A researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation in Kobe studies age-related changes in the brain. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Gerontology researchers are racing to unravel the mechanisms of how humans age, with the goal of developing medicines and nutritional foods that can extend the healthy life spans of humans.
“It s no longer science fiction but an attainable goal to develop anti-aging methods and extend healthy life expectancy,” said Yoichi Nabeshima, a professor emeritus at Kyoto University and chairman of the Institute for Research on Productive Aging (IRPA).
The IRPA, modeled after a private research institute in the United States, kicked off its activities last year with the mission of developing anti-aging methods by studying the mechanisms of aging and longevity.