Latest news with #LinkGevity
Sustainability Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Sustainability Times
'NASA Freezes Human Aging': This Stunning Discovery Could Delay Death and Revolutionize Deep Space Survival Forever
IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 Researchers discover that necrosis —a chaotic form of cell death—holds the key to enhancing human aging and space travel. —a chaotic form of cell death—holds the key to enhancing human aging and space travel. 🧬 Unlike programmed cell death, necrosis is messy and contagious , contributing to chronic diseases like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular decline. , contributing to chronic diseases like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular decline. 🔬 Targeting necrosis could unlock new treatments for age-related diseases by breaking destructive cycles and allowing for healthy cell function. 🌌 Addressing necrosis in space could mitigate accelerated aging effects on astronauts, paving the way for longer missions and deeper exploration. In a groundbreaking study, scientists have uncovered the potential role of necrosis in not only understanding human aging but also in enhancing the possibilities of deep space travel. Often dismissed as mere biological debris, necrosis—a chaotic form of unprogrammed cell death—has been revealed as a critical factor in tissue damage and systemic decline. Researchers from University College London, the biotech firm LinkGevity, and the European Space Agency argue that this understanding could pave the way for new treatments for chronic illnesses and provide a crucial tool for humans to survive in space. This discovery opens doors to revolutionary advances in medicine and space exploration. Understanding Necrosis: The Chaotic Cell Death Necrosis is a form of cell death that occurs when cells are overwhelmed by injury, infection, or stress. This process floods cells with calcium, disrupting vital functions and causing the cell to rupture. The collapse spills toxic molecules into the surrounding tissue, triggering inflammation and accelerating damage. Unlike the well-ordered process of programmed cell death, necrosis is messy—and contagious. A single dying cell can spark a chain reaction in its neighbors, compounding degeneration over time. Researchers believe this chaotic process may explain how chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, kidney failure, and cardiovascular decline intensify with age. According to Dr. Keith Siew, necrosis has been largely overlooked as it was considered an endpoint. However, mounting evidence suggests it is a central mechanism through which systemic degeneration arises and spreads. By targeting necrosis, scientists hope to unlock new ways to treat conditions ranging from kidney failure to cardiac disease, neurodegeneration, and even aging itself. 'Einstein Was Right All Along': This Atomic Clock on the ISS Is Putting General Relativity to Its Ultimate Test Necrosis and Its Impact on Chronic Diseases Dr. Carina Kern emphasizes that necrosis is not just the last stage of cell death but a critical point of convergence across many diseases. In many age-related illnesses—affecting organs such as the lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, and cardiovascular system—relentless cascades of necrosis fuel disease progression. This often occurs alongside impaired healing, leading to fibrosis, inflammation, and damaged cells. Each cascade triggers and amplifies the next, creating a vicious cycle of degeneration. If scientists can target and manage necrosis, they could potentially transform the treatment of various chronic diseases. The key lies in breaking the destructive cycles that necrosis initiates, allowing for healthier cell function and possibly even regeneration. This approach could revolutionize the way we understand and treat degenerative conditions, offering hope for improved health outcomes in aging populations. 'Alien-Like Sea Creature Emerges': Extremely Rare Marine Species Seen for First Time Following 62-Mile Iceberg Detachment Challenges and Opportunities in Space Exploration Necrosis presents a significant obstacle to human space exploration, as astronauts endure accelerated aging caused by microgravity and cosmic radiation. A 2024 study involving Dr. Siew highlighted the rapid deterioration of kidney function in low-gravity environments, raising concerns for long-duration space missions. Professor Damian Bailey suggests that addressing necrosis could transform longevity on Earth and push the frontiers of space exploration. In space, factors that contribute to aging on Earth are exacerbated by cosmic radiation and microgravity, speeding up degeneration dramatically. If necrosis could be prevented, even temporarily, it would shut down destructive cycles at their source, enabling normal physiological processes and cell division to resume. This potential for regeneration could be a game-changer for long-term human survival in space, opening new horizons for exploration and discovery. 'Global Population Far Higher Than Expected': New Revelation Exposes Massive Undercount That Changes Everything About Our Future Future Implications and the Path Forward The study of necrosis and its implications for aging and space travel has been published in Nature Oncogene, signaling a significant step forward in understanding this complex process. The collaborative efforts of scientists from various fields underscore the importance of interdisciplinary research in tackling global challenges. As science continues to unravel the mysteries of necrosis, the potential applications in medicine and space exploration are vast and promising. With the possibility of targeting necrosis to treat chronic diseases and support human survival in space, the future of this research is both exciting and challenging. As we venture further into the unknown, what new discoveries about cell death and regeneration will shape the future of humanity, both on Earth and beyond? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (26)
