This book is a systematic collection and critical analysis of current information on rejuvenation, starting from the evolutionary aspects of the origin of life, immortality, and aging. Models, mechanisms, and types of rejuvenation are the key subjects of the book. Processes like cellular reprogramming, resetting of the aging clock, immortal unicellulars and cell cultures are explored through the lens of rejuvenation. Recent discoveries in this field offer a nuanced view of rejuvenation that has fascinated mankind since early history.

There is evidence, though still controversial, indicating that biological time could be reversible. Indeed, under specific experimental conditions, cells can be moved back and forth along the age axis. Differentiation status and replicative age of cells can be modified not only by defined transcription factors, but also by 'cocktails' of small molecules originating from natural substances or well-known longevity-promoting drugs. Still in its infancy, such findings open up the perspective of in vivo rejuvenation trials. Special attention is given to the quasi-immortal and extremely long-lived multicellular animal species as well as to the role of rejuvenation in treatment of pathology and healthy aging.

Rejuvenation is experiencing a significant growth in recent years. There is ample debate in the scientific and near-scientific community about the ethics of rejuvenation and radical life span extension. This book aims to take a balanced and scientific approach to the mirage of immortality and ever-lasting youth and serves as a valuable resource for parties on both sides of the coin.

Autorentext

Khachik K. Muradian, DSc, PhD, is Chief Scientific Researcher and leads the Group "Experimental Life Span Extension" at the Department of the Biology of Aging and Life Span Extension, Institute of Gerontology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine. Having published over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals, his research focuses on radical life span extension and rejuvenation and is currently working on cell and metabolic reprogramming as a tool for life span extension and treatment of age-related pathology. He is the author of the first fundamental work in the field of Life Span Prolongation. He has published over 10 book chapters on the role of apoptosis, environment, metabolism, antioxidants and induced cellular reprogramming on life span and longevity. Since 2007 he is a member of the Advisory Board of the Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity and has chaired numerous meetings relating to aging, longevity and gerontology.

Vadim E. Fraifeld, MD, PhD is Professor at the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences. He leads the Lab for the Biology of Aging and the Research Group "Biological Determinants of Aging, Longevity, and Age-related Diseases" which includes four labs at the Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), Beer-Sheva, Israel. He is as well the Chief Scientific Researcher of the Department of Biology of Aging and Experimental Life Span Extension, Institute of Gerontology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine. He is the coordinator and lecturer of three courses on the biology of aging: Introductory, Basic, and Advanced. His major research interests focus on the systems biology of aging, longevity, and age-related diseases; cell reprogramming; cellular senescence; stem cell biology; wound healing and fibrosis. A top priority of his research interests is searching for determinants of life span and the ways of its extension and achieving healthy longevity. He has published over 90 papers and is an active editorial board member of 10 peer-reviewed journals. He was a Chief Organizer of the 8th European Congress of Biogerontology.

Since 1980s, the authors have tightly co-operated on problems of longevity, life span extension and rejuvenation.