Fight Aging!

We live in the early, formative years of the era of rejuvenation, in which medicine will target the mechanisms of aging, increasingly effectively as the years pass, in order to make the old physiologically young once again. The first, crude rejuvenation therapies worthy of the name are under development or already available to the adventurous. These are senolytic treatments that selectively destroy the accumulated senescent cells that contribute to aging. Senescent cells produce chronic inflammation, tissue dysfunction, and age-related disease. By removing even just a third to a half of senescent cells in just some tissues, mice have been rejuvenated, their healthy life spans extended, and numerous age-related conditions reversed. Biotech companies are developing drugs and running trials. Human patients will be next.

It isn't an accident that this is happening now. The non-profit SENS Research Foundation and Methuselah Foundation are two small but important organizations that have, since shortly after the turn of the century, worked tirelessly to (a) change the culture of the scientific community to focus on the possibility of treating aging as a medical condition, (b) unblock stalled areas of important research into repairing the molecular damage that causes aging, (c) persuade funding institutions and the public at large to support an end to the suffering and pain of aging, and (b) build a network of like-minded fellow travelers and advocates. These efforts are working, are beginning to pay off.

A great deal remains to be achieved, however. Senescent cells are just one of the important mechanisms of aging, and work on the others still requires various forms of aid, advocacy, unblocking. All of the real progress achieved to date in building a world in which rejuvenation is a possibility has been the result of philanthropy, the donations of thousands of supporters made to the SENS Research Foundation and Methuselah Foundation. These generous individuals funded the early stage research, the outreach, the hard work of patient advocacy. They helped to hold up the light, and that light brought the scientists and capital to found a new industry. Philanthropy works, demonstrably, to advance our society towards the medicine of rejuvenation - and it must continue to work if we are to benefit in our old age in the years ahead. So help to fund the work of the SENS Research Foundation when you consider where to place your charitable giving for 2020.

SENS Research Foundation 2020 Year End Fundraiser

2020 brought unprecedented challenges as a pandemic swept the globe, leaving more than a million dead and others isolated and fearful in their homes. Through all the updates on the sick and the dead, on testing and public health guidance, one constant remains: by far the greatest predictor of death from COVID-19 is age. Most of the co-morbidities that drive COVID severity are pathologies of aging. Flattening the "demographic curve" of degenerative aging would reduce the impact of COVID-19 to roughly that of an average recent flu season, while also reducing the staggering toll of age-related disease and death that continues to inflict suffering on humankind.

Ending that toll is our mission. At SENS Research Foundation, we develop rejuvenation biotechnologies: new therapies that will repair the accumulated cellular and molecular damage in our tissues and restore youthful function.

As we reflect on the past year, we're particularly grateful to the many donors whose steadfast commitment to our work endured through economic uncertainty, to those who have become SRF Patrons by pledging to support us with recurring donations, and to the new donors who have joined our cause. You've provided a steady income stream allowing SRF to continue to fight age-related disease during the uncertainty of 2020. We appreciate you more than we can say. We know you share our vision and passion for extending healthy lifespans.

With your support, we funded research establishing systems that may accelerate progress toward novel therapies against COVID-19 as well as lung and brain aging. With your support, we explored ways to address dementia by rejuvenating the neocortex. With your support, we fight hard to reverse aging by sponsoring research, educating new scientists, and providing outreach to the public and industry partners. With your support, we can break free of age-related disease. With your support, we can #UnlockLongevity together.

SENS Research Foundation's 2020 End of Year Fundraising Campaign runs through December 31st.