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Destructive Form of Cell Death Might Be The Key To Slowing The Human Aging Process
Experts across scientific and clinical fields, writing in Nature Oncogene, explore the emerging role of necrosis in aging—pointing to its potential to reshape how we understand and treat age-related conditions CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LinkGevity, an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of aging and age-related diseases, today announces its contribution to the publication of a paper in Springer Nature's Oncogene, 'Necrosis as a fundamental driver of loss of resilience and biological decline: What if we could intervene?' (1). The paper is a collaborative effort by a top international team of clinicians and scientists from institutions including the Mayo Clinic, Mass General Brigham, NASA Space-Health program, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of South Wales (USW), University College London's Medical School and the European Space Agency. The authors explain how necrosis, a form of cell death historically viewed as an unregulated and terminal event, may in fact represent one of the most fundamental and targetable mechanisms driving human aging and age-related disease. The paper brings together evidence from cancer biology, regenerative medicine, kidney disease, and space health to make the case that necrosis is more than a biological endpoint: it may be the crux of how cells and tissues fail as people age. The paper delves into how aging is driven by a silent cellular battle. Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Cell death can either be a beneficial and carefully orchestrated "programmed" process to maintain survival, or an uncontrolled and catastrophic process that defines biological degeneration — termed necrosis, rooted in the Greek nekros, the word for "death." At the center of necrosis is calcium, a vital ion that, in effect, controls the "wiring" of a cell. Calcium determines which cellular functions are switched on or off with calcium ions normally maintained at a level that is 10,000 to 100,000 times higher outside the cell vs inside. When this finely tuned balance fails, calcium floods the cell like an electrical short circuit, triggering multiple cellular processes simultaneously and pushing the cell into irreversible chaos. Unlike programmed death, where cells dismantle in an organised manner, necrosis causes cells to rupture, spilling toxic molecules into surrounding tissues. But the damage doesn't stop there. As the paper details, this sparks a chain reaction that spreads like a cascade failure, causing widespread inflammation and derailing proper tissue repair processes. This creates a self-perpetuating cycle — a positive feedback loop that amplifies tissue damage, drives destructive processes like cellular senescence and fibrosis, and undermines systemic resilience. In turn, these processes fuel both frailty and the onset of multiple chronic diseases associated with aging. Crucially, challenging prevailing views, the paper highlights that necrosis is not merely an endpoint, but a central, active driver of aging— and one that presents an opportunity for a game-changing intervention, capable of transforming our entire understanding of medicine and health. Lead author and LinkGevity's CEO, Dr Carina Kern, based at the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, said: 'Necrosis has been hiding in plain sight—as a final stage of cell death, it's been largely overlooked. But mounting evidence shows it's far more than an endpoint. It's a central mechanism through which systemic degeneration not only arises but also spreads. That makes it a critical point of convergence across many diseases. If we can target necrosis, we could unlock entirely new ways to treat conditions ranging from kidney failure to cardiac disease, neurodegeneration and excitingly even aging itself.' The review details how necrosis is implicated in several major disease pathways: In cancer, it contributes to tumour aggression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. In stroke and heart attack, it is the dominant mechanism of cell and tissue death. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, necrosis drives neuronal cell loss and inflammation. Notably, it is in the kidneys that necrosis may have its most devastating and underappreciated impact. Necrosis induces kidney disease, which by the age of 75 years it is anticipated half of all individuals develop with natural aging–often requiring a transplant or dialysis. Prof Joseph Bonventre, co-author on the paper and a leading expert on kidney disease at Mass General Brigham as well as professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, whose work has focused on the vulnerability of the kidneys to damage and aging said: 'Development of an intervention targeting necrosis would be a fundamental breakthrough with far reaching impact'. In environments of accelerated aging such as spaceflight, astronauts often experience rapid onset of aging and kidney-related decline. This is due to low gravity and cosmic radiation. This accelerated aging and kidney disease may be the final hurdle in making long duration missions, such as to Mars a reality. Prof. Damian Biley, Chair of the Life Science Working Group of the European Space Agency (ESA) who is also a leading neurovascular and longevity expert at USW, and who co-led the paper said: 'Targeting necrosis offers potential to not only transform longevity on earth but also push the frontiers of space exploration'. Dr Keith Siew, UCL Centre for Kidney & Bladder Health and Co-lead of the London Tubular Centre, said: 'Our work highlights one of the most critical biological barriers to extending healthspan and charts a path toward developing game-changing interventions to prevent the onset of multiple chronic diseases with age'. The authors emphasise that targeting necrosis could provide a unifying approach to treating multiple chronic diseases and even slowing or halting degeneration with age. If validated therapeutically, such an approach could represent a turning point in medicine. Reference (1) Necrosis as a fundamental driver of loss of resilience and biological decline: What if we could intervene? Notes to Editors About LinkGevityLinkGevity is an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of ageing and age-related disorders, such as chronic kidney disease. LinkGevity's proprietary Blueprint Mapping platform identifies & targets key pathological pathways which are the molecular 'source' of destructive cascades underlying multiple age-related conditions and biological decline. By using therapeutics that precisely target these 'patho pathways', LinkGevity aims to halt age-related deterioration. LinkGevity was selected as one of only 12 global innovations for the NASA sponsored Space-Health programme for its potential to combat accelerated aging and kidney decline in astronauts. The company has also earned several prestigious grants from the European Union (EU Horizon) and the UK Government's Innovation Agency. It has also secured investment from The Francis Crick Institute (KQ Labs Program), Europe's largest biomedical research centre. The company is based at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the UK's University of Cambridge. For more information see the website and follow the company on LinkedIn. About Kidney Disease The kidneys are particularly susceptible to necrosis and tissue degeneration due to their high metabolic activity, which is essential for removing waste products from the body and regulating fluid levels. Necrosis of kidney cells—especially tubular cells (Renal Tubular Necrosis, RTN), which are central to waste filtration—drives the progression of kidney disease. Ongoing necrosis sets off a cascade of positive feedback loops that block proper repair, leading to fibrosis, cellular aging, and immune dysfunction—ultimately turning kidney injury into chronic kidney disease (CKD). With no approved therapies to inhibit necrosis, kidney disease remains the 9th leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. Despite decades of research, current treatments are limited to dialysis and organ transplantation. Projections suggest that within the next 10 years, global healthcare systems will struggle to meet the rising costs of dialysis. In response, many countries, including the UK, have declared kidney disease a public health emergency. Media Contacts LinkGevity Serena Kern-Libera, LinkGevity's COO and co-founderserena@ Scius Communications Daniel Gooch +447747875479daniel@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Destructive Form of Cell Death Might Be The Key To Slowing The Human Aging Process
Experts across scientific and clinical fields, writing in Nature Oncogene, explore the emerging role of necrosis in aging—pointing to its potential to reshape how we understand and treat age-related conditions CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LinkGevity, an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of aging and age-related diseases, today announces its contribution to the publication of a paper in Springer Nature's Oncogene, 'Necrosis as a fundamental driver of loss of resilience and biological decline: What if we could intervene?' (1). The paper is a collaborative effort by a top international team of clinicians and scientists from institutions including the Mayo Clinic, Mass General Brigham, NASA Space-Health program, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of South Wales (USW), University College London's Medical School and the European Space Agency. The authors explain how necrosis, a form of cell death historically viewed as an unregulated and terminal event, may in fact represent one of the most fundamental and targetable mechanisms driving human aging and age-related disease. The paper brings together evidence from cancer biology, regenerative medicine, kidney disease, and space health to make the case that necrosis is more than a biological endpoint: it may be the crux of how cells and tissues fail as people age. The paper delves into how aging is driven by a silent cellular battle. Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Cell death can either be a beneficial and carefully orchestrated "programmed" process to maintain survival, or an uncontrolled and catastrophic process that defines biological degeneration — termed necrosis, rooted in the Greek nekros, the word for "death." At the center of necrosis is calcium, a vital ion that, in effect, controls the "wiring" of a cell. Calcium determines which cellular functions are switched on or off with calcium ions normally maintained at a level that is 10,000 to 100,000 times higher outside the cell vs inside. When this finely tuned balance fails, calcium floods the cell like an electrical short circuit, triggering multiple cellular processes simultaneously and pushing the cell into irreversible chaos. Unlike programmed death, where cells dismantle in an organised manner, necrosis causes cells to rupture, spilling toxic molecules into surrounding tissues. But the damage doesn't stop there. As the paper details, this sparks a chain reaction that spreads like a cascade failure, causing widespread inflammation and derailing proper tissue repair processes. This creates a self-perpetuating cycle — a positive feedback loop that amplifies tissue damage, drives destructive processes like cellular senescence and fibrosis, and undermines systemic resilience. In turn, these processes fuel both frailty and the onset of multiple chronic diseases associated with aging. Crucially, challenging prevailing views, the paper highlights that necrosis is not merely an endpoint, but a central, active driver of aging— and one that presents an opportunity for a game-changing intervention, capable of transforming our entire understanding of medicine and health. Lead author and LinkGevity's CEO, Dr Carina Kern, based at the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, said: 'Necrosis has been hiding in plain sight—as a final stage of cell death, it's been largely overlooked. But mounting evidence shows it's far more than an endpoint. It's a central mechanism through which systemic degeneration not only arises but also spreads. That makes it a critical point of convergence across many diseases. If we can target necrosis, we could unlock entirely new ways to treat conditions ranging from kidney failure to cardiac disease, neurodegeneration and excitingly even aging itself.' The review details how necrosis is implicated in several major disease pathways: In cancer, it contributes to tumour aggression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. In stroke and heart attack, it is the dominant mechanism of cell and tissue death. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, necrosis drives neuronal cell loss and inflammation. Notably, it is in the kidneys that necrosis may have its most devastating and underappreciated impact. Necrosis induces kidney disease, which by the age of 75 years it is anticipated half of all individuals develop with natural aging–often requiring a transplant or dialysis. Prof Joseph Bonventre, co-author on the paper and a leading expert on kidney disease at Mass General Brigham as well as professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, whose work has focused on the vulnerability of the kidneys to damage and aging said: 'Development of an intervention targeting necrosis would be a fundamental breakthrough with far reaching impact'. In environments of accelerated aging such as spaceflight, astronauts often experience rapid onset of aging and kidney-related decline. This is due to low gravity and cosmic radiation. This accelerated aging and kidney disease may be the final hurdle in making long duration missions, such as to Mars a reality. Prof. Damian Biley, Chair of the Life Science Working Group of the European Space Agency (ESA) who is also a leading neurovascular and longevity expert at USW, and who co-led the paper said: 'Targeting necrosis offers potential to not only transform longevity on earth but also push the frontiers of space exploration'. Dr Keith Siew, UCL Centre for Kidney & Bladder Health and Co-lead of the London Tubular Centre, said: 'Our work highlights one of the most critical biological barriers to extending healthspan and charts a path toward developing game-changing interventions to prevent the onset of multiple chronic diseases with age'. The authors emphasise that targeting necrosis could provide a unifying approach to treating multiple chronic diseases and even slowing or halting degeneration with age. If validated therapeutically, such an approach could represent a turning point in medicine. Reference (1) Necrosis as a fundamental driver of loss of resilience and biological decline: What if we could intervene? Notes to Editors About LinkGevityLinkGevity is an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of ageing and age-related disorders, such as chronic kidney disease. LinkGevity's proprietary Blueprint Mapping platform identifies & targets key pathological pathways which are the molecular 'source' of destructive cascades underlying multiple age-related conditions and biological decline. By using therapeutics that precisely target these 'patho pathways', LinkGevity aims to halt age-related deterioration. LinkGevity was selected as one of only 12 global innovations for the NASA sponsored Space-Health programme for its potential to combat accelerated aging and kidney decline in astronauts. The company has also earned several prestigious grants from the European Union (EU Horizon) and the UK Government's Innovation Agency. It has also secured investment from The Francis Crick Institute (KQ Labs Program), Europe's largest biomedical research centre. The company is based at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the UK's University of Cambridge. For more information see the website and follow the company on LinkedIn. About Kidney Disease The kidneys are particularly susceptible to necrosis and tissue degeneration due to their high metabolic activity, which is essential for removing waste products from the body and regulating fluid levels. Necrosis of kidney cells—especially tubular cells (Renal Tubular Necrosis, RTN), which are central to waste filtration—drives the progression of kidney disease. Ongoing necrosis sets off a cascade of positive feedback loops that block proper repair, leading to fibrosis, cellular aging, and immune dysfunction—ultimately turning kidney injury into chronic kidney disease (CKD). With no approved therapies to inhibit necrosis, kidney disease remains the 9th leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. Despite decades of research, current treatments are limited to dialysis and organ transplantation. Projections suggest that within the next 10 years, global healthcare systems will struggle to meet the rising costs of dialysis. In response, many countries, including the UK, have declared kidney disease a public health emergency. Media Contacts LinkGevity Serena Kern-Libera, LinkGevity's COO and co-founderserena@ Scius Communications Daniel Gooch +447747875479daniel@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LinkGevity Awarded Innovate UK Smart Grant for Anti-Necrotic™ Research to Prevent Kidney Deterioration
LONDON, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LinkGevity, an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of ageing, today announces it has been awarded a Smart Grant by the National Innovation Agency of the UK Government, Innovate UK. The Smart Grant will be used in a one-year project involving the company's Anti-Necrotic™ technology, specifically around acute tubular necrosis (ATN), which is a leading cause of kidney dysfunction, degeneration and ageing. Financial details are not disclosed. By preserving organ function at the molecular level, through addressing the core mechanisms of unprogrammed cell death in ATN, LinkGevity could transform treatment pathways for patients at risk of kidney failure. Dr Carina Kern, CEO and co-founder of LinkGevity, said: 'Being selected for an Innovate UK Smart Grant, where the competition is tough, is another endorsement of the potential of our approach. Necrosis has been an unresolved challenge in medical science for decades. It is a key driver of ageing biology and the loss of resilience with age as well as age-related diseases such as kidney disease and damage. This project will help us deliver a transformative solution that improves long-term organ health. With our Anti-Necrotic™ technology, we are pioneering a solution that could protect vital organs and the kidney in particular, from irreversible damage and ageing.' Serena Kern-Libera, LinkGevity's COO and co-founder, added: 'We are thrilled to have secured another note-worthy grant, which supports us in bringing our Anti-Necrotic™ technology to patients. As with last month's announcement about our selection for the prestigious Francis Crick Institute KQ Labs programme, and our inclusion in the NASA Space-H programme, we're delighted to be building momentum around our Anti-Necrotic™ approach and pushing the boundaries of innovation in medical science.' The kidneys are among the most vulnerable organs to necrosis-related damage. Kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death worldwide (WHO, 2024), rising sharply in the last two decades due to ageing populations and increasing comorbidities. Patients with kidney disease have few treatment options beyond dialysis or transplantation, both of which come with severe limitations, including high costs to healthcare systems, poor quality of life, long waiting times and high rejection rates. Traditional drug discovery approaches, which generally focus on single therapeutics for specific diseases, have struggled with age-related diseases which are by nature multifactorial. LinkGevity's technology platform seeks to disrupt this model by developing therapeutics that target key pathways across multiple diseases, offering the potential for a more comprehensive and effective approach to preventing age-related deterioration. About LinkGevityLinkGevity is an AI-driven drug discovery company focused on revolutionising the treatment of ageing. Guided by its proprietary Blueprint Theory of Ageing—developed by Dr. Carina Kern in collaboration with leading doctors and longevity experts—LinkGevity identifies and targets key 'pathological pathways.' These pathways are the molecular 'source' of destructive cascades underlying multiple age-related conditions and biological decline. By precisely targeting these pathological pathways with broad-spectrum therapeutics, LinkGevity aims to halt age-related deterioration. The company's flagship therapeutic is a first-in-class Anti-Necrotic™, which targets one such pathological pathway: necrosis. It has earned a prestigious Horizon Europe grant from the European Union alongside UK government funding. LinkGevity was also selected as one of only 12 companies globally for the NASA/Microsoft Space-Health Program, due to the Anti-Necrotic's™ potential in preventing accelerated ageing and tissue degeneration in astronauts. Necrosis, derived from the Greek word nékrōsis, meaning 'death', refers to the uncontrolled and irreversible death of cells, tissues, and organs, ultimately leading to tissue degeneration. Necrosis has long been a critical barrier in the treatment of chronic and age-related diseases and has hindered advancement in scientific fields such as bioengineering, cryopreservation, and organ preservation. The company plans to initiate a flagship clinical trial later this year, using an accelerated ageing model in the kidney. Based at the Babraham Research Campus, affiliated with the University of Cambridge, UK, LinkGevity is committed to transforming healthcare through cutting-edge science and innovation. For more information see the website and follow the company on LinkedIn. Media Contacts LinkGevitySerena Kern-Libera, LinkGevity's COO and co-founderserena@ Scius CommunicationsKatja Stout +447789435990katja@ Daniel Gooch +447747875479daniel@ in to access your portfolio
