Dr. Dmitry Bulavin, Director of IRCAN (Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice), was recently featured in The Connexion following his talk at the Genii Longevity Conference in Geneva.

Dr. Bulavin explained that while human lifespan has remained capped at around 120 years for over a century, new research could extend both lifespan and healthspan. He noted that some species show no clear link between age and mortality. Identifying and applying these mechanisms could allow humans to live in good health to at least 120 years.

IRCAN is pursuing several approaches to this challenge, including:

• Cell reprogramming through a new joint PhD programme with French and international universities, aimed at rejuvenating damaged cells and tissues.
• Immune cell rejuvenation, modifying bone marrow-derived immune cells to a younger, more active state to better monitor tissues and eliminate harmful cells.
• Artificial intelligence applications for analyzing large datasets, identifying biological markers of age, and improving imaging in fields such as Alzheimer’s research.

While clinical translation will take time, Dr. Bulavin emphasized the importance of prevention through healthy lifestyles and regular screenings. He also highlighted the need for investment in diagnostic tools to measure biological age, which could help reduce the burden of age-related disease.