Lifeboat Foundation

A new study sheds light on the accumulation of senescent cells and suggests that therapies that remove them could be beneficial both immediately and in the long term for human health and longevity.

Normally, as cells become damaged beyond repair, exhausted, and no longer able to replicate, they are removed from the body via a process known as apoptosis, which is a kind of self-destruct program initiated by the cell, or removed by the immune system. This system acts as a safety net to prevent damaged cells from remaining active and, in the context of cells damaged by mutations, a way to prevent cancer.

Unfortunately, as we age, this disposal system, like many others in our body, begins to falter and ultimately fail. This leads to the accumulation of unwanted, damaged senescent cells in every tissue of our body. This build-up of senescent cells is one of the proposed reasons we age and has been the focus of intense research in the last few years.

Fibre’s role goes beyond keeping our digestive tract in order. It can also help with weight loss or maintenance, control blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

However, many of us are not hitting our daily recommended amount of fibre — 20g for women and 26g for men.

Also, one in four Singaporeans experience chronic constipation. If you are one of them, here is how you can add fibre to your diet.

❄7th Day of Christmas ❄!!!

On the 7th Day of Christmas, we celebrate a wonderful healing journey.

Past Stage 4 CHIPSA patient Dalilah, shrank her tumor in just 3 weeks.

Continue reading “Tumor Shrinkage In Just 3 Weeks!” »

Mitochondria, tiny structures present in most cells, are known for their energy-generating machinery. Now, Salk researchers have discovered a new function of mitochondria: they set off molecular alarms when cells are exposed to stress or chemicals that can damage DNA, such as chemotherapy. The results, published online in Nature Metabolism on December 9, 2019, could lead to new cancer treatments that prevent tumors from becoming resistant to chemotherapy.

“Mitochondria are acting as a first line of defense in sensing DNA stress. The mitochondria tell the rest of the cell, ‘Hey, I’m under attack, you better protect yourself,’” says Gerald Shadel, a professor in Salk’s Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory and the Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Science.

Most of the DNA that a cell needs to function is found inside the cell’s nucleus, packaged in chromosomes and inherited from both parents. But mitochondria each contain their own small circles of DNA (called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA), passed only from a mother to her offspring. And most cells contain hundreds — or even thousands — of mitochondria.

Scientists have developed a new gene-therapy technique by transforming human cells into mass producers of tiny nano-sized particles full of genetic material that has the potential to reverse disease processes.

Though the research was intended as a proof of concept, the experimental therapy slowed tumor growth and prolonged survival in mice with gliomas, which constitute about 80 percent of malignant brain tumors in humans.

The technique takes advantage of exosomes, fluid-filled sacs that cells release as a way to communicate with other cells.

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After decades of research, here it is: the first promising evidence in humans, albeit imperfect and early, that a cocktail of three drugs is enough to reverse the epigenetic clock—a measure of someone’s biological age and health.

The results came as a surprise to even the research team, who originally designed the trial for something a little less dazzling: to look at human growth hormone’s effects on the thymus, the cradle of the body’s immune system that deteriorates with age.

“Maintained immune function is seen in centenarians,” and thymus function is linked to all-cause mortality, explained study author Dr. Gregory Fahy at Intervene Immune, based in Los Angeles, California. “So we were hoping to use a year of growth hormone to maintain thymus function in middle-aged men, right before the tissue’s functions take a nosedive,” he said.

Perovskites have been a hot research topic for the past 10 years, but we think we really have something here that can move us forward.

For the December edition of the Journal Club hosted by Dr. Oliver Medvedik, we are joined by Dr. Matthew O’ Connor (Oki) formerly of SENS Research Foundation and now the head researcher at Underdog Pharma, a spin-off biotech company that is developing research conducted at SENS into a hopefully viable solution for heart disease.

Dr. O’Connor will be giving a short presentation covering the story of 7-Ketocholesterol, a harmful byproduct of oxidized cholesterol that Underdog believes is a suitable target for therapeautic intervention to prevent the formation of artery plaques, the basis of atherosclerosis. Then, we will review the new paper that his team has published and follow it up with discussion and questions.