Key points from article :
Matter Bio, a biotech startup co-founded by Harvard geneticist George Church, is investigating why some animals and humans live unusually long lives. The company is working with experts like Nir Barzilai and Tom Perls, aiming to uncover genetic factors linked to longevity. They plan to study DNA from 30,000 people, including 10,000 centenarians, and compare it with that of shorter-lived relatives and unrelated spouses to separate genetic and environmental effects.
They’re also studying 300 animal species, from long-lived sharks to parrots, collecting genetic material from about 10–30 animals per species. Their goal is to find patterns in DNA repair and genome stability that help preserve life longer, then use this insight to develop new treatments. While other biotech firms focus on reprogramming aging cells, Matter Bio believes that preventing genetic damage might offer a simpler path to healthspan extension.
The team has already done a smaller 500-person study under the SuperAgers Initiative, backed by the American Federation for Aging Research. Early results suggest that DNA protection plays a key role in longevity, and Matter Bio hopes to engineer nature-inspired but human-directed gene therapies from these findings. Their novel gene editing tool, built with Church, is not yet public.
Matter Bio launched in 2022, has raised $10 million, and is supported by a $13 million NIH grant for this longevity research. The work spans labs at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Boston University, and the results could lead to new treatments that slow aging rather than reverse it.
