on practical steps for enhancing longevity through nutrition and lifestyle choices. His visions of a future where aging is redefined will leave you intrigued about the possibilities of genetic science.

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ANECDOTE

Cellular Reprogramming

Reprogramming 80-year-old cells to behave like embryonic cells demonstrates aging reversal potential.
This is done using Yamanaka factors, which earned Shinya Yamanaka a Nobel Prize.

ADVICE

Gene Therapy vs. Yamanaka Factors

Understand that Yamanaka factors are cell-autonomous, meaning they primarily affect the cells they're delivered to.
Explore systemic gene therapies for broader impact.

INSIGHT

Gene Therapy and Editing

Gene therapy can augment existing genes or replace faulty ones.
Gene editing precisely targets specific genes, useful for inherited diseases like sickle cell.

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This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Cozy Earth, and InsideTracker.

All living things are programmed with a certain lifespan, which can be dramatically different from species to species. Humans now, in general, live twice as long as our ancestors, thanks to environmental changes and advances in medicine. But most of us spend the last years of our lives without the quality of life we really want. We’ve come to identify a slew of symptoms and chronic diseases as a natural part of aging, but do they really have to be?

Today I’m excited to talk to Dr. George Church all about the latest science on reprogramming our genes to extend our healthspan and lifespan. Dr. George Church is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, a founding member of the Wyss Institute, and director of PersonalGenomes.org, the world’s only open-access information on human genomic, environmental, and trait data. Dr. Church is known for pioneering the fields of personal genomics and synthetic biology. He developed the first methods for the first genome sequence and his team invented CRISPR for human stem cell genome editing and other synthetic biology technologies and applications—including new ways to create organs for transplantation, gene therapies for aging reversal, and gene drives to eliminate Lyme disease and malaria. Dr. Church is the director of IARPA & NIH BRAIN Projects and the National Institutes of Health Center for Excellence in Genomic Science. He is the author of Regenesis.

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Cozy Earth, and InsideTracker.

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Here are more details from our interview (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):

The top things that prevent disease and enhance longevity (7:06 / 4:13)
Defining aging as a disease and treating it as such (8:24 / 5:40)
Reprogramming and repairing cells to a younger state (12:24 / 9:35)
The future, and challenges, of delivering Yamanaka factors for cell reprogramming (15:05 / 11:50)
Gene editing vs gene therapy (28:02 / 22:36)
Using gene therapy to reverse disease and lengthen life span (34:44 / 30:55)
Animal-to-human organ transplants (37:34 / 33:04)
Can we live youthfully to 100 years old and beyond? (44:31 / 40:34)
How much and what types of protein do we need for healthy aging? (50:30 / 45:50)
Using gene editing to bring back mammoths to restore damaged ecosystems (1:00:53 / 56:50)

Get a copy of George Church and Ed Regis’ book, Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves, here.