These 5 Medical Breakthroughs Will Boost Longevity

In this article, originally published in our annual bookazine, Living Beyond 100 edition, we explore medical breakthroughs that will boost your health and longevity.

Science Driven Longevity Breakthroughs

#1. T-cells engineered to offer lifelong protection against age-related conditions

Explorers have long searched for the fountain of youth, only to discover that the key to anti-aging may have been within us all along. Research led by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) assistant professor Corina Amor Vegas and her team in the US has unveiled a groundbreaking finding: T cells can be reprogrammed to combat aging.

Through precise genetic modifications, these white blood cells have the potential to target senescent cells, which are believed to contribute to age-related diseases. Senescent cells, which cease replication as we grow older, accumulate in the body, causing detrimental inflammation.

While existing drugs can eliminate senescent cells, they often require repeated doses. As an innovative alternative, Amor Vegas and her colleagues investigated the use of CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T cells, a “living” drug.

A living drug

Their research demonstrated that CAR T cells could be engineered to remove senescent cells in mice, leading to significant improvements in health. The treated mice displayed lower body weight, enhanced metabolism, improved glucose tolerance, increased physical activity, and, most notably, no tissue damage or toxicity.

“If we give it to aged mice, they rejuvenate. If we give it to young mice, they age more slowly. No other therapy right now can do this,” Amor Vegas says.

The longevity of CAR T cells emerged as a remarkable asset, with a single treatment in youth offering lifelong protection against age-related conditions such as obesity and diabetes. This groundbreaking discovery opens new possibilities in the field of anti-aging research.

#2. Scientists successfully 3D-printed functional brain tissue

A team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US has created the first 3D-printed brain tissue capable of growing and functioning similarly to natural brain tissue. The innovative 3D-printing technique developed by the group was detailed in the journal Cell Stem Cell. 

Departing from the conventional vertical layering approach, the researchers opted for a horizontal method. The cells are laid next to each other, like pencils laid in sequence on a tabletop.

“This could be a hugely powerful model to help us understand how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans,” says Su-Chun Zhang, professor of neuroscience and neurology at UW-Madison’s Waisman Center. “It could change the way we look at stem cell biology, neuroscience, and the pathogenesis of many neurological and psychiatric disorders.” 

Zhang explains that the tissue still has enough structure to hold together, but it’s soft enough to allow the neurons to grow into each other and start talking to one another. 

The race to beat Alzheimer’s

This milestone has significant implications for researchers studying the brain and developing treatments for various neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Previous attempts at printing brain tissue have been constrained by limitations in printing methods.

Brain cells, specifically neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, were embedded in a softer “bio-ink” gel to facilitate connection formation within and between printed layers. This approach resulted in the formation of neural networks resembling those found in human brains.

The printed neurons demonstrated communication capabilities, signal transmission, interaction through neurotransmitters, and the establishment of proper networks with supportive cells present in the printed tissue. This advancement marks a significant leap forward in the field of brain tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

“Our brain tissue could be used to study almost every major aspect of what many people at the Waisman Center are working on. It can be used to look at the molecular mechanisms underlying brain development, human development, developmental disabilities, neurodegenerative disorders, and more,” Zhang said. 

#3. Biological-age blood-testing kits aim to slow aging and prevent disease

If you’re looking to measure your biological age, establish your current rate of aging, and what you can do to slow it down, options are available today. GlycanAge offers test kits that use a simple finger-prick test and send users their results in the mail, in addition to the necessary and curated information they need to understand what is working and what requires improvement. 

At the same time, patients can secure precision healthcare programs through a company called Human Longevity, which uses cutting-edge technology to detect and preempt cardiac, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as different types of cancer. Each patient receives a customized program based on their individual data, which allows for radical change to their health and longevity.

#4. Scientists identify how dietary restriction slows brain aging

Science has long understood that restricting calories can improve one’s health and increase lifespan, but the reasons behind this have remained unknown, particularly in terms of how it influences and protects the brain. Now, scientists have identified a gene called OXR1, which is considered essential for the extension of lifespan, that is associated with dietary restriction and healthy brain aging. 

“When people restrict the amount of food that they eat, they typically think [about how] it might affect their digestive tract or fat buildup, but not necessarily about how it affects the brain,” said Kenneth Wilson, PhD, first author of the study, published online in Nature Communications in January 2024. “As it turns out, this is a gene that is important in the brain.”

In order to investigate the impact of a neuron-activated gene on lifespan, the researchers conducted a comprehensive series of tests. Their analysis revealed that OXR1 influences the retromer, a protein complex essential for the recycling of cellular proteins and lipids.

Eat less

“The retromer is an important mechanism in neurons, because it determines the fate of all proteins that are brought into the cell,” said Wilson. Retromer dysfunction has been associated with age-related neurodegenerative diseases that are protected by dietary restriction, specifically Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

“Diet is influencing this gene. By eating less, you are enhancing this mechanism of proteins being sorted properly in your cells, because your cells are enhancing the expression of OXR1,” said Wilson.

#5. Full-body scans: transformation for preventive medicine

We’re heading into a new future for imaging and preventive medicine, thanks to new-age screening technology, combined with active surveillance programs, and topped off with AI technology that allows physicians to identify diseases and monitor patients better. 

Full-body scans used to be reserved for the ultra-rich or were accessible only to doctors who could prescribe them to themselves. Now, they’re seen as a new step in preventive medicine. Daryl Eber, MD, and founder of 3T Radiology and Research, says that when performed under proper medical supervision and with newer-generation machines, whole-body scans are an effective tool in providing extensive, actionable medical insights for patients and doctors. 

Making diagnostic breakthroughs accessible

Industry entrants such as Prenuvo and Ezra have further provided affordable and accessible options to the public, and created a standardized product that can be performed in under an hour, screen for most major diseases, and catch signs of trouble early. 

In South Africa, the latest-generation multi-detector CT and MRI scanners can be used to rapidly and non-invasively image the body for the first signs of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. This can also be done well in advance of the first noticeable symptoms, providing peace of mind while facilitating greater control over risk reduction and treatment strategies. 

Dr. Mitch Kaplan, the lead reporting doctor, managing doctor, and medical director of Scan For Life in Johannesburg, explains that their most accurate test is the low-dose lung test, used to search for signs of early lung cancer or lung pathology.

“The issue is, by the time you see a lesion on a chest X-ray, it’s a waste of time. Your five-year survival rate is under 10%. With this technology, you can bring your five-year survival rate to over 90%. It becomes a curable condition because you can detect them when they’re really small.”

GRAB YOUR LONGEVITY 2025/6 COPY

While the aforementioned article featured in the previous issue of Longevity, our latest issue includes even more incredible articles and features. Our “Back to Earth” issue is Longevity’s must-have edition for anyone ready to reflect on what we put in and on our bodies.

From expert insights with Dr. Zach Bush and Dr. Ash Kapoor to Oscar Chalupsky, Dr. Ela Manga, Dr. Maureen Allem, Dr. Anushka Reddy, Dr Des Fernandes, Dr. Craige Golding, and many more, this issue explores everything from food, clean beauty, sustainable living, fashion, travel, and other mindful choices.

While available nationally in Southern Africa at your nearest Woolworths, Exclusive Books, and selectively at Superspar, Pick’n Pay, Airport lounges, and your local garage shop, you can also buy a digital copy at Zinio.com

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