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First set of speakers announced for Rejuvenation Startup Summit 2024
The Forever Healthy Foundation has announced the first set of speakers for its Rejuvenation Startup Summit on 10-11 May 2024.
The networking event brings together startups and members of the longevity venture capital and investor ecosystem who share the common aim to create therapies that extend the healthy human lifespan.
Rejuvenation and longevity biotech is a new, emerging field of medicine. It aims to prevent and reverse the diseases of ageing by addressing their common root cause, the ageing process itself.
In addition to a range of presentations from CEOs of startups in the fields of rejuvenation and longevity, the summit features an all-day startup forum for networking, panel discussions and keynote presentations.
The summit will take place in Berlin and starts at midday on Friday 10 May and finishes on Saturday 11 with an evening party for all attendees.
Speakers at the event will include Michael Greve, founder of the Forever Healthy Foundation; Nina Ruge, science journalist and best-selling author; Hans S. Keirstead, chairman of the Board of Immunis Inc, Dobri Kiprov, co-founder and CSO of Lyfspn, Jens Eckstein, investment partner at Hevolution and, Sergey Jakimov, managing partner at LongeVC.
Other speakers will include spokespeople from the likes of Intervene Immune, Reservoir Neuroscience, Rubedo Life Sciences, Deciduous Therapeutics, Elastrin Therapeutics, LIfT BioSciences, Rejuvenate Biomed, NUS Singapore and Healthy Longevity Clinic
Speakers at the Rejuvenation Startup Summit will include:
- Michael Greve, Founder of the Forever Healthy Foundation
- Nina Ruge, science journalist and best-selling author
- Hans S. Keirstead, Chairman of the Board of Immunis Inc. – developing immune secretome products to change the course of immune-related diseases and ageing
- Dobri Kiprov, Co-founder and CSO of Lyfspn – conducting a pilot study on Plasmapheresis
- Greg Fahy, Co-founder and CSO, and Bobby Brooke, CEO and CTO of Intervene Immune – the thymus regeneration pioneer
- Aaron Friedman, Co-founder and CEO, and Vlad Senatorov, Co-founder and CSO of Reservoir Neuroscience P rejuvenate the blood-brain barrier and restore vascular health
- Marco Quarta, Co-founder and CEO Rubedo Life Sciences – keeps you biologically young by targeting the pathologic cells that drive aging
- Robin Mansukhani, CEO of Deciduous Therapeutics – developing multiple activation approaches to clearing senescent cells via novel immunotherapies
- Matthias Breugelmans, CEO, and Naren Vyavahare, CSO of Elastrin Therapeutics – leveraging a platform to develop therapeutics that render calcified tissue and organs supple again
- Alex Blyth, CEO of LIfT BioSciences – developing the world’s first ‘off-the-shelf’ cell therapy to destroy all solid tumors irrespective of their origin
- Ann Belien, CEO of Rejuvenate Biomed – researches the biology of aging and evaluates the therapeutic potential of synergistic combination drugs
- Mike Kope, and Matthew O’Connor, Co-CEOs of Cyclarity – prevents age-related conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke by addressing the root cause
- Aaron Cravens, CEO of REVEL – opens up an entirely new field in the treatment of age-related molecular damage by breaking cross-linked collagen fibers
- Matthew Rosen, Executive Vice Chairman of CoRegen – leveraging its gene regulatory platform for the treatment of cancers and other chronic illnesses
- Janine Sengstack, Co-founder and CEO, and Rob Carhill, Co-Founder and President of Junevity – rewinding diseases of age with novel transcription factor targeting medicines
- Reason, CEO and Mourad Topors, CSO of Repair Biotechnologies – developing therapies based on the Cholesterol Degrading Platform
- Alexander Leutner, Managing Director of cellbricks – replicating human tissue at scale
- Alexander Schueller, CEO, and Stephen Helliwell, CSO of cellvie – pioneering Therapeutic Mitochondria Transplantation
- Lou Hawthorne, Founder and CEO of NaNotics – developing a new class of medicine
- Phil Newman, Founder and CEO of Longevity.Technology
- Stephanie Dainow, Executive Director of Lifespan.io
- Lorna Harries, CSO of Senisca – developing senotherapeutic interventions to target the diseases and aesthetic signs of ageing
- Jürgen Reeß, CEO of Mogling Bio – developing approaches to rejuvenate old stem cells of the hematopoietic (blood cell formation) system
- Petr Sramek, Co-founder of the Healthy Longevity Clinic and Managing Partner of LongevityTech.fund
- Brian Kennedy, Prof. NUS Singapore
- Eric Verdin, CEO and president of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Investors on stage:
- Jens Eckstein, Investment Partner at Hevolution
- Alex Colville, Co-founder, General Partner at Age1
- Jan Adams, Partner at Apollo Health Ventures
- Sergey Jakimov, Managing Partner at LongeVC
- Marc P. Bernegger, Founding Partner at maximon
- Patrick Burgermeister, Partner at Kizoo Technology Capital
Gut-friendly foods such as kimchi and kombucha may carry hidden risks for heart health when eaten in excess, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned.
The charity said foods marketed as prebiotic, probiotic or otherwise good for the gut can support the microbiome, but some may also be high in salt or sugar, which can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Products highlighted by the British Heart Foundation included kimchi, kombucha, fruit yoghurts, smoothies and sauerkraut. It said there is no harm in including them as part of a healthy diet, but advised people to check labels for added salt and sugar and eat them in moderation.
Tracy Parker, the charity’s nutrition lead, said: “We encourage everyone to choose foods that can keep their gut microbiome healthy. The benefits are clear, and we are continuing to improve our understanding of how a gut-friendly diet may help our hearts.
“A lot of these products can contain high levels of salt or sugar though, so it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks.
“By ensuring you check package labels for added salt and sugars, and eat each in moderation, you can make sure the risks do not outweigh the benefits for your heart health.”
Fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics, the healthy bacteria produced during fermentation that can help support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
However, both are traditionally made using a lot of salt, which can raise blood pressure if eaten frequently or in large quantities. High blood pressure is known to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Kombucha, a fermented tea, also contains probiotics and can be a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks, but many commercial and shop-bought versions contain added sugar.
Eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular disease.
Fruit yoghurts can contain probiotic live bacteria cultures, but may also be high in sugar and have fewer live cultures than plain versions.
The charity said plain yoghurt with live and active cultures on the label can be a lower-sugar option, with whole fruit added at home for sweetness.
Smoothies made with whole fruits provide prebiotic fibre, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports digestive health.
They can also provide vitamins and antioxidants, especially when made with a variety of plant-based ingredients.
But blending breaks down the structure of fruit, releasing free sugars that behave like added sugars in the body and can cause faster rises in blood sugar levels.
Regularly consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.
The charity said only one 150ml serving of any smoothie counts towards five-a-day, and suggested adding nuts or seeds for extra protein and fibre to help keep blood sugar levels more stable.
The BHF also noted that some shop-bought sauerkraut is pasteurised, which removes most of the live bacteria.
It advised checking the label, eating small portions and choosing unpasteurised products for those seeking the probiotic benefits.
The charity said beneficial gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids during digestion, which are linked to reduced inflammation, better metabolism and better heart and circulatory health.
These good bacteria also help digest polyphenols, natural plant chemicals thought to have antioxidant properties and which may help lower blood pressure.
By contrast, harmful gut bacteria, which thrive on diets high in fat and red meat, produce chemicals that can cause problems in the heart and blood vessels by increasing inflammation and altering how cholesterol is processed in the body.
Beneficial bacteria thrive on varied diets high in prebiotics, non-digestible fibres found in foods such as wholegrains, oats, beans, lentils, bananas and onions.
People with diabetes may have undiagnosed heart failure that could be detected by a simple screening blood test, research suggests.
The TARTAN-HF trial found that one in four patients with diabetes who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure had undiagnosed heart failure detected through screening with a blood test and ultrasound scanning of the heart.
Experts said the findings show the extent of unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, and how the condition can be detected using a widely available blood test called NT-proBNP, which measures how much strain the heart is under.
They suggest a heart failure screening programme for diabetics could improve diagnosis rates, lead to earlier treatment and potentially reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death.
The study, involving 700 patients, was led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with AstraZeneca, Roche Diagnostics, Us2.ai, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire.
Dr Kieran Docherty, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, said: “Our results from the landmark TARTAN-HF trial identified heart failure in a large proportion of people living with diabetes, emphasising the need for a heart failure screening strategy in this group of patients.
“We know that many of the symptoms and signs of heart failure are non-specific, and may go unrecognised as potentially being due to heart failure for a long time.
“The strategy used in our trial is simple and easy to implement in clinical practice, and will aid in the early identification of heart failure in people with diabetes, and facilitate the initiation of medications that we know improve outcomes in patients with heart failure.”
The study, which began more than three years ago, involved more than 700 people with diabetes from the two health board areas who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure.
They were randomly assigned either to receive heart failure screening or to continue with their usual care.
Researchers found screening uncovered a large number of previously unrecognised cases of heart failure. Around one in four, or 24.9 per cent, of those screened were found to have the condition within six months, compared with 1 per cent in the group continuing their usual care.
The study, involving patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, found almost all of the participants found to have heart failure had preserved ejection fraction, which can be difficult to detect without dedicated testing.
The findings of the TARTAN-HF trial were presented at the American College of Cardiology conference taking place from 28 to 30 March in New Orleans in the US.
Dr Edward Piper, medical director at AstraZeneca UK, said: “Delayed diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes contributes to poor long-term outcomes. TARTAN-HF demonstrates that targeted, risk-based screening can identify previously undiagnosed heart failure in approximately one in four high-risk patients with diabetes, enabling earlier intervention with guideline-directed therapy.”
Dr Christian Simon, head of global medical affairs at Roche Diagnostics, said: “We are proud to have supported the landmark TARTAN-HF trial. These findings demonstrate the transformative power of early, accessible diagnostics like the NT-proBNP blood test.
“By identifying unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, we enable clinicians to initiate appropriate treatments sooner, ultimately improving patient outcomes and lives.”
The UK has launched a £6.3m men’s health fund to back local projects aimed at helping men and boys live longer, healthier lives.
The Men’s Health Community Fund is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, Movember and People’s Health Trust.
The government is contributing £3m, while the two charities are more than doubling that to take the total to £6.3m.
Grants will support community projects reaching underserved men and boys aged 16 and over, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas and at key points in their lives such as becoming a father, losing a job or retiring.
Projects could include support for new fathers, activities for men facing loneliness and social isolation, services to help young men engage with the health system, and support for men in work, out of work and moving into retirement.
The programme will bring together voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to test new ways of reaching men who are least likely to use traditional health services.
An evaluation funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research will assess what works and help inform future policy and delivery.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “Too many men across the country are living shorter, less healthy lives, particularly those in our most disadvantaged communities.
“This new partnership will help men get the support they need in the places they feel most comfortable, their communities, among people they trust.
“By working with expert charities and local organisations, we can reach the men who are too often missed by traditional services and help them take better care of their mental and physical health.”
“It is a key step in delivering our first ever Men’s Health Strategy and driving forward our ambition to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest areas.”
The Men’s Health Strategy sets out plans to tackle the physical and mental health challenges men and boys face.
Men can be less likely to seek help and more likely to suffer in silence, while higher rates of smoking, drinking, gambling and drug use are damaging men’s health and affecting families, workplaces and communities.
The government is also investing £3.6m over the next three years in suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men in local communities across areas of England where men are most at risk, many of which are also among the most deprived. Suicide is one of the biggest killers of men under 50, and three-quarters of all suicides are men.
The projects will aim to break down barriers middle-aged men face in seeking support, including stigma around asking for help and a lack of awareness of what is available and how to access it.
They will be co-designed with experts and men with lived experience of mental health crises and suicidal thoughts.
Gut-friendly foods may damage heart, charity warns
Diabetes patients face increased risk of undiagnosed heart failure
UK government announces £6.3m fund to boost men’s health
Brain health collaboratory launches in Gulf South
