As its field of study is understanding the ageing process and how to treat it, a Nice-based research institute is looking to help French citizens live up to 120 in good health.
“Extending healthspan is obviously beneficial for society, as less will be spent on treatments for ageing-related diseases,” explains Ircan new director, Dr Dimitry Bulavin.
The research institute has been working on cancer and ageing for the last 12 years, and the combination of both subjects came as a logical one: older people are more likely to develop cancer, and cancer research attracts funds. Ircan – which stands for Institute for Research on Cancer and Ageing – is looking to become France’s “go-to authority and benchmark” in this emerging field. Among future therapies is reprogramming specific cells with ‘pulses’ of particular genes to remove the effects of ageing before putting the rejuvenated cells back through injection or blood transfusion. “This kind of pulse of rejuvenation could, on its own, be enough to maintain the body because your immune system will be constantly resetting itself.”
