Nobel laureate Ramakrishnan on the secret of aging and life extension

Nobel laureate Ramakrishnan on the secret of aging and life extension

On October 21, 2025, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry Venki Ramakrishnan will give a lecture in the Audimax of the Technical University (TU) Dresden. Under the title “Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality” he will address the causes and mechanisms of aging. The lecture begins at 7:00 p.m. and is open to anyone interested; prior registration is not required. This event is part of a series of lectures supported by various partners, including Ardenne GmbH and the Society of Friends and Supporters of TU Dresden e.V.

Ramakrishnan, who is 73 years old, has an impressive academic career. After completing his bachelor's degree in physics at Baroda University in India, he completed his doctorate at Ohio University. He later delved into biology at the University of California in San Diego. He received his Nobel Prize in 2009 for important studies on the structure and function of the ribosome. He was also President of the Royal Society, one of the oldest scientific societies in the world, from 2015 to 2020.

Perspectives on longevity research

Longevity research has developed rapidly in recent years and views aging as a process that can be influenced biologically. The aim is to extend the years of life and at the same time promote health during these years. It is increasingly believed that significant progress can be made through technologies such as cellular reprogramming, in which cells can be restored to a younger state. Studies at the Salk Institute show promising results for the partial reprogramming of cells without the formation of tumors.

In addition, international research teams are working intensively on controllable applications of these techniques for humans, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. A key risk of reprogramming is uncontrolled cell proliferation, which requires precise dosing.

Therapies against age-related diseases

A particularly interesting area is research into senolytics, substances aimed at destroying senescent cells that can promote inflammation and damage organs. There are currently over ten senolytics in clinical trials. A Mayo Clinic study shows that patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may benefit from therapy with dasatinib and quercetin. Pilot trials in Canada demonstrate improvements in walking speed and cognitive abilities in older subjects after senolytic therapy.

Research groups are also focusing on mitochondrial optimization to restore mitochondrial efficiency, while genomic precision medicine is being developed to control the epigenetic factors of aging. Techniques such as CRISPR for epigenetic editing are in development, although clinical applications are still in the early stages.

Social and ethical issues

Advances in aging research also raise important social and ethical questions. The impact of an older, healthy population on pension systems and the labor market must be carefully considered. There are also calls for regulation of longevity medicine and the ethical assessment of genetic interventions.

There are currently no approved medications to extend life. Experts emphasize the importance of a balanced diet, physical activity, sleep hygiene and psychosocial stability as effective measures for healthy aging. However, developments in aging research offer a promising perspective for slowing or reversing biological aging, although many long-term effects are still unknown.

For further information about the event and Venki Ramakrishnan, those interested can visit the TU Dresden website: tu-dresden.de.

Additional information about longevity research can be found at current-knowledge.de, while the profound findings in the specialist literature can be found, for example, under deutschlandfunk.de are available.