Valencia: Longevity World Forum. Daniel Duart/Talentum.

The scientific community shared a “tsunami of knowledge” on healthy ageing at the Longevity World Forum

“We are an increasingly ageing society and this is a challenge.” That is how Manuel Pérez Alonso, Professor of Genetics at the University of Valencia, started his closing speech at the Longevity World Forum, the first conference in Europe focused on life expectancy and life improvement. We know for a fact that human longevity is gradually increasing and this results in serious consequences in many areas. That is why a world forum for reflection is needed.

The Longevity World Forum responds to this need. Its first edition has been held in the Valencia Conference Centre and it has brought together over 400 participants, who have had the opportunity to learn more about longevity from the perspective of world leaders of the scientific community in fields such as genomics, nutrition, precision medicine and biotechnology. They have shared their knowledge, informed about the latest achievements and analysed new challenges.

“Ageing cannot be treated directly. However, the illnesses that result from this natural process can be treated”, explained María Blasco, Head of the prestigious Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), who was one of the speakers in the conference together with other professionals such as Ángela Nieto, head of the Developmental Neurobiology Unit of the UMH-CSIC Neuroscience Institute located in Alicante, who has just received the ASEICA Cancer Research Award 2018; or the renowned Aubrey de Grey, founder of SENS Research Foundation, who was the last speaker and argued that combating ageing as a medical condition will be possible in the near future.

In total, over 20 people were part of a first-rate panel of speakers that combined perspectives from the scientific, academic and professional communities in order to “discover the mechanisms that affect ageing, develop strategies to slow it down and treat age-related illnesses better”, as Manuel Pérez Alonso said in his closing speech. It was also stated that “the future brings an integrative multidisciplinary medicine” based on genomic information and applying artificial intelligence, as well as the fact that a “recipe for a healthy later life” would involve “a responsible diet, physical exercise adapted to each person’s situation and keeping alive social relationships”.

The organizers of Longevity World Forum have expressed their satisfaction since the event was well-received and they achieved the goal of “conveying a tsunami of knowledge” for the benefit of the whole society. Due to its success, the second edition of this event has been confirmed. It will take place in November 2019 and it is expected to become an annual international event.

Aubrey de Grey Longevity

The debate over precision medicine and biotechnology puts the final touch on the first edition of the Longevity World Forum

On the second and final day of the Longevity World Forum, the conference turned its focus towards two disciplines which are fundamental to guarantee a longer and better life expectancy: precision medicine and biotechnology. Each one of these was the focus of a session which, once again, heard from leading voices not only from within the scientific community but also from industry thus providing a more holistic vision of human longevity.

In particular, Manuel Corpas, CEO and founder of Cambridge Precision Medicine, started the day by demonstrating how complete genomic sequencing is a key tool for clinical practice that aims at prolonging human life and health. The testimonial of Jorge Cortell, CEO of Kanteron Systems, added to this as he explained how his start-up integrates data from the image into the medical workflow to make it more accurate and personalised.

Ana Sabater, Associate Director of Eugenomic, continued in this line, emphasising pharmogenetics and its value to making prescribing safer, which translates into a more efficient medical industry. In addition, Arancha Galán, Deputy Director of the IVI in vitro fertilization laboratory, dismantled the widespread idea of eternal youth and cautioned that the need to consider mechanisms to preserve fertility is ever more important now that life expectancy is longer.

All of them together with Pablo Marín, Director of Bioinformatics of Kanteron Systems; Juan Sabater, Head of Eugenomic; Elisa Tarazona, Operations Manager of Ribera Salud; and Gonçal Lloveras, Managing Director of Clínica Diagonal in Barcelona, also participated in different round tables which covered, on the one hand, the potential for Big Data in health management and, on the other hand, the role of clinics, laboratories and hospitals under the new medical paradigm.

The fourth session, which took place throughout the day, benefited from the contributions of Tom Stubbs and Attila Csordas, founder and CEO of Chronomics and Age Curve Limited, respectively. They showed how their startups offer services which already allow information gathering from genetics or biomarkers with the aim of developing a preventive medical system.

In between these two, it was the eagerly-awaited Aubrey de Grey’s turn. The renowned biogerontologist founder of SENS Research Foundation argued that ageing will be treated like a mere health problem in the near future. That is to say, ageing is not like an infection that can be eradicated from the human body but it will be like other illnesses that result from the “accumulation of harm” on the human body.

Lissette Otero, CMO and Laboratory Director of LifeLength, intervened last giving a breakdown of the different variables associated with telomeres, age and cancer. Lastly, Ángel Alberich, founder and CEO of Quibim, illustrated the current medical applications that artificial intelligence already has and the advantages it offers in terms of guaranteeing healthy longevity.

Manuel Pérez Alonso, Professor of Genetics at the University of Valencia and member of the conference scientific and organizing committees, summed up the key conclusions in the closing speech of the Longevity World Forum and confirmed that a second annual conference will take place next year since the first edition has been very well-received.

The scientific community proposes a different approach to ageing at the Longevity World Forum

It may seem paradoxical but embryonic development is not dissimilar to ageing, acknowledged Ángela Nieto at the Longevity World Forum. The head of the Developmental Neurobiology Unit of the UMH-CSIC Neuroscience Institute located in Alicante, who has just received the ASEICA for Best Investigative Career, was one of the speakers in the conference’s first day. There she explained the existence of “promising therapeutic targets” for organ degeneration which would mean longer and better life expectancy.

In addition, María Blasco, Head of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre and also a speaker in this conference, emphasised the study of telomeres and telomerase due to their proven direct effect on the development of particular pathologies associated to ageing. “Ageing cannot be treated directly. However, the illnesses that result from this natural process can be treated”, she explained.

José Viña y Federico Pallardó, both Professors of Physiology at the University of Valencia (UV), were also some of the key speakers in the first day of the Longevity World Forum. In particular, Federico Pallardó argued that ageing is a physiological progress which can be delayed thanks to epigenetic mechanisms. Meanwhile, Manuel Viña defended the idea that nutrition and physical exercise can be considered “new medications” with their influence on age-related frailty being a key piece of evidence in this argument.

The presentations of Mercedes Aguirre, head of laboratories Nua Biological Innovations, and Mari Carmen Gómez, who is part of the Physiology Department of the University of Valencia, followed in this vein, using examples such as Alzheimer’s disease to prove the importance of diet and physical activity in achieving healthy ageing.

Therefore, the Longevity World Forum is achieving the target set upon its creation; serve as a world forum to exchange knowledge on increased life expectancy and life quality improvement from a purely scientific perspective. Tomorrow the conference’s second and final day will be seen out with the highlight being the intervention of Aubrey de Grey, the renowned biogerontologist founder of SENS Research Foundation. Alongside other professionals, he will further develop speciality subjects like precision medicine and biotechnology.

Research for a longer and better life expectancy focuses on Valencia

The Longevity World Forum is already a reality: the first conference in Europe on precision medicine and genomics started with an opening session in the Valencia Conference Centre where nearly 400 people gathered together. “It’s a risky bet but one which is necessary to enjoy a better quality of life. Doing it from a starting point of scientific knowledge means greater safety”, stated Maite Girau, head of the local Sports and Health, who attended the session as a representative of the Valencia City Council.

Now world leaders in the scientific community will present their ideas and participate in round tables with the objective of creating a world forum on life expectancy and life quality improvement. Leading figures such as Aubrey de Grey, the renowned founder of SENS Research Foundation or Ángela Nieto, head of the Developmental Neurobiology Unit of the UMH-CSIC Neuroscience Institute located in Alicante, who has just received the ASEICA Cancer Research Award 2018.

In total, over 20 professionals will take part in this unprecedented exchange of knowledge that will help Valencia become one of the scientific capitals of the world. José Viña and Federico Pallardó, Professors of Physiology at the University of Valencia, will also attend the conference; as well as María Blasco Marhuenda, head of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO); Manuel Pérez Alonso, Professor of Genetics at the University of Valencia; Manuel Corpas, CEO and founder of Cambridge Precision Medicine; Lissette Otero, Chief Medical Officer and Laboratory Director in Life Length; and Maria Chatzou, CEO of Lifebit, among others.

Subjects like epigenetics, nutrition, “4P” medicine (predictive, preventative, personalised and participative), pharmacology and biotechnology will become the focus of scientific debate about human longevity thanks to a packed programme which includes not only perspectives from healthcare and academia but also from industry. “The idea is to bring an interdisciplinary perspective and involve all of society. Moreover, I hope the conclusions reach administrations because it is vital that, from the public policy-making standpoint, we take these advances into account”, Maite Girau concluded